5. The Impact U14 wins the Mauro Biello Tournament
For a third straight year, the Impact U14 won the Mauro Biello Tournament, which was played in September. Eight teams were part of the competition and Eddy Sebrango’s group had a perfect run and won the final 4-1 against the Dynamo de Québec.
4. The Impact U15 makes its debut in the Development Academy
2017 was a year of new beginnings for the Impact U15. Serge Dinkota’s team joined the U17 and U19 teams in the Development Academy and, with an 8-4-0 record in the first half of the season, it’s obvious the team didn’t waste any time finding its bearings in the new league.
3. The U16 and U18 teams qualify for the playoffs
When it comes to the Development Academy, the objective is to always make the playoffs and after the 2016-2017 season, both participating Impact teams did just that. Their journey ended in the group phase.
2. Tournoi Sans Frontière in Sens
The Impact U15 was a hot topic on the other side of the Atlantic in April, when they took part in the Tournoi Sans Frontière in Sens, France. The team faced many Ligue 1 clubs and finished 11th on 24 teams.
1. James Pantemis and Thomas Meilleur-Giguère sign with the first team
Everything in place at the Academy is there for one main reason: to optimize the players’ development so they can reach the highest level. Signing with the first team is the ultimate reward for the players and the educators. In November, the club announced the signing of goalkeeper James Pantemis and defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère for the 2018 season, making them the 11th and 12th players from the Academy to sign contracts with the first team.
