Lucas Birnstingl
Lucas Birnstingl has just returned from a successful trial with Gallipoli Calcio of the Italian Seria B , Lucas has been asked to return for the 2010 Pre Season Training Camp where he will try to gain a position on the 1st Team roster. Lucas spent 4 months with Dundee FC in 2009 under Coach Jockey Scott where he was injured late in the season and was sidelined for the remainder of his time at Dundee.
Lucas has been under the care of Just4keepers for the last 3 years and we are determined to help this young man reach his ultimate goal of becoming a professional footballer. Look to the latest news to keep tabs on Lucas
Daniel Milton
Daniel Milton J4K Goalkeeper 13 years old in the picture at his trial with Birmingham City Football Club, Birmingham England.
Daniel was given the opportunity of a lifetime when he was chosen as the best in camp at our first International Goalkeeper Camp September of 2009 in Aurora.
He was taken to the EPL team through one of J4K's Agents David Thorburn who arranged all of the fine details in setting up a trial of this type. Daniel was flown to Birmingham on the J4K Canada account.
All went very well in Birmingham and Daniel will most likely be returning there at some point this year, we will keep you posted on our J4K News page.
Daniel is currently playing for the Ajax Thunder and is also playing for the U-14 Provincial team.
Brooke McCurdy
At just 17 years old, Brooke McCurdy is making a name for herself in national soccer circles.
Although not on the active roster, the Peterborough native is training with and cheering on Team Canada at the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Under-20 Women’s Championship in Guatemala. The event is a qualifier for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany this summer.
The Crestwood Secondary School student recently burst onto the national soccer scene with a strong performance for Team Ontario at the 2009 Canada Games in Prince Edward Island. According to her goaltender coach Riccardo Greco, at Just 4 Keepers goalie school, McCurdy turned heads with her play at the tournament.
“She stole the show there and there the right people saw her potential. She’s what you call a diamond in the rough,” explains Greco.
“There’s bright future for her and she’s a great role model for young girls in Peterborough that don’t think they can make it because they’re from a small town.”
McCurdy’s display of backstopping in P.E.I translated into an invitation to train at the National Training Centre Ontario (NTCO). In December she took the next step towards representing Team Canada when she was asked to join the national team in Florida as they prepared for the qualifier.
“I never really thought about this opportunity before I joined NTCO in October,” McCurdy explains from her Guatemala hotel.
“I was very excited when I found out that I was invited to the camp in Florida before the holiday. At first I didn’t think it was real.”
According to the all-around athlete, the experience has been like nothing she has done before. The competition and professional manner in which Soccer Canada operates is second to none.
“It has been an adjustment for me because they are the best soccer players I have ever played with,” explains McCurdy.
“They all bring something different to the table because they are all unique. Together they make a bright future for Canadian soccer.”McCurdy’s journey to the top will continue when her goalie coach takes her to Italy for professional trials this summer. Greco says one of his contacts thinks McCurdy is already good enough to block shots in Norway’s first division.
"She no longer trains with the regular group. She is in a class of about four goalies that are on track to become professionals,” explains Greco.
Before she turns pro, she’ll continue to define her craft at Dayton, Ohio’s Wright State University next year where she’ll study computer science or electrical engineering.
“I can wait to be living on my own and getting to play university soccer,” explains McCurdy, who’ll sign the dotted line in February to officially except her full ride to Wright State.
Canada cruised through round-robin play and finished atop the A Division with a perfect 3-0 record, which included wins against Costa Rica (1-0), Cuba (2-0) and Guatemala (3-1).
They face Mexico in semi-final action tomorrow (Jan. 28). A win advances them to the final Saturday (Jan. 30) and guarantees them a spot at the World Cup in Germany.
“Growing up I never thought I would be in the position to play for Team Canada. And even though I did not make the final roster for this tournament, it is just the beginning and I can only go up from here,” adds McCurdy.
