Ontario born Jordan Haynes made the move to the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency program towards the end of 2011.
A talented youth player who had represented his province at U14, U15 and U16 levels, the Peterborough native had been playing with the TFC Academy U17s in the Canadian Soccer League before making the switch to Vancouver.
As a '96, Haynes should have had two full seasons in the U16 set-up but as one of the older guys in his year, being born in January, the Whitecaps saw the potential to move him up early and this season he has seen regular action for both the 16s and the 18s, along with playing a vital role in the Canadian U17 team's qualification for the World Cup.
So why the cross country move from Ontario to BC?
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<i>"It's the best program that you can get in Canada and it's a chance you can't miss"</i> is Hayne's honest reply.
Jordan came to the Caps midway through last season and he went on to make 14 appearances for the U16s in the 2011/12 campaign, scoring three goals and heading to Dallas for the USSDA playoffs.
This season has seen Haynes make 25 appearances, 20 of them as starter, and grabbing another three goals.
He's had an interesting season in the Residency, splitting his time between being a leader in the U16 team to being one of the new, younger faces in the U18s.
Regularly switching between both age ranges must bring with it it's own set of competitive challenges.
<i>"When you start off in the lower age group it's not as challenging for us but when you move up to the U18 squad you have to get the challenge right. You have to step up to the level."</i>
With the USSDA playoffs now underway, Jordan is one of a number of Residency players that can bring with them and share their vital experiences of last year's playoffs.
Playing in a tournament environment is different from regular season play, not to mention dealing with the hot and humid conditions. It all takes some getting used to, but being in that situation before will give the Caps and players like Haynes an added edge this year and he is a player that has already shown that he can keep a cool head in heated conditions.
As mentioned earlier, Haynes was part of the U16 team that lost out on making 'Finals Week' last year on goal difference. Two goals was the margin in the end and it was an agonising way to go out, but one which makes him all the hungrier for success this year.
<i>"It was heartwrenching for us to not lose a game and to not be able to go through. This year we've got another chance and we have to capitalise on everything we can get, finish everything and kill the games off."</i>
Drawing their second game 0-0 against Charlotte Soccer Academy was the killer blow, with the North Carolina side going on to top the group.
With the games coming thick and fast and the temperatures into the 40s, it was tough conditions for a group of Canadians.
There is no getting away from it, the heat is a factor and the coaching staff this year are trying their best to get the players somewhat used to it. They've been training in full and extra gear and just watching them run around in the sun is enough to make you sweat.
How has Jordan found the acclimatisation training?
<i>"It's the perfect preparation that we can get in a climate where it's nowhere near as hot as the desert climate of Dallas, so the preparation to be playing in all this gear is really helpful."</i>
What is also helpful is that with the Whitecaps having to regularly travel to the States to play games in the USSDA, the players are now accustomed to all that entails and it is a great grounding and preparation for them if they are to make the grade as professional footballers down the line. Especially if they ply their trade in North America.
For Jordan, those cross border travels have been even more exotic.
Haynes has been capped for Canada at U15 level but the pinnacle of his international career so far came in April of this year when he travelled to Panama with the Canadian U17 national team and played a key role in the squad qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates later this year.
It's a great moment in any player's life to play for their country. The memories are only a few months old but when he looks back at those CONCACAF qualifiers, how does he view the whole experience?
<i>"It's something you've got to be really proud of. Not many people experience it, so you've just got to take the opportunity and prove yourself, and prove our country to everyone that's supporting us, that we can go and do it."</i>
Haynes played in all five of Canada's matches, but none were more dramatic than the role he played in the third place playoff match with Honduras that earned the young Canadians a bronze medal.
With Canada having grabbed a 93rd minute equaliser to take the game into extra time, the writing looked on the wall with the team trailing 2-1 in the 119th minute. before Jordan made room for himself in the Honduran box and drilled a left footed shot through the last defenders to take the game to penalties.
It's a moment that will live with him forever. What was going through his head as the ball came to him?
<i>"When I got it I knew I had to do something, so on the shot I just tried to get it just right in the back of the net. Nothing else was in my mind. When it went in, everything was just gone. All the excitement and all the joy that I'd scored and seeing everyone supporting me as we were celebrating. I knew that everyone at home was celebrating too."</i>
The job wasn't done though and in the penalty shoot-out, with the adrenalin still pumping from his late equaliser, Jordan stepped up to take Canada's third penalty and give them a 2-1 lead in the shoot-out, which they went on to win 4-2.
How did he keep his nerves in a situation like that?
<i>"You know after it came to penalties, I just had to keep my calm. It's pretty nerve wracking going to a penalty shoot out for bronze place but you really just got to keep your nerves and just be able to take it calm and collected and I ended up just putting it in the back of the net."</i>
Let's relive those moments now:
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The whole USSDA playoffs experience, and especially the hot conditions, will be ideal preparations for Jordan and the rest of the Whitecaps in Canada's U17 squad for their trip to the UAE in their quest for World Cup glory.
Jordan will now officially make the step up to the next level next season and be part of the U18 set up.
With the experience gained this season at that level already, along with all of the international experience with the national team, Jordan Haynes will be a key staple of the Caps Residency program for the next two years.
For now, this season's playoffs are the key focus and Haynes will have an important part to play in helping the Whitecaps reach consecutive Finals weeks.
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