Cavalry FC Kicks Off Preseason Training Camp

Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC announced the beginning of its preseason training camp this evening.

The Alberta-based side becomes the fourth Canadian Premier League team to resume training, following the likes of the Halifax Wanderers, Atletico Ottawa, and provincial rivals FC Edmonton, who announced its own preseason camp yesterday.

Cavalry FC wasted little time since receiving the green light from local health authorities, with the team stating that all of its players, coaches, and staff are adhering to strict health and safety guidelines as directed by Alberta Health. As things stand, the practice sessions are closed to external media and public viewing to ensure compliance with these protocols.

Not all of the club’s rostered athletes are currently in camp: some international athletes are still en route, with the likes of Jose Escalante and Richard Luca currently in quarantine after belated arrivals to Canada.

The club boasts eighteen players on its roster at the present, with head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. most recently having brought in former Inter Miami and Vancouver Whitecaps player David Norman Jr, one of eight brand new faces to join the side in its third season.

We are delighted to have been given the green light to safely return to train by our local governing bodies and the Canadian Premier League. It’s been around 200 days since we last had the opportunity to train together at the Island Games in PEI. We will use this positive news as a step toward where we all want to get back to, playing on the pitch at Spruce Meadows in front of our fans once again.

Tommy Wheeldon Jr.

The club was a firm favourite to challenge for the league title at The Island Games last year, but struggled in the group stage following injuries to the likes of Nico Pasquotti and Oliver Minatel, neither of whom have been officially re-signed by the club as of yet. Ten players have returned from the previous campaign, six of whom were with the club in its inaugural season.

With four of eight Canadian Premier League clubs now back to training, it appears that the league is making progress ahead of its tentative start date of late May – though it remains unclear if provincial health regulations will allow such a feat. It also remains to be seen if the 2021 season will feature home markets or a bubble format, with FC Edmonton recently recently posting the results of its own fan survey regarding crowds during COVID-19.

Whatever happens, it’s been a long time since Cavalry FC has been able to train, and it’s certainly a good sign to see the squad back in action.