Committing to Simon Fraser University (SFU) was an easy decision for Vernon鈥檚 Liam Glennon. Not only does its business program appeal to him, there鈥檚 also a familiar face on its men鈥檚 soccer team.
In January the Grade 12 Seaton Secondary student was announced as one of SFU鈥檚 five new student athletes who will be joining the squad for the 2020 season. That means Glennon will join his older brother Connor on the same team for the first time in years.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to move on,鈥� Glennon said after the official announcement from the team he鈥檚 been committed to for a little over a year. 鈥淭hey practice a lot more in Vancouver, whereas in Vernon in wintertime, I practice twice a week.
鈥淚 want to play as much as I can but there鈥檚 just not as many opportunities here, so I鈥檓 really excited to go down and play a lot of soccer.鈥�
It won鈥檛 be entirely new territory for Liam. His family moved to Coquitlam three years ago when Connor was in Grade 12 and playing for the Under-18 Whitecaps. Liam then played for Coquitlam in the BC Soccer Premier League 鈥� the same league he鈥檚 currently in with the Thompson Okanagan Football Club (TOFC).
Clint Schneider is in his sixth year as the head coach of SFU, so he鈥檚 gotten to know the Glennon family well since Connor joined the team in 2017.
鈥淏oth are very similar profiles in player: direct in the way they play, they love to be on the ball in the final third, they love to score goals, they love to take on players on the dribble,鈥� Schneider said.
鈥淢aybe most importantly, they also fit our team culture. They鈥檙e the type of people we want to have in our locker room.鈥�
READ MORE: Cherkowski siblings reflect on magic of Vernon Pee Wee Hockey Tournament
READ MORE: Thompson Okanagan FC U15 boys fundraising for top-tier Vegas tournament
Both brothers came up through the TOFC program, which has produced roster players for Schneider, such as Penticton鈥檚 Born Borren and 麻豆精选 goalkeeper Jordan Thorsen 鈥� the latter also a fresh recruit.
鈥淲e can see these guys pretty often and we don鈥檛 want them going anywhere else in Canada and certainly not in the States, and so we target the best players we can possibly find that are local in B.C.鈥�
Though the coaching staff keeps tabs on local talent, and though there鈥檚 some familiarity with having Connor on the team, Schneider said the younger Glennon made the team strictly on his own merits.
鈥淟iam is here on his own account; he鈥檚 not here because his brother is here鈥� he鈥檚 here because we think he鈥檚 good enough to be here.鈥�
As for Glennon himself, the 17-year-old is looking forward to seeing friends he made while in Coquitlam three years ago and playing with his brother after a long hiatus.
鈥淥nce we became older we didn鈥檛 play as much together,鈥� he said, adding there are skills that make his brother a good winger to play alongside.
He鈥檚 quick; good foot skill. He鈥檚 a good all-around player and he鈥檚 got good vision.鈥�
Glennon will be in the Lower Mainland starting August to prepare for the start of SFU Men鈥檚 season in September.
