2008 Van Isle Wave Boys Win BCSPL League Title

The Vancouver Island Wave 2008 Boys team has secured the BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL) U17 regular season title in style. A 2-0 win over Coquitlam Metro-Ford at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE) on May 10th mathematically sealed the title for the Wave.

The boys had the following week off to rest and celebrate before finishing their regular season this past weekend with a 1-1 draw at home against Langley United. They officially end the BCSPL regular season with 26 points in 11 matches (8 wins, 2 draws, and just 1 loss). It is a proud moment for Vancouver Island’s top youth program and a testament to Pacific FC’s development pathway.

This BCSPL title also means that this group secures the first spot to represent BC at the 2025 Canada Soccer Player-Development Program (PDP) U-17 Cup in Ontario this August. Canada Soccer’s PDP Championship, launched in 2024, is a new national-level competition designed to showcase the country’s top youth programs. Qualifying for this championship is a prestigious accomplishment and a natural next step to the national stage, aligning perfectly with Pacific FC’s development philosophy.

“While Wave teams have qualified for Nationals in the past, this will be the first time a Van Isle Wave team competes in the new PDP Nationals format” said Head Coach Chris Merriman, “The group has aspirations to compete for a national championship. We're proud to have qualified, but we're not looking to stop there.”

Last summer, they were crowned the BC Soccer Provincial Premier Cup Champions when they defeated Burnaby FC 1-0 in the final, so it was no surprise that they came into this season with sky-high expectations. This Wave team embraced the challenge and delivered each week, proving that they are the team to beat and a worthy league champion.

Every member of this team has played an integral part in securing this title and are all names to watch in the future. Head Coach Chris Merriman credited the team’s depth as a key factor in their success: “One of our biggest strengths has been the depth of the squad—our ability to rotate players while maintaining a high standard has been key to our success.”

Among this special group are some players that have already been noticed by the Pacific FC first team coaches. Midfielder Mattias Vales has been a driving force in the middle of the park for this Wave team and recently made his professional debut with Pacific FC in the Canadian Championship. Ukrainian forward, Venny Chernyshev is another young star from this side that we may see make his professional debut sooner rather than later. He has only been on the island since September 2024, having come from Ukraine in 2022 to Kelowna, BC. His impressive play has seen him skyrocket through the Pacific FC development pathway.

Vales and Chernyshev are not the only players from this team to catch the eye of their parent club. Defenders Will Edgson and Matthias Hallam were also signed to Pacific FC youth development contracts for the 2025 season. "We've been working with both [Matthias] and Will for five or six years now in our program," said James Merriman, Head Coach, Pacific FC. "They’ve both continued to develop their fundamentals, grow in size, and become good athletes. They have been training more regularly in our 1st Team environment and done well." The trio of Vales, Edgson, and Hallam even traveled to Germany in the off-season for a training stint with Pacific’s partner club, VfL Bochum, showcasing how the Pacific FC pathway opens doors for international experience.

It is already clear that the club sees these young players as part of its future, and the Wave program is a direct channel into opportunities at the next level. The success of this 2008 Vancouver Island Wave boys team this season is a huge source of pride for Pacific FC and the entire pathway and the BCSPL title reinforces that this structure is working as intended, leading Vancouver Island players toward success.

“We’re proud to have four players on development contracts with Pacific FC and another four selected for the Provincial Program. It’s a strong reflection of the group’s talent and the effectiveness of the pathway we’ve built at Pacific FC.” Merriman added, “It’s been a pleasure to coach a group of players so dedicated to the game. I’m confident we’ll represent the club well in both the Provincial Championships—starting with our quarterfinal at PISE on June 7th or 8th—and at Nationals in August.”

With the conclusion of the regular season, the focus quickly shifts to the next challenge with the quest for the BC Soccer Provincial Premier Cup. This Wave team will aim to defend their crown and teams will be eager to dethrone the champions.

Follow the link below to learn more about the Vancouver Island Wave Program:

https://www.poweredbypacificfc.ca/wave