North Vancouver, BC – Altitude FC, the North Shore’s premier semi-professional soccer club, proudly announces the launch of its U21 men’s and women’s programs. This initiative aims to provide a robust training platform for young adults striving for excellence in higher levels of soccer.

The U21 program is designed to bridge the gap between youth soccer and higher levels of play, aligning with Canada Soccer’s player pathway. This pathway offers local athletes a clear progression from youth leagues to post-secondary, semi-professional, and professional soccer. Altitude FC’s new U21 teams will compete in local Fall/ Winter leagues, play exhibition matches versus other regional high performance adult clubs, attend high profile tournaments around North America, and provide a pipeline of players for its League1 BC team. Altitude FC will offer a year-round competitive environment that is essential for player development.

“We are thrilled to launch this U21 program and offer local players a high-performance training environment” said Faly Basse, Technical Director of Altitude FC and Head Coach of the Men’s Team. “Our goal is to nurture the next generation of soccer talent on the North Shore and help them achieve their dreams of playing at higher levels.”

High-Performance Environment 

Altitude FC is committed to creating a comprehensive high-performance environment both on and off the field. The U21 program will feature first-class coaching, off-field support in physiotherapy, mental wellness, and other professional services, and exposure to first class competition. These resources are vital in preparing young athletes for the physical and mental
demands of professional soccer.

Basse emphasizes, “We believe in developing well-rounded athletes. Our U21 program will not only focus on technical and tactical skills but also on the holistic well-being of our players. This includes physical health, mental resilience, and overall personal development. Women’s soccer is on the rise and it is going to be great place for young developing players to
have another option here in BC” said Andy Peat, Head Coach of Altitude FC’s Women’s team. “Our U21 program will be designed to challenge and grow people and players who are too often restricted to age group pathways”

Local Pathway, Global Opportunities

One of the significant advantages of the Altitude FC U21 program is that it allows athletes to pursue their soccer aspirations while staying close to home. This local option means players can remain within their support networks of family, friends, and community, providing them with the stability needed to excel.

“Having the opportunity to train and compete at a high level without having to leave home and my current school is invaluable,” said Aili Marshall, a local youth soccer player who has grown up playing for North Shore Girls Soccer Club (NSGSC), FC Faly, North Vancouver Football Club (NVFC), and the Vancouver Whitecaps Pre-Rex program. “allows us to focus on our development without the added stress of relocating. Plus, we get to represent our community on a bigger stage.”

Join The Journey

Altitude FC’s U21 program is more than just a stepping stone to post-secondary and professional soccer. It is a testament to the club’s commitment to the North Shore community and its dedication to fostering local talent. By providing this platform, Altitude FC is not only enhancing the quality of soccer in the region but also contributing to the personal growth and success of its players.

Together, we can build a stronger, more vibrant soccer culture on the North Shore and help our local talent shine on the national and international stages. The program is set to commence August 15th, with local players starting to onboard immediately. For more information on the U21 program and how to get involved, please visit www.altitudefc.ca or email us info@altitudefc.ca.

Interested Players

All players with interest should fill out this form, and the club will be contacting you about upcoming tryouts. 

About Altitude FC

Altitude FC is a semi-professional soccer club representing the North Shore in League1 BC. Established with the vision of developing local soccer talent transitioning from youth to adult soccer, Altitude FC provides a high-performance environment for players looking to compete at the next level. The club offers a comprehensive pathway for youth players aspiring to reach
post-secondary, semi-professional, and professional levels.

Contact:
info@altitudefc.ca
www.altitudefc.ca

By Alex Rickman

Following Sunday’s tough day out at Thunderbird Stadium, Altitude was given a shot at redemption at Kinsmen Field, welcoming the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy sides on a beautiful June evening. The excitement was palpable at Kinsmen, where the stands were packed with people of all ages excited to take in some football and, hopefully, see Altitude avenge their difficult Saturday. So how did the matches go?

Kicking off at 4:00, the women’s game started all Altitude, starkly contrasting to the weekend’s slow start. The Whitecaps were able to mount some pressure of their own though, and seemed to be waking up as the half progressed. Despite this, Altitude held strong to the pressure, continuing to generate chances of their own. Then, in the 43rd minute, a Jade Mitchell strike found the back of the net, giving Altitude a 1-0 advantage going into the half and putting the Whitecaps women’s team behind for the first time all season. Once again, in the face of a daunting task, Altitude proved to be an extremely resilient side and would go into the break on the front foot. 

The Whitecaps would immediately begin to press hard for an equalizer at the beginning of the second half, and that equalizer would come in the form of a Kiera Blundell goal in the 49th. The Whitecaps would continue pressing to try and find a winner from there, but Altitude would give that pressure right back, with the second half proving to be a very back-and-forth affair. In the end, the dust would settle on a 1-1 draw, an incredible result for Altitude following their result against this same side a mere 3 days before. Altitude showed just how strong their mentality was in this match, as many teams would come into a game under these circumstances feeling apprehensive, but Altitude showed no sign of letting up despite their difficult loss on the weekend, playing the match on their terms and successfully taking a point from the top women’s academy in the country. This is a match that the coaches, players, and supporters should all be immensely proud of. 

On the men’s side, Altitude once again put heavy pressure on the Whitecaps early, this time capitalizing in the 13th minute when Ambrose Tinmouth found the back of the net to give Altitude the early advantage. The Whitecaps would begin to press hard from there, but Altitude continued to dictate play, continuing to create chances as the half wore on. Like the women’s match before, this match went into halftime 1-0 for Altitude, with the boys in blue having spent the majority of the first 45 playing on the front foot, generating chances in higher volume and quality than the opposition. However, the Whitecaps are no weak side, so everyone knew that going into the final 45, it was anyone’s game. 

Altitude would once again start the half strong, but the momentum quickly shifted following a red card in the 52nd minute. From there, the Whitecaps would equalize in the 58th minute off a header and would continue to press for another as the half progressed. However, Altitude would play a rock-solid defensive game the rest of the way, keeping the top academy in Canada from scoring a second goal against a 10-man side and seeing out a second consecutive 1-1 draw against the Caps. Altitude had a lot on their plates in the second half following the red card, but stepped up to the pressure, even coming within inches of a last-second winner as Hauke Tippe’s headed effort was kept out on a late corner. Overall, this felt like a game that Altitude would have comfortably taken 3 points from had luck been a little more on their side, but when dealing with the circumstances they dealt with, it’s hard to complain about coming away with a point. 

I would be remiss not to mention the support Altitude got from their fans on Wednesday. Throughout both matches, the support Altitude received was next level, particularly from the young fans in attendance. Altitude has provided a great, family-friendly environment at all of their games this year, giving fans of all ages a chance to enjoy themselves while watching the match, but this game stood out above the rest as the best atmosphere we’ve seen so far. 

Following Wednesday’s results, Altitude’s women remain 4th in the league, while the men remain in second. This is shaping up to be an exciting end to the season for both teams, so be sure to get to Kinsmen Field for Altitude’s next home match on July 7th against TSS Rovers to take it in for yourself.

By Alex Rickman

Following a rainy last matchday against Burnaby FC, Altitude made the trip to Thunderbird Stadium to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy sides on a beautiful June day. Things did not go the way Altitude had hoped last game, as the women fell 3-1 to a strong Burnaby side and the men’s game was postponed due to rain, and this would be no easy task, with the Whitecaps fielding teams that are among the league’s best in both the men’s and women’s competitions. How did Altitude handle the daunting task of taking on the Caps at their home field?

After a noon kickoff, the women’s game did not get off to the start that Altitude had hoped for, as the Caps had taken a 4-0 lead inside the first 25 minutes. However, Avery Tulloch would put Altitude on the board after some pretty passing with Aurora Hughes-Goyette to cut the lead to 3 in the 28th minute, giving Altitude some momentum for the remainder of the half. Chances were traded in the final 15 minutes of the first half, but none would ultimately find the twine, and the 4-1 advantage for the Caps would remain intact going into the break. Things would not be easy from here, but the momentum swing after Tulloch’s goal was noticeable. Altitude had a difficult final 45 ahead of them, but putting themselves on the board is not something many teams can say they’ve done against this Whitecaps side this season. 

Altitude came out swinging in the second half, as Aurora Hughes-Goyette put one home to make it a 4-2 game within the first minute of kickoff. The Whitecaps, however, would respond quickly and did not let up from there, scoring a flurry of goals in the second half that would ultimately end with a 10-2 victory for the home side. This was far from the result that Altitude wanted or expected going into this game, but some solace can be taken in the fact that they are the first team to score more than a single goal against this Whitecaps team in the 2024 campaign. Keeping your head up after a result like this is not an easy thing to do by any means, but the Altitude players and coaches took the bad result in stride, seemingly accepting that they may be unable to change what happened today and beginning preparations to avenge the loss later this week when the Whitecaps are welcomed to Kinsmen Field. 

As for the men’s game, Altitude got off to a flying start, dominating possession and creating chance after chance in the early stages of the match. The Whitecaps did manage some chances against the run of play, but throughout the first half, it seemed like Altitude’s game to lose. As the whistle blew to call a close to a scoreless first half, Altitude seemed unlucky not to have found the back of the net off the back of all the pressure they put on the Whitecaps, but it was clear that despite the Whitecaps status as one of the league’s top teams, Faly Basse’s men were not content to sit back and have the game brought to them. 

The second half was a lot more evenly matched than the first, with the Caps starting to wake up soon after the whistle blew to begin the final 45. The Caps would eventually strike first, finding the back of the net in the 64th minute, but Altitude were not deterred by the setback. Carson Buschman-Dormond would find himself on the end of a beautiful pass from Lucas Booth, which he made no mistake putting into the back of the net for his team-leading 4th of the season. Altitude would create a few more chances to take the lead, but after going down to 10 men in the 86th minute, would have to let up on some of their pressure and see out the rest of what would finish as a 1-1 draw. Altitude looked like the better side throughout much of the match, but it’s hard to complain about claiming a draw away from home against one of the league’s top sides. 

Following Sunday’s difficult result, Altitude’s women now sit 4th in the table, while the men have moved into second, trailing only TSS Rovers for the top spot. Altitude will face the Whitecaps again in their next game, this time at home, on June 12th. This will be no easy task, but Altitude will be as motivated as ever to put on a good showing at home following Sunday’s events at Thunderbird.

By Alex Rickman

Altitude FC looked to make it 3 straight double victories in a row on June 2nd, taking on Burnaby FC in a torrential downpour at Kinsmen Field. Despite the poor weather conditions, fans showed up excited to support Altitude on North Shore Girls Day. Would Altitude be able to keep their momentum from the past pair of games up, or would Burnaby be able to spoil the party?

Kicking off at 1:00, the wet pitch was noticeably affecting both sides in the women’s game, causing the ball to take some strange bounces. Burnaby would capitalize on this in the 15th minute, taking a 1-0 lead off of an Altitude own goal. Burnaby would continue to press hard for another immediately following their goal, but Altitude weathered the storm, creating a few chances of their own as the half drew to a close. Despite the 1-0 deficit and the challenging playing conditions, Altitude wasn’t going down without a fight and would look to find a way to bring it home in the second half. 

As the second half began, the rain and wind were not letting up, but the conditions were not dampening the spirit of either team on the pitch or the fans in attendance. A strike from the edge of the area would double the Burnaby advantage in the 55th minute, but an error by Burnaby’s goalkeeper a few minutes later would see Jade Mitchell tuck one away to cut the lead back down to one. Altitude gained some momentum following this goal, but ultimately, it would not be enough, as Burnaby added a third goal in the 77th minute to make it 3-1. However, despite the adversity faced, Altitude showed an impressive effort level right to the final whistle, not letting the weather or the score affect their mentality. Burnaby would go home with the result on the day, but Altitude fans can rest assured that there is still no quit in this team. 

As the rain continued to fall, it eventually became clear that the field would be unplayable for the men’s game, which ultimately was postponed to a later date. At this time, it’s unclear when this game will be made up, but details will be shared once they are available. 

Following the women’s game, Altitude’s men and women both sit third in their respective leagues. Altitude will now prepare for back-to-back clashes with the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy teams, making the trip to UBC on June 9th and welcoming them to Kinsmen on the 12th. Only a few games remain before the postseason, so make sure to come out and support our teams during the always-important final stretch of the regular season.

By Alex Rickman

Following a rough day at the office against TSS Rovers on Friday, Altitude looked to bounce back at home against Surrey’s Unity FC on May 20th. Friday’s losses were far from a fun time for either side, so a shot at redemption a short few days later was welcomed by both the men’s and women’s teams. How did they fare in their May long weekend clashes at a packed Kinsmen Field?

Kicking off at 1:00 pm, Altitude’s women’s side had to weather an early storm from a hard-pressing Unity side. Unity hounded the Sky Blues early in the contest, but Altitude held strong and managed to get some chances of their own as the half progressed. From early on in the contest, Altitude showed a willingness to pull the trigger on shots from distance, coming close on several of these chances and stretching the Unity defence. As halftime rolled around, the score remained 0-0, but the Altitude side we were seeing looked very different from that we saw in the early stages of the half. After successfully preventing Unity from capitalizing on any of their early pressure, Altitude looked reinvigorated and came out for the second half ready to pounce. 

When the second half kicked off, it felt like anyone’s game. Throughout the half, this feeling continued, as Altitude and Unity traded chance after chance, but were unable to find the back of the net. Then, in the 93rd minute, the deadlock was finally broken. With Unity’s keeper off her line, Jade Mitchell saw an opportunity from well outside the box and took it perfectly, lofting a beautiful shot into the back of the net to give Altitude the lead and ultimately, the win. Altitude’s women have had some dramatic finishes to games this year, but none was more spectacular than this wondergoal giving Altitude their first win of the campaign. Goals like Mitchell’s winner are not something you see every day, and when combined with the circumstances she scored it under, this was a moment that few who witnessed it would soon forget. 

Later on, in the men’s game, Unity once again began pressing hard from the moment the whistle blew, but Altitude was able to remain composed and get a few chances of their own. This paid off in the 13th minute, as Matthew Marshall headed home a free kick to give Altitude an early lead, much to the delight of his father and club co-founder Mark. Unity would continue to press hard even after conceding, and would tie the game before the half with a 41st minute goal off of a free kick. Both sides would push to break the tie before halftime, but neither would succeed, as the whistle blew on a 1-1 game wide open for the taking. 

Unity wasted no time taking the lead after the second half kicked off, making it 2-1 in the 46th minute. However, despite the rough start to the second half, Altitude made it clear that they would not just go quietly, playing hard at both ends of the pitch to make sure Unity would not be able to extend their lead. Altitude’s efforts would be rewarded in the 66th minute, as Carson Buschman-Dormond put home a penalty kick to level the game. This deadlock would be broken a mere 11 minutes later, as Ali Azarminoo got on the end of a long throw from Hauke Tippe to put Altitude up 3-2. From there, Unity would push hard to take home a draw, but fell short at the end, with Altitude securing victories in both their men’s and women’s games at home for the first time in club history. 

Throughout both matches, Altitude looked like they wanted redemption after the tough losses at TSS, and they more than made up for it with their performances today. Resilience has been a theme for both sides this year, and it showed today, as Altitude stayed locked in despite the challenges Unity gave them and took home 3 points on both sides, Altitude’s women now sit second in the table behind only the Vancouver Whitecaps academy team, while the men sit third. Altitude will now turn their attention to this weekend’s clash with Harbourside FC in Nanaimo on May 25th, and will next play at home on June 2nd against expansion franchise Burnaby FC.

By Alex Rickman

Saturday gifted us with perfect weather for some League1 BC action as Altitude FC welcomed Rivers FC from Kamloops for a Mother’s Day weekend clash. Following a hotly contested season opener that ultimately saw Rivers men’s side best Altitude 1-0 and a 2-2 draw in the women’s game, both Altitude sides would be coming in hungry to try and take full points in the home fixtures. 

Quickly after kickoff in the women’s game, it became clear that this was going to be a great contest. From the flurry of chances in the early minutes to the aggressive play on both sides, you could just tell that this was set to be a memorable contest no matter the outcome. Rivers would take a 1-0 early on and pressed hard soon after to try and double their lead, but Altitude held strong, creating a few chances of their own and sending a message to Rivers that they would not be going down without a fight. As halftime rolled around and the score remained 1-0, this game felt far from over, and it was apparent that we were set for another competitive half of soccer at Kinsmen. 

As the second half began, neither side was letting up from what we saw in the first half, and scoring chances started to come early on. As this half progressed, Altitude progressively put more and more pressure on Rivers, although seemingly nothing was going in. In the 85th minute, however, this changed as Aurora Hughes-Goyette cleaned up her own rebound to level the score. This would prove to be the final goal of the match, as yet another late equalizer would see Altitude’s women draw their third consecutive game. It’s clear at this point to anyone watching that there is no quit in these girls and that no lead is safe when Altitude is on the pitch. Much like Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso this year, Altitude always finds a way. 

As for the men’s team, Altitude got off to a flying start this game, making it nearly impossible for Rivers to even get the ball out of their own half, much less do anything with it. Altitude generated chance after chance throughout the first half, with Carson Buschman-Dormand pulling the strings to create several of them, and it seemed like it was going to take quite the momentum swing for Rivers to get themselves into this game. While it was scoreless at the half, it was clear that Altitude was the stronger side throughout nearly the entirety of the first half, and that they were incredibly unlucky not to be taking a lead into the break. 

Rivers came out to play looking a little more urgent in the second half, but Altitude would once again find a way to keep them pinned in their own half for almost the entirety of the half. Altitude would be awarded a penalty in the 59th minute, but a strong effort from Rivers goalkeeper Svyatik Artemenko would keep the game level, giving Rivers a momentum boost before ultimately once again being pinned back by the Altitude attack. A flurry of chances throughout the second half, as well as a red card to Artemenko for stepping on an Altitude player, would ultimately not be enough to give Altitude their well-deserved goal, and the final whistle blew on a 0-0 draw.

Despite the result, fans should be incredibly proud of the effort from the men’s team today. While they may not have found the back of the net, their performance on the day could not be described as anything less than dominant. If they can keep this up, there’s no telling how far Altitude could go this season. Following these matches, Altitude’s women now sit 4th in the league, while the men sit in 3rd. Altitude is giving fans plenty to be excited about in the early stages of the season, so be sure to experience it for yourself at beautiful Kinsmen Field.

By Alex Rickman

On May 8th, Altitude FC returned to Kinsmen Field for their home opener, taking on Nanaimo’s Harbourside FC on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in North Vancouver. The home opener is always an exciting time of year for any team, and it could be felt at the park that day, with the fans buzzing for another year of League1 BC action. So how did Altitude fare in their first games back at home? 

The women’s game kicked off at 3:30 and proved the importance of resilience in sports. Both Altitude and Harbourside showed a strong ability to weather the storm throughout the first half, as a series of counter-attacking opportunities on both sides were ultimately thwarted before Harbourside ultimately broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, giving them a lead they would take into the second half. However, despite Harbourside taking the lead and pushing hard for another quickly after scoring their first, the Altitude women proved that they had no quit in them and that they were not prepared to simply roll over and let Harbourside take the victory. 

Altitude would come out swinging in the second half, creating a very strong chance quickly after kickoff that would ultimately go out for a corner. However, after a 67th-minute goal from Harbourside doubled their advantage, Altitude seemed to be at long odds to come back and get a result. That was until Altitude was awarded a penalty just 3 minutes later, which was slotted home by Avery Tulloch to cut Harbourside’s lead to 1. The energy at Kinsmen noticeably changed after this goal, with both the fans and players for Altitude finding a second wind as the ladies looked to find an equalizer. That equalizer would be found in the 94th minute, as Jade Mitchell got on the end of a long ball and tucked it past the keeper to secure a point in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. 

At times it definitely felt like an Altitude comeback would be nearly impossible, but this game was an impressive display of mental toughness from Altitude. Despite Harbourside’s 2-goal lead late into the contest, Altitude was determined to get a result in front of their home stands, and through a display of sheer willpower, they were able to achieve just that. Things may not always be going your way in sports, but as Altitude proved today, it’s never about how you start, it’s how you finish. 

Kicking off at 6, Altitude’s men’s team came out of the gate strong, looking hungry from the moment the whistle blew to start the match. Harbourside would manage to get the first strong chance of the game, but after that, everything seemed to be coming up Altitude. New signing Carson Buschman-Dormond was putting on a show this half, creating several chances for the boys in blue, albeit to no avail, as this game went into the half 0-0. Despite the scoreline, however, it was clear that Altitude were controlling the game well to this point, and that if they could keep this up for the final 45 that this game would be theirs for the taking. 

In the 57th minute, the goal would finally come for Altitude, as Athos De Siquiera put home a Trivela to give Altitude a well-deserved advantage. Not long after, Carson Buschman-Dormond would tuck one home to double the Altitude lead, bringing the fans to life in celebration of the second Altitude goal in quick succession. While Harbourside would score in the 82nd minute to cut the Altitude lead in half, it would prove not to be enough for the visitors, as Altitude would see through a 2-1 victory in front of their home fans to put a cap on what could only be described as a fantastic home opener for both teams. 

Altitude’s women’s team now sit 3rd in the League1 BC table, behind only the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy and newcomers Burnaby FC, while the men’s team are in 4th following their first win of the campaign. While it may still be very early in the season, things are shaping up for an excellent year of soccer at Kinsmen Field for the men and women of Altitude FC. 

By Alex Rickman

On a beautiful, sunny afternoon in North Vancouver on July 16th, hundreds of people flocked to historic Kinsmen Field to take on the Victoria Highlanders in their final home game of 2023. Having never been to an Altitude game before this day, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a day out at Kinsmen, but after experiencing an Altitude game I can safely say that I can’t wait to return next season, and think that every soccer fan on the North Shore should be doing the same. Here are some of the highlights of my experience, and what really made my day when I visited Kinsmen. 

Starting with the atmosphere, Kinsmen Field provides everything you could want for a fun Sunday kicking back and enjoying some soccer. The first thing you notice entering the stadium is the music pumping, giving you this feeling like you’re walking into a party or barbecue. Before the game and between the men’s and women’s games, a great selection of songs that all bring a fun, energetic vibe to the stadium can be heard, really helping keep everyone in a good mood throughout the day. Additionally, musician B Kenyan keeps the energy up with his halftime performances, including a special song written about the club. In addition to the music, the fan facilities, such as the Whistler Brewing beer garden, give fans a great spot to unwind with a cold one while taking in the game. All in all, the club have put a lot of care into creating an enjoyable atmosphere at Kinsmen Field, and it really does show. 

What about the on-field product at Altitude? While they weren’t able to take home the W in the men’s or women’s games on this day, both teams showed a lot of fight, especially in the late stages of the game, and some good individual performances and scoring chances kept the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the full 90 of both games. On the men’s side, wingback Wizaso Chavula particularly caught my eye with his ability on the ball and willingness to take on defenders and consistently get through them to create chances. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, midfielder Charlotte Ring showed a lot of confidence in her play, generating a lot of chances for herself and the team. Both the men’s and women’s teams played with a lot of passion right until the end, and even though they were unable to get the results in the end, the players should be proud of their efforts, as they truly gave their all for the club and the supporters. 

The experience of being able to watch the game on a field with the history of Kinsmen also can’t go without mention. For those unaware, Kinsmen has played host to teams such as the great North Shore United during the first half of the 20th century, and the North Shore Colts during the 1980s. A plaque outside of Kinsmen commemorates these and other teams that have called Kinsmen home over the years, and Altitude hopes to continue working on the facility in an effort to return it to its former glory. But, even without the great grandstand that Kinsmen sadly lost to a fire during the 70s, there’s a great charm and historical feel to the ground that truly helps you feel the history of the ground. 

One other area that I’d be remiss to not mention is the incredible team of volunteers who sacrifice their time to make sure everything at Altitude runs as smoothly as can be. These volunteers arrive at the field hours before kickoff to ensure that the pitch is ready for game time, tents are set up for the ticket and merchandise booths and, of course, the ever-important beer garden, and so much more to ensure that everything that makes an Altitude game a great experience is ready to go. Volunteering can often be a thankless job, but this group of volunteers really do deserve some love, as without their hard work none of what makes the Altitude experience great would be possible. 

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the event that Altitude managed to put on. The quality of soccer being played was impressive and very entertaining as a fan of the sport, the casual atmosphere gives a unique vibe that few if any football clubs in the province can bring to the table, and everyone working at the park does a great job making you feel right at home. Hopefully, more and more people will come out to visit Kinsmen Field for years to come, getting to experience a great day out enjoying the world’s game at a field with a rich history like Kinsmen. 

We are thrilled to announce that Altitude FC has partnered with Macron Store Pacific as the official teamwear provider.

“We believe in the values of hard work and constant improvement, and Altitude FC embodies those principles. We are honored to be a part of their journey and support their growth on and off the field,” stated Macron Pacific Managing Director Mark deFrias.

Faly Basse, owner and head coach of Altitude FC, added: “We are proud to partner with Macron Store Pacific and excited to offer our players and fans the best technical products available. This partnership aligns with our goal to provide our players with the tools to perform at the highest level.”

Stay tuned for the new custom jersey launch for the 2023 season!

We are thrilled to announce that Altitude FC has partnered with Macron Store Pacific as the official teamwear provider.

“We believe in the values of hard work and constant improvement, and Altitude FC embodies those principles. We are honored to be a part of their journey and support their growth on and off the field,” stated Macron Pacific Managing Director Mark deFrias.

Faly Basse, owner and head coach of Altitude FC, added: “We are proud to partner with Macron Store Pacific and excited to offer our players and fans the best technical products available. This partnership aligns with our goal to provide our players with the tools to perform at the highest level.”

Stay tuned for the new custom jersey launch for the 2023 season!

We are thrilled to announce that Altitude FC has partnered with Macron Store Pacific as the official teamwear provider.

“We believe in the values of hard work and constant improvement, and Altitude FC embodies those principles. We are honored to be a part of their journey and support their growth on and off the field,” stated Macron Pacific Managing Director Mark deFrias.

Faly Basse, owner and head coach of Altitude FC, added: “We are proud to partner with Macron Store Pacific and excited to offer our players and fans the best technical products available. This partnership aligns with our goal to provide our players with the tools to perform at the highest level.”

Stay tuned for the new custom jersey launch for the 2023 season!

April 14, 2022, North Vancouver, BC — ALTITUDE FC is delighted to announce a new partnership with Darwin Properties, a family-run, North Vancouver development company. Darwin will be the platinum sponsor and main jersey sponsor for ALTITUDE FC, the North Shore’s new semi-pro soccer team.

Altitude FC will begin representing the North Shore with a men’s and women’s team in the inaugural season of League1 BC starting in May, 2022. The goal of the league is to provide a transition for players with aspirations to play professional soccer, but need more time, training and mentoring in a semi-pro environment.

Mark Marshall, ALTITUDE FC club co-founder, said upon execution of the agreement, “We’re very pleased about the 3-year partnership with Darwin. Building relationships and working with local companies is important to the club, and to have the opportunity to partner with a local real estate group that prides itself on genuine community engagement is a perfect fit for the league. The 3-year commitment is a testament to Darwin’s confidence in the club, the community and the league as the spirit and ambitions of the Canadian soccer community grows with the recent good form of our men’s and women’s national programs.”

Oliver Webbe, CEO of Darwin Properties, said: “My family is very excited to be partnering with Altitude on the launch of this new soccer league. My father has been playing soccer on the North Shore since we moved to Deep Cove in the 80’s. I started playing for Mt Seymour when I was 5, and today I coach my two sons who play for North Van FC. We cannot understate the importance of promoting youth sports within our community, and we believe this partnership with Altitude FC will inspire North Shore kids and give them an opportunity to experience high-calibre soccer close to home.”

The teams are scheduled to play a 12-game regular season – with six home games and six away games – against the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, the TSS Rovers, who play out of Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium, the UBC-affiliated Varsity FC and clubs in Langley, Kamloops and Victoria. The team will play at North Vancouver’s Kinsmen Field, with a special club-zone and programming for youth players from local clubs to come out to support the Altitude teams.

Tickets will be available in the near future. More details about ticket sales and club merchandise will be announced in the coming weeks. 

You can follow those announcements on Altitude FC’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

About Darwin

Darwin Properties is one of the most active developers on the North Shore, founded as Darwin Construction in 1987. With over 30 years of experience in construction and development, Darwin now has more than 65 acres and 4.8 million square feet of residential, mixed-use and commercial projects in the planning or construction phase of development on the North Shore, including Lonsdale Square, the North Shore Innovation District and Maplewood Gardens. It is actively working in joint venture partnerships with the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation and institutional investors like QuadReal and Minto to build holistic, integrated and healthy communities within large-scale, master-planned developments. www.darwinproperties.com

About ALTITUDE FC
ALTITUDE FC is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in North Vancouver, British Columbia that will play in League1 BC starting in May of 2022. The club will field both women’s and men’s teams. For more information about ALTITUDE FC, visit the club’s website at www.altitudefc.ca.

North Vancouver, BC — ALTITUDE FC is excited to announce a partnership with MACEY’S SPORTS, the North Shore’s only soccer specific retailer. MACEY’S SPORTS will be ALTITUDE FC’S exclusive merchandiser of club fan wear for the League1 BC 2022 season.

Effective immediately, MACEY’S SPORTS will be selling Altitude FC merchandise online, in-store and on game day at Kinsmen Field. Club scarves are available immediately, with replica jerseys, t-shirts, hoodies and a variety of hats in production and on the way.

“We are very excited for the new Semi Pro League \1 BC and very happy to partner with our local North Shore team in their inaugural season!” exclaimed Danny Vaughan, manager of MACEY’S SPORTS. “We are looking forward to this partnership and excited to stock Altitude FC merchandise in our store! This is a great opportunity to build the culture around the game on the North Shore!”

“We continue to focus on partnering with local businesses on the North Shore and Sea-to-sky Region,” stated Mark Marshall, co-founder of ALTITUDE FC, “so partnering with the North Shore’s only soccer specific merchandiser just makes sense and we look forward to bringing BC Soccer’s highest level of soccer to our community together with MACEY’S SPORTS.”

ALTITUDE FC fans can find club wear in their website store link, directly on Macey’s website store, in-store as well as in a Macey’s Sports Merchandise tent at all 6 home games at Kinsmen Field. 

About MACEY’S SPORTS

MACEY’S SPORTS is the only soccer, rugby and field hockey specific retailer on the North Shore and is conveniently located just off Highway 1 at 180-400 Brooksbank Avenue in North Vancouver, and sells merchandise online at www.maceyssports.com.

About ALTITUDE FC

ALTITUDE FC is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in North Vancouver, British Columbia that will play in League1 BC starting in May of 2022. The club will field both women’s and men’s teams. For more information about ALTITUDE FC, visit the club’s website at www.altitudefc.ca.

As we draw a close to 2021, Altitude FC has announced the open tryouts dates for their men’s and women’s 2022 semi-professional League 1 BC Season.

It’s no secret that Altitude FC club owner, Faly Basse, fields his FC Faly men’s team in the FVSL Premier League and is currently battling Vancouver Whitecaps for 2nd place. There are some players on this team that will indeed form a foundation for Altitude FC men’s team, and are about to be signed for the coming season. The Altitude FC open tryouts date for men, on January 11th 2022, will provide the Altitude FC coaching staff with an expanded talent pool of players they haven’t already seen to fill up their roster with the top young talent in BC.

On the women’s team side, player signings are already underway, although Altitude FC is calling on all top women’s team players in the province to consider registering for the open tryouts, for January 13, 2022, or reach out to Altitude FC with their interest in playing in this semi-professional league. Faly mentioned, “It’s an exciting time in BC and Canada for women’s players to have another pathway to the top with this semi-professional League1 BC league, and hope that the young talented female players in BC take advantage of that.”

One of the many benefits of this semi-professional summer league is that it does not interfere with the players regular season teams, and allows University players to join when school is done. Players can use these teams to further their exposure, and then return to their regular University/College teams or local teams. 

Altitude FC is looking for players currently playing at the University, BCSPL, or adult premier level to consider the open tryouts. If University players are not able to make the open tryouts, and have not been in discussion with Altitude FC already, we encourage these players to submit their interest on our players contact form on our website. Altitude FC will likely leave a couple spots open for some last minute top talent selections prior to the season starting in May.

Altitude FC will also be monitoring the COVID-19 health guidance closely and may be adjusting tryout operations accordingly.

We look forward to start announcing our player signings as we roll into the new year, and at the same time, we wish everyone a very safe and happy holidays and new year.

North Shore News’ writer, Andy Prest, recently met with Mark Marshall of Altitude FC to dive a little deeper on the newly formed club and league in the article “New semi-pro soccer team coming to North Vancouver this spring“.

The article uncovers additional details about the league and club intentions. Mark Marshall was quoted “It’s very much intended to be a relaxed, fun summer event with very competitive, serious soccer on the field that people can cheer for.” 

Andy Prest also touches on the purpose of the league for young players, and Mark mentioned in the article “The whole purpose of the league is to be a transition league for players who have aspirations to play professional soccer, but for whatever reason they’re just not quite ready yet and they need a bit more maturation and mentoring in a semi-pro environment.” Marshall also stated, “We fully expect that we’ll have players from various clubs on the North Shore”.

Other details in the article cover plans and history of the home field, league home and away games, and some thoughts on game day experience.

Today BC Soccer has formally introduced ALTITUDE FC as the North Shore’s license holder for the new League1 BC semi-pro soccer league whose inaugural season will startin May 2022.  Representing the North Shore, from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Deep Cove in North Vancouver, and including the communities in Sea-To-Sky country, ALTITUDE FC will bring a new level of soccer to the local community that features high performance adult men’s and women’s teams.  ALTITUDE FC is thefourth club that has been announced so far of the planned seven-team league, and is joined by the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, TSS Rovers, Rivers FC, Unity FC, Victoria Highlanders and Varsity FC.

“We are beyond excited to kick-off this campaign and aim to establish ALTITUDE FC as a club put together by members of the community for the community”, says club representative Mark Marshall.  “As soon as BC Soccer issued its RFP in 2020 for expressions of interest to apply for a club in the new league, a core group of us living and working on the North Shore immediately pulled together to make this happen.  Our goal from the beginning has been to build a club culture that players and families from across the region could pull together to support, regardless of their youth club affiliation and in addition to their support of the college, university and/or adult teams on which they might play.”

Adds representative Paul Riches, “There are many parents of talented boys and girls who have recognized the difficulties of transitioning from youth soccer into the professional game. The League1 BC program bridges this gap to offer ambitious players an opportunity to be identified for the skills that they have developed which in many instances, may have been overlooked. Altitude FC offers a very competitive and entertaining style of play and we are confident that the community will embrace the new League.”

Technical Lead Faly Basse emphasizes, “We will provide more opportunities for young men and women with higher level aspirations to have the time and club-support to let them mature as footballers, as they transition from amateur to high-performance soccer.  League1 BC balances the typical pressure to perform immediately found in most pro soccer leagues with the strong support and development environment of a semi-pro club that has players that straddle both the amateur and pro levels.”

VENUE

Home pitch for ALTITUDE FC will be Kinsmen Park in North Vancouver.  Kinsmen once featured a magnificent grandstand that hosted many significant community events, as well as countless adult and youth matches.  Sadly, in a tragic blow to the community, the grandstand was destroyed by fire in the 1970’s.  ALTITIDE FC will work in partnership with the City of North Vancouver on making improvements to provide an intimate setting in the heart of the community with a venue that supporters can provide an energy-level that powers the home team.

Photo Credit: heritage.bcsoccer.net

This storied venue has a long history of high-performance soccer.  The North Shore United were a local and national powerhouse in the 1930’s and 1940’s.  The team went as far as winning both the National and Commonwealth championships in 1938.  By 1966 the club had won eleven provincial titles.

Kinsmen Park was also home to the North Shore Colts, a team that played in the Pacific Rim League in the 1980’s.  In addition to consistent success in what was B.C.’s highest league at the time, they entrenched themselves in local soccer lore when, at a four-team international tournament hosted at BC Place in 1985, they won games over professional sides from both Ajax (Amsterdam) and Glasgow Celtic.

More recently, the Whitecaps women’s team played several games at Kinsmen in their 2012 season and in 2016, the North Shore Girls Soccer Club had a team in the cross-continent Women’s Premier Soccer League that played their home matches at Kinsmen Park.

CREST

Club representative Landon Voth explains, “As residents of Vancouver’s North Shore and Sea-to-Sky country, we live, work and play on this mountainous region and waterfront. We take pride in our “Sea-to-Sky” lifestyle, and as that name suggests, we intimately understand living at all altitudes. The Altitude FC name, colours and crest were inspired by our local mountains and the land we are fortunate enough to call home, and is something that unites us all in this region.”

Altitude FC gratefully acknowledges that we work, live and play on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.