Kyle Sohi is all excited to make it to the international youth soccer scene.
The 12-year-old, a grade 6 student of Surrey’s Westerman Elementary School, has been chosen from among more than 5,000 soccer players aged 11-12 to represent Western Canada at the national finals on July 19 in Toronto where his team will go head-to-head with the Eastern Canada team for a chance to play in the 9th edition of the Danone Nation’s Cup in Paris, France.
Taking place from September 5 to 7, the Danone Nations Cup is a thrilling conclusion to an immense international event counting close to three million young soccer players aged 11-12. Since its creation eight years ago, the Danone Nations Cup has become the most prominent event in international youth soccer, attracting players from some 40 different countries.
Kyle’s dad, Boota, told The VOICE that the organizers held three camps at Cloverdale, Burnaby and Victoria where hundreds of kids tried out. Twelve kids from each camp were selected for an invitational trial in Burnaby. Kyle was one of the eight kids chosen from B.C. for the Western Canada team.
Kyle has been on the Whitecaps Prospects team for the last two years and is going to Holland in the second half of August to play against professional youth clubs. This is the first time he will be going abroad and he told The VOICE that he’s excited.
Kyle is a remarkable combination of talent and intelligence.
And he’s sure blessed to have such dedicated parents as Boota, a software engineer, and Sharon, who have tirelessly accompanied him and his older brother, who plays for Surrey United at the U15 Metro level, to countless hockey and soccer sessions. Boota immigrated to Canada from Ludhiana district in Punjab, India, in 1980.
Kyle was also a hockey star in the making – he played for North Surrey Ducks last year – but he gave it up this year to concentrate on soccer because of conflicting schedules.
He’s also won in track and field events. Recently he won four prizes (top eight) in the five events he participated in at a school district meet.
His admiring dad told me: “Whatever he does, he’s very good at it.”
Indeed, he’s also a very intelligent student. He got straight As and came first in his class in the provincial Math competition and bagged the award for being the top student in his class this year.
This September, he will be playing for the Surrey Selects at the U14 Metro level. He played for the Whalley Celtics last year. Kyle practices four times a week at the Whitecaps training facility at Simon Fraser University.
Indeed, he’s a perfect role model for Indo-Canadian kids.
|
