Carducci, Yekka named 2013 Canadian U-17 Players of the Year

Canadian teenagers Marco Carducci and Sura Yekka have been named Canadian U-17 Players of the Year for the 2013 soccer season. The two stars were honoured in a vote shared by national-team coaches (50%) and Canadian clubs and coaches (50%).

Carducci is a member of Canada’s Men’s U-17 Team and Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency program. In 2013, he won a bronze medal with Canada at the CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship, helping Canada qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013. He was Canada’s player of the match in a 2:2 draw with Austria in the tournament’s group opener.

Yekka is a member of Canada’s Women’s National Team program, having made her debut at the national “A” level on 31 October in Edmonton, AB. One month later, she earned Canada’s player of the match honours in her second match, a 0:0 draw with Mexico in Vancouver, BC. Also a club member of Brams United SC, Yekka was named to the Canada Games All-Star Team in August.

Goalkeeper Carducci of Calgary finished first in voting ahead of Hanson Boakai (FC Edmonton / Edmonton, AB) and Jordan Hamilton (Toronto FC Academy / Scarborough, ON). Fullback Yekka of Mississauga, meanwhile, finished first in voting ahead of Jessie Fleming (London NorWest SC / London, ON) and Rachel Jones (Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite / North Vancouver, BC).

Tomorrow (Wednesday), Canada Soccer will announce the 2013 Canadian U-20 Players of the Year. On Thursday (male) and Friday (female), Canada Soccer will announce the 2013 BMO Canadian Players of the Year.

CANADIAN U-17 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2013 – Marco Carducci & Sura Yekka
2012 – Marco Carducci & Ashley Lawrence
2011 – Bryce Alderson & Ashley Lawrence
2010 – Bryce Alderson & Diamond Simpson
2009 – Russell Teibert & Abigail Raymer
2008 – Russell Teibert & Monica Lam-Feist
2007 – Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis & Monica Lam-Feist