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Valour FC Announces Preseason Camp Trialists
By Valentines Day saw Valour FC begin its preseason camp ahead of the 2022 CPL season.
The club had confirmed its attendance list of rostered athletes last week, with a new update now revealing five athletes who are currently present and on trial with the Winnipeg-based side.
The 2022 CPL season will represent Phillip Dos Santos’ first full season in a head coach role, though that isn’t to say the gaffer hasn’t been afraid to put his stamp on the side: the club has confirmed several player departures, with new signings like Jonathan Esparza, Daniel Ascanio, and Matteo de Brienne coming in.
Preseason camp will feature several other faces hoping to add their names to the Valour ranks, too.
The club confirmed that 1812 FC goalkeeper Quillan Roberts is on trial with the side, with the former Forge FC shotstopper having made nine appearances for the hammers en route to a North Star Shield in 2019. He made twelve appearances for 1812 FC in its inaugural season, wowing crowds with several gasp-worthy saves – though whether the former Toronto FC and LAFC backup will get another shot at the pro leagues likely depends on if the club is able to secure Jonathan Sirois on loan from CF Montreal.
The club has also invited young FC Manitoba goalkeeper Evan Barker, who developed with Valour affiliate youth club Bonivital SC. His time with the University of New Brunswick Reds has seen him become a regular starter for the side, with Barker earning two Conference All-Star nods (one first team, one second team) during his time there.
While the last two camps saw Guelph United’s Svyatic Artemenko train with the side, his chapter in Winnipeg appears to be over. It appears that Jacob Tsai won’t be trialing with the side, either.
The club has recalled defender Aaron Hidalgo for a second preseason camp, with the former Real Salt Lake academy product making ten appearances for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in 2021. Midfielders Raine Lyn and Jacob Carlos are also attending following their selection in the 2022 CPL-U SPORTS Draft.
Valour is also taking a look at Ryan Robinson, who spent time with Matteo de Brienne with FC Manitoba last season. He had spent six seasons developing with the TFC Academy before that, and appears the kind of player who might be worth a chance at the CPL level.
The final trialist addition to camp is local midfielder Cady Tomy, who made five appearances for Valour last season whilst on a developmental contract. He had been part of the club’s last preseason camp, and had also featured for WSA Winnipeg prior to that.
The side has also confirmed that out-of-contract striker Austin Ricci will not be returning to camp, with a combination of his knee injury and Moses Dyer’s transition to a centre-forward role likely pushing him out.
Valour will remain in Winnipeg for the a month before its preseason will shift to Victoria, where the side expects to get a few matches under its belt. While internationals additions Ponce and Ascanio are still awaiting visa clearance, there is hope that the duo will arrive in time for the trip – though with visas, it’s not a guarantee.
When kickoff time comes, the club will need to lock in its first-ever playoff position for the upcoming season to be considered a success. After faltering mid-season, Phillip’s arrival brought a resurgence to the side that saw it nearly claw back to those heights, prompting a sense of optimism that such a feat is on the cards for 2022.
If any of the above trialists can impress, there could be a few extra faces along for the ride.