PLAYER\u2019S DIARY: League\u2019s U21 rules invaluable for up-and-comers<\/p>\n
Published 9:00 am Thursday, May 21, 2026<\/p>\n
As a sportsperson, the best way to build confidence and improve is by playing matches and accumulating minutes.<\/p>\n
That becomes even more important when you\u2019re young and trying to establish yourself.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m 20, and this is my first professional contract with Vancouver FC, so every opportunity to step onto the pitch matters.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve always felt that training only takes you so far. You can work every day on the pitch, and even competitive training games help, but nothing really compares to real match minutes \u2013 that\u2019s where you learn the most and grow the fastest.<\/p>\n
In the Canadian Premier League (CPL), there\u2019s a huge emphasis on giving young Canadian players opportunities. Every club has a primary roster of up to 23 players, a separate development roster, and across the season clubs have to accumulate 2,000 minutes from Canadian U21 players.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a great rule and definitely a large part of the attraction and incentive for young players coming to the CPL, to get us exposed to professional football. There\u2019s been lots of talented players who have come through this system already.<\/p>\n
For young players who qualify for it, like me or Emrick Fotsing or Henri Godbout, that creates real chances to get on the field and gain experience. And it also gives you something to hold onto \u2013 knowing that even if you\u2019re not playing every week, your moment will come, and you need to be ready when it does.<\/p>\n
On top of that, clubs must include a minimum of six Canadian domestic players in the starting lineup for each league match, and the primary roster must include a minimum of three domestic U21 players.<\/p>\n
There is always talk of the main objective of Vancouver FC and the league being to create opportunities for homegrown talent to compete as professionals in a national league, and to provide a platform and a clear Canadian pathway from grassroots through to the highest levels of soccer on the world stage.<\/p>\n
But these rules make that into a reality for us players.<\/p>\n
Because of these rules, we can come from League1 BC or university soccer, and in your first year \u2013 especially if you\u2019re on that roster, you know you\u2019ll get minutes. You\u2019ll get good experience, and then it\u2019s just stepping stones from there.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how I view it.<\/p>\n
As a young player, at the end of the day you\u2019ll take any minutes you can get with full force. I don\u2019t really see a point in coming off the bench or sitting on the bench for a game and sulking about it or having a bad attitude.<\/p>\n
My last season with TSS Rovers in League1 BC, I think I missed maybe 90 minutes of play and was on the field for about 1,500 minutes. I played pretty much every minute of every game and it was my best year of football I\u2019ve ever played. So I think the consistent minutes, week in, week out, just absolutely shot my confidence through the roof and it helped me develop a lot.<\/p>\n
Previous to that, I was younger and wasn\u2019t necessarily in the starting 11. Being on the bench taught me a lot, and it made me more hungry in training but it is always tough watching from the side of the pitch.<\/p>\n
A few minutes can go a long way, like 15 minutes, week in, week out, can get you used to the pace and your teammates\u2019 habits. Then when you work hard during the week and your time comes to actually play 90 or 60 minutes you are prepared for it.<\/p>\n
As for the development roster, clubs can register young players such as university players and academy graduates and they can train regularly with the first team and can be selected for CPL matches. Their minutes count toward the club\u2019s U21 requirements, without impacting the primary roster limit or the main salary-budget structure.<\/p>\n
They also maintain their university eligibility. Having played with UFV and SFU also, I see the value of all of these rules for young, local players.<\/p>\n
For me this season, I had a bit of a setback at the start with an injury, but I\u2019ve slowly gotten more and more minutes as the season\u2019s going on. And my confidence is definitely growing too.<\/p>\n
Last weekend our unbeaten run came to an end against Cavalry FC in a close game, but they scored twice late on. It was disappointing, but I was proud to play my first full CPL match for the club.<\/p>\n
RELATED \u2013 VIDEO: Latest home game of season a loss for Vancouver FC<\/a><\/p>\n On Saturday, we face the CPL\u2019s first Quebec-based club, welcoming FC Supra du Quebec to the Stadium at Langley Events Centre for the first time \u2013 which is another important moment, and exciting experience to be involved in.<\/p>\n Thanks for your continued support.<\/p>\n .<\/p>\n \u2013 Kian Proctor is a 20-year-old Vancouver FC<\/a> defender from Delta, who signed his first professional contract for the 2026 season after a standout year at SFU. He will be writing a weekly column this season, offering insight into himself and his new team.<\/p>\n PREVIOUS COLUMN:<\/p>\n PLAYER\u2019S DIARY: Growing up with two FIFA referees<\/a><\/p>\n MORE RELATED:<\/p>\n PLAYER\u2019S DIARY: Excited for all involved in this weekend\u2019s all-Langley derby<\/a><\/p>\n PLAYER\u2019S DIARY: Vancouver FC gears up to defeat BC rivals in Salish Sea Derby<\/a><\/p>\n PLAYER\u2019S DIARY: Excited for even a few minutes on the pitch<\/a><\/p>\n PLAYER\u2019S DIARY: VFC on road this weekend, focused on a win<\/a><\/p>\n PLAYER\u2019S DIARY \u2013 First Vancouver FC game of season seen from the bench<\/a><\/p>\n