The Italian Canadian Sports Federation is very pleased to announce the appointment of Niall Thompson as the new Director of Coaching & Player Development. Niall will commence his new role on February 1, 2024, where he will continue with our long term development plan for our ICSF players. Niall will also mentor, educate, and develop our coaches, who will be the key to our development plan’s success.
Niall can’t wait to get started and we couldn’t be more excited to have him on board!
Niall Thompson Bio
I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new Director of Coaching & Player Development with the ICSF. My name is Niall Thompson, and as a passionate soccer enthusiast, I am eager to share my knowledge, skills, passion, and dedication to the success and development of the boys and girls of this iconic and reputable club. I have been playing soccer since the age of 4 ,and I bring with me a strong background in youth development and a deep passion for the game. The opportunity to join the ICSF is truly exciting for me, and I am ready to embark on this new chapter of my soccer journey.
I hold UEFA-A and U.S.Soccer Federation-A coaching licenses, and believe in continuous learning to stay updated on the latest coaching methodologies, ideologies, and strategies towards long term player development. As of recent, I was the assistant coach with Vancouver FC of the Canadian Premier League for the 2023 season, and have worked with the Canadian Women’s National Team, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps, and various local clubs in the lower mainland such as Coastal FC and Surrey United.
My professional playing background started at the age of 16 here in Canada with the Edmonton Brick Men in the former Canadian Soccer League. I was very fortunate to play professionally for 14 years in countries such as England, Scotland, Belgium, Hong Kong, and various professional clubs throughout North America. I was also very fortunate to have represented Canada at all levels within the Canadian Soccer Association including the Canada Men’s U20, Canada Men’s Olympic, and Canada Senior Men’s National teams. Upon my retirement from professional soccer, I joined the Burnaby Fire Department where I am currently a Captain, and I am also married with 3 wonderful sons. All of my sons have played at various levels throughout the development phase, and two are still heavily involved within the sport, so the game and culture of soccer has always been a part of our family dynamic. As a former professional player, parent, and now as a coach for many years, I fully understand and can relate to all aspects of soccer development and all the intricacies involved in our beautiful game at the youth and adult
level.
I look forward to meeting with all of our coaches, players, and families within the ICSF, and I’m really excited to get started!
Regards,
Niall Thompson
Director of Coaching and Development