NEWS


United announce partnership with Toronto FC

Posted 17 March 2017 10:39 am

K-W United FC is pleased to announce that the club has signed an agreement with Toronto FC to work in conjunction with the MLS club as the PDL entity.

The deal will see Torontos MLS club send its prospects who play university soccer to K-W for the summer season, starting with this summers 2017 campaign. 


"The agreement with TFC is exciting for both parties allowing KWUFC access to the best youth talent in Ontario while TFC has the opportunity to scout and assess some of the NCAA's best talents, said K-W United FC club president Barry MacLean.

Until 2016, Toronto FC had an academy team play in the PDL, however this off-season the club decided not to have PDL entry this summer. Instead, a group of talented young players affiliated with TFC will now be taking the next steps in their development under the watchful eye of K-W Uniteds coaching staff and management team. 


K-W United FC has become known for developing players who go on to play high levels in its relatively short history since moving to Kitchener-Waterloo in 2013. The clubs first three seasons of existence saw 16 alumni turn professional, including ten members of the 2015 championship squad. 


The 2016 MLS SuperDraft saw two former United players selected in the first round with midfielder Julien Buescher going No. 11 overall to D.C. United and forward Ben Polk being taken No. 20 overall by the Portland Timbers. 


Former United defender Liam Callahan was taken in the second round of this years MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids while Oyvind Alseth was taken by TFC in the third round. 


Meanwhile, most recently, former K-W captain Sergio Camargo signed a professional contract with Toronto FC earlier this month joining K-W alum Jay Chapman. Camargo played three seasons with United, winning the 2015 PDL North American Championship with the club in 2015. 


K-W United also graduated two former coaches to the Toronto FC organization. Chris Pozniak, a former TFC player, led United to the 2015 PDL title as head coach and was hired as an assistant with TFC II of the USL the following off-season while 2014 coach Stuart Neely worked with TFC's USL and PDL squads.