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Squamish soccer player to tour Europe

Venekamp will play games in Munich, Linz, Vienna, Ljubljana and Zagreb
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A Squamish teen will be the captain of a soccer team representing Canada in Europe.

Colby Venekamp has been chosen by B.C.’s European Football School to compete across the pond during the March break.

The 16-year-old Howe Sound student has been training with that program for 12 years and has been selected by the club to join them in a soccer tour across the continent.

This two-week trip will take the athletes to Munich, Linz, Vienna, Ljubljana and Zagreb.

Athletes in this group are hand-picked from across B.C. by coaches Saibo Talic and Amar Talic.

 Venekamp said that if things go his way, he may turn a few heads.

“I know there’s going to be scouts at lots of the games we play, and that’s something that kind of interests me,” said Venekamp. “Having the opportunity to be scouted would be amazing. That’s kind of what I want.”

Venekamp is no stranger to competition. On top of this being the second time he’s been invited on the European tour, he’s been playing soccer since a young age.

He said that his father was a fan of the game, and he got his start playing with him.

“My dad played it, and then my brother played, and I was just always around the soccer field,” said Venekamp.

“And so, I just started kicking soccer balls around and started playing with my dad and joined a U6 team for Squamish and ever since then, I’ve been playing.”

For Venekamp, even in a place like Squamish, where you can do most any kind of activity, soccer is still special.

“It’s a sport that my family has loved. It’s a sport that I love,” he said.

“I find it so much fun playing a sport where I’m part of a team.”

The road to Europe hasn’t been easy.

Venekamp said that between playing on a Squamish team and playing for the European Football School, he clocks in six days a week on the field.

He’s also been doing CrossFit classes to stay conditioned.

“I’ve been preparing for this for a while,” Venekamp said.

He said that playing professional soccer is a goal he’s considering — and it doesn’t matter which team picks him, so long as he gets to participate in the sport he loves.

“As long as I get to play soccer, I’m happy,” Venekamp said.

*Please note, the photo credit on this story has been updated to include the photographer, The Chief did not have this information when when we went to press.

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