The Canadian Soccer Association announced today the male and female U-17 players of the year. Bryce Alderson nabbed the honour on the boys side, while Ashley Lawrence was given the nod for the girls.
Both Alderson and Lawrence were the captain of their respective U-17 national sides, with Alderson repeating as the male recipient of the award.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Lawrence is a midfielder who played as an underager in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, and this year she led her club Erin Mills Eagles to a national U-16 title. She was also part of the winning Ontario team in the 2011 Nutrilite All-Stars U-16 tournament.
Kitchener, Ontario native Alderson is a product of the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency program, and this year he was part of the Canadian team to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 16 years. He is also the most recent homegrown signing for the Whitecaps' MLS side, having signed a professional contract for the upcoming 2012 season.