With two trophies in their pockets, the U-17 VI Wave boys are gearing up for their biggest test yet – the 2025 Player Development Cup (PDP) in Vaughan, Ont.
After winning both the BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL) regular-season title in May and the BC Premier Cup in June, the Langford-based squad will represent Vancouver Island at the national tournament, set for Aug. 27-30.
It’s the latest milestone in what has been a six-year build for the 2008-born group. Head coach Chris Merriman said it’s all coming together at the right time.
“We’ve had this core together for six years,” Merriman said. “We’ve won two provincial championships before, but we hadn’t won the league. That was the target this year, and to be honest, they’ve earned everything they’re getting now.”
The Wave posted an 8-2-1 record in BCSPL play before edging Burnaby FC 1-0 in the Premier Cup final.
At the national tournament, they’ll face CS Saint-Laurent (Quebec), Vaughan SC Azzurri (Ontario), and Edmonton Scottish (Alberta) in group play, with the top team advancing to the final.
This is only the second year for the PDP – a national showcase designed to highlight Canada’s top youth clubs outside the MLS system. Vancouver Island has several players to watch.
Four Wave players – Will Edgson, Matthias Hallam, Mattias Vales, and Venny Chernyshev – have all signed Canadian Premier League development contracts with Pacific FC, and are standout members of the ’08 group.
Vales, who scored the game-winner in the Premier Cup final, made his Pacific FC debut on May 5 against Vancouver FC. He, along with Chernyshev, Edgson, and Joseph Mackenzie-Elrick will also suit up for Team BC at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, N.L., from Aug. 8 to 25 – just before the PDP U-17 Cup.
But Merriman said the strength of the group isn’t just in a handful of names – it’s in the culture.
“There are more players on this team who can play at the next level,” he said. “The development contracts are great, but this whole group’s sharp. They train hard. They’ve pushed each other all year. It’s competitive, and they’ve bought in.”
The Wave operate under the Pacific FC umbrella, with regular access to the pro club’s training setup and match environment – a connection that makes the path forward feel more real for young players.
“When you’re training three times a week right beside the first team and then watching your teammates play at Starlight on Saturday night, that becomes the goal,” Merriman said. “They’re not guessing what the next level looks like. They’re living beside it.”
The only hurdle left: getting there. Flights, hotels and meals aren’t covered by the tournament, so the team has launched a GoFundMe to help cover costs.
They’ve earned their spot – and if all goes well, they’ll soon be back home with one more trophy in hand.
