Mackenzie said that playing professionally means everything to him; it’s been his goal since he was young. Photo credit: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

“It was sort of a surreal moment when I was walking out, because I've been a Whitecaps fan since I was really young. So, being able to be in the shoes of the players I once looked up to was just, it was a surreal moment. And then just playing in the game– yeah, it was a really cool experience. I'm lost for words really,” said Liam Mackenzie.

Local Comox Valley athlete Liam Mackenzie made his Whitecaps debut with his first start for the Vancouver Major League Soccer team on Saturday, March 22nd.

Mackenzie is 18 years old, and has been playing soccer since he was five.

“I started when I was five years old, in the Comox Valley. I played house, grew up playing with the Comox Valley United Soccer Club for pretty much all my youth years, and then I ended up traveling down to Victoria to play for the Wave, before I got scouted to move over with the Whitecaps. That's sort of my journey,” he explained.

Mackenzie said that he played other sports growing up, but soccer was the one that stuck.

“I just always loved the game, since I had a ball at my feet I loved it,” he said. “Obviously I played a bunch of different sports when I was younger, but soccer was always the one that sort of stood out to me. I was always the best at it, I guess.”

Mackenzie said that being scouted by the Whitecaps Academy in 2020 is something he had been working toward his whole youth.

“Being able to move away from my family, you know, at 13 to go to the Whitecaps Academy was a huge step up in my career. And then from there, I just was able to keep working and get to where I am now with the second team.”

Mackenzie posed for a photo after the game with friends and family from Comox who came down to watch. Photo credit: Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Facebook

Being signed to the Whitecaps’ second team last year was a major moment, not only for Mackenzie but for his family too.

“It was a great feeling for me and my family. It was right around my birthday, I believe, last year. It was a huge moment. I worked really hard for it, and obviously my family was really, really proud of me. So yeah, it felt great, but I knew that there's more to do and so I just tried to continue working towards my next goals. Higher achievements, always,” he said.

It’s not just family showing up to support him on this journey, but the Comox community as well. Mackenzie said how special it was being able to look up at the stands this weekend, and see them watching him play.

“It was really cool 'cause there [were] a bunch of people from the Comox Valley, and people have probably seen when you search up my name, a lot of stuff comes up about Comox and whatever, but it really is, I am proud coming from Comox,” he said. “So it was really cool to see a bunch of people come out from the Valley and support me in my first game. And I only got to see a couple of 'em, a few of the people after the game. I know there were a lot more people from Comox there watching, but I appreciate so much everyone in Comox supporting me.”

Mackenzie said that playing professionally means everything to him; it’s been his goal since he was young.

“So, you know, living it and just being in the moment, playing professionally, playing for the Whitecaps, it's a great feeling. And I know that I have a lot more work to do, so really it's just about trying to keep working and [to] try and earn more opportunities,” he said.

“It was sort of a surreal moment when I was walking out, because I've been a Whitecaps fan since I was really young,” said Liam Mackenzie, number 97. Photo credit: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

According to Mackenzie the higher level of play brings higher stakes and a faster pace, with everything on the field needing to be quicker and better, with sharp thinking and always doing his best for the team. Mackenzie’s motivation is earning more opportunities to play with the first team.

He said the biggest challenge through all this has been showing up to the facility on days when he’s not feeling his best, or things aren’t quite going his way, and still having to put in a good shift. His greatest pride, however, is his work ethic.

“Really the main thing is just, when things are getting hard and things are tough, that you stick with it and just try and push through the tough moments. So I think that's what I try and live by,” Mackenzie said.

The Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club game schedule, as well as Liam Mackenzie’s player profile, can be found online at whitecapsfc.com.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Reporting done in the Comox Valley is done in partnership with CVOX.