PHOTOS: Surrey soccer camp led by pros with Whitecaps, Canucks connections
Published 10:09 am Friday, June 12, 2026
Three pro athletes with connections to Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canucks led a youth soccer camp in Surrey on Wednesday, June 10.
A pitch at Newton Athletic Park saw kids learn skills from current Whitecaps midfielder Jeevan Badwal, former ‘Caps keeper David Ousted and ex-Canucks forward Chris Higgins, who plays soccer for a team in North Vancouver.
For the Newton-raised Badwal, it was a full-circle moment.
“This is where he played his very first (soccer) match, right here on this turf,” Kam Badwal, Jeevan’s father, said proudly as soccer balls bounced around him.
The Badwal family presented the two-hour camp in partnership with Qualico and Pooni Group Foundation with a goal to make it an annual event in Newton. All proceeds from registration fees support soccer programs in the community.
Post-camp, the pros signed autographs for everyone who wanted one.
Last July, Ousted signed on with Kamloops Youth Soccer Association as sporting director after spending five of his seven seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS) playing in Vancouver.
This week Badwal is home in Surrey keeping fit as a possible injury-replacement player for Canada’s national team. On Friday (June 12) he’s due to make an appearance at the Surrey Soccer Fan Zone at Civic Plaza during Canada’s first game at the World Cup.
Four players with B.C. roots, all defenders, made Canada’s 26-man roster including Niko Sigur, 22, of Burnaby, Alistair Johnston, 27, of Vancouver, Joel Waterman, 30, of Aldergrove/Langley and Alphonso Davies, 25, of Burnaby/Edmonton.
Canada competes in Group B at the World Cup with the first match June 12, then June 18 (vs. Qatar) and June 24 (Switzerland) at Vancouver Stadium (aka BC Place), all broadcast live on TSN, CTV, Crave and RDS in Canada.