Foot Soldiers Award Renamed To Honour Dylon Powley

The Cavalry FC supporters’ group called the Foot Soldiers have renamed their fan-chosen player of the year award to honour the late Dylon Powley.

Powley, who passed in the summer due to a motorcycle accident at the age of just 27, had won the trophy in 2016 after helping the Calgary Foothills reach the PDL Final, making a crucial penalty save as they progressed to become Western Conference champions.

The Foot Soldiers have annually named a recipient for their Player of the Year award since 2015, transitioning from Calgary Foothills athletes to Cavalry FC athletes following the arrival of the Canadian Premier League.

“The decision to rename the trophy was made not only for his achievements on the pitch, but also because of the person he was,” read a statement from the supporters’ group, who noted that the goalkeeper was known for bridging the gap between player and fan into one single community.

The New Westminster-born athlete was a well-known figure to CPL fans after spells with both FC Edmonton and Atletico Ottawa, having tallied 35 combined appearances for the sides through 2019-2021.

He also championed a pro-union push for CPL athletes during the Island Games and beyond, publicly advocating for improvements in work conditions and communications from the league.

Powley announced his retirement from professional football in 2022, focusing on his own goalkeeper academy and working with the Whitecaps Academy. More recently, he had also delved into refereeing as he helped to grow the game in League1 Alberta.

Last season saw Dutch defender Daan Klomp claim the award, with previous recipients including names like Jose Escalante, Karifa Yao, and Mohammed Farsi. Only one athlete has won the award twice since its inception in 2015, with club captain Marco Carducci winning it in 2018 with a PDL-winning Foothills side and in 201 following a golden glove win after the inaugural CPL season.

In the buildup to the 2024 CPL Final, Powley was honoured by his former coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr during the CPL Awards Ceremony at the Bella Concert Hall.

“Dylon was always as much of a supporter as he was a player, and we’ll always remember him for that,” added the Foot Soldiers. “Our hope is that this will allow Dylon’s memory to live as long as his favourite sport continues to be supported in Calgary.”

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques