Jaime Perrault has taken a huge next step in her soccer career, as the Maple Ridge teen has joined a professional women's team in Europe.
She has been with the Whitecaps and has played 19 youth international games for Team Canada at the U-17 and U-20 levels, and now the 18-year-old leaves next week to join FC Nordsj忙lland in Denmark.
"I think this will be a great experience for me to start out my pro career. I'm so excited," she said.
Perrrault explained the Whitecaps were in Europe in April, and the coaching staff got a chance to evaluate her play. There is also a coaching connection between the Whitecaps and her new club.
"I went to visit, and I loved it there," she said. "It's a big opportunity."
The team is based in Farum, 20 km from Copenhagen, plays in the top Danish division, and she sees them as a club on the rise.
Perrault will play on the right side at wing and fullback, and is a dangerous attacking player who was an offensive spark with the Whitecaps.
"We are really happy that we have managed to get Jaime to agree to come to FC Nordsj忙lland," said Jessica Davis, sports director for the Women's League team. "We first saw her in the spring when the Vancouver Whitecaps played against our U19 team. And since then we have had our eyes on Jaime."
"She is a really exciting player 鈥� both with and without the ball," Davis added. "She is very talented, is good in one-on-one situations and extremely dangerous when she plays as a winger. She is also strong and talented defensively."
She called Perrault "the perfect addition to our squad," even though she is a young player who comes from a completely different part of the world.
"She is eager to learn and is very outgoing and open-minded, so I am sure that the whole team will take her under their wing immediately. "
Perrault has her first training with the women's squad on Jan. 13.
The Maple Ridge resident graduated from Burnaby Central, where Whitecaps players attend high school. The path for most soccer players her age is now to move on to college and university teams, but she is getting a rare opportunity.
"I'm really excited to start my pro career," she said.
She hopes that success in professional European soccer will catch the eye of Team Canada's senior team selectors.
"It's always been a goal, since I was a little kid, to play for my country," she said.
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Heading to Europe is a big move for her parents to watch their teen soccer star make, but Jaime said they are happy for her, and plan to come and visit, and watch games.
"From the moment she started playing soccer at five years old, we鈥檝e loved watching her passion and skill grow, especially during her time with the Whitecaps," said Jayne and Joe in a statement.
"We couldn鈥檛 be prouder of her courage, determination, and all she鈥檚 accomplished so far."
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