The Canadian Premier League (CPL) is a top-tier league providing opportunities for Canadian athletes to play professional soccer in their country. One of the pathways that the CPL provides these opportunities is through the relationship between the CPL and U SPORTS in the form of the CPL-U SPORTS draft and CPL-U SPORTS contracts. 

These contracts fall under a club’s development roster that allows U SPORTS players to gain professional experience in their varsity off-season while maintaining their U SPORTS eligibility to return the following year. In 2024, Vancouver FC signed forward Sebastian Dzikowski and midfielder Thomas Powell to U SPORTS contracts in April. Now, at the culmination of the 2024 contracts, VFC has announced that the club will retain the U SPORTS rights of both Dzikowski and Powell, but Powell will return to school in less than a month.

Dzikowski will remain with Vancouver until the end of the 2024 CPL season, continuing to earn valuable professional experience in his budding career. The 22-year-old has made six appearances for the Eagles so far this year and has accumulated 109 minutes of playing time. 

“Sebastain continues to show promise and will remain as a U SPORTS player in our selection,” said Afshin Ghotbi, the Head Coach of Vancouver FC. “We hope he will break through while with us and reach his true potential as a natural goal scorer in the CPL and beyond.”

The native of Calgary, Atla., declared himself for the 2024 CPL-U SPORTS draft back in December 2023 but was never selected by one of the eight CPL clubs. Dzikowski, a product of the University of British Columbia (UBC), had an impressive varsity resume having just come off a record-breaking 2023 U SPORTS season. 

The Thunderbird broke UBC’s single-season record set by Craig Chiasson in 1994 for the most goals scored in a single season when Dzikowski notched his 15th in Canada West (CW) competition. He eventually went on to win bronze at the U SPORTS Championships and earned himself the Men’s Soccer Player of the Year for CW and at the national level, winning the Joe Johnson Memorial Trophy.

As Vancouver has decided to retain Dzikowski’s U SPORTS contract, the Eagles also retain the forward’s U SPORTS rights for the 2025 CPL season. This means that Vancouver can offer Dzikowski the same contract next year without him having to re-enter the CPL-U SPORTS draft.

“We have been very pleased with the performances of both of our U SPORTS players this year,” Ghotbi continues. “Thomas will return to school to finish his studies.”

Powell was signed to a U SPORTS contract at the same time as Dzikowski but the native of Coquitlam was originally selected by Vancouver out of Trinity Western University (TWU) with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 CPL-U SPORTS draft in December 2023. He was invited to Vancouver’s pre-season training and ultimately joined the Eagles for the 2024 season, making his professional debut on May 3 against Cavalry FC. Powell has made three starts in six appearances this year and has registered 186 game minutes.

“[Thomas] is a fantastic character who has greatly improved in his short time with VFC and we are hoping to bring him back into our selection as soon as possible,” said Ghotbi about the midfielder.

Powell is set to return to TWU for his fourth season with the Spartans. At the time of being drafted, Powell had started in all 16 of his team’s varsity matches where he scored four goals and registered four assists. He also represented Unity FC in League1 BC for the 2023 season, making 11 appearances and scoring two goals.

As with Dzikowski, Vancouver has decided to retain the U SPORTS rights of Powell for the 2025 season, meaning that he is eligible to sign the same contract with VFC next year, without having to re-enter the draft.

VFC would like to thank both Dzikowski and Powell for their contributions in 2024 and wish Powell the best of luck in his upcoming U SPORTS season. The Eagles are proud to be a part of this development opportunity and offer professional experience to these budding athletes. As the CPL season continues on, Vancouver only has 10 matches left to secure their playoff spot for the first time in franchise history.

Dzikowski and the Eagles next take the field on Sunday, August 18 against Forge FC for the club’s Women & Girls in Sports game. Gates open at 3 p.m. PT at Willoughby Park for a meet and greet with empowered women in the sports industry including Olympians Shallon Olsen and Drew Mechielsen, sports reporter Emmy Curtis, and local athletes. Kick off is set for 4 p.m. PT with further activities that the whole family will enjoy during the match. Tickets to Sunday’s game, and VFC’s remaining three home games, can be purchased online here or in person at the gates on game day.