Player Profile Teaser: Matt Stinson

Matt Stinson has worked his way up the ranks to become one of Canada's top soccer prospects

      

       When looking towards the future of Canadian soccer, many don't think of it in a positive way. One of the best young Canadian prospects is Toronto native and personal friend Matt Stinson. He has been through a lot throughout his entire sporting career. He's had to make some very important decisions, which included his choice to quit competitive hockey and focus on soccer full time.

       Stinson has always been one of the most competitive people I have ever met. That competitiveness translated into rapid success on the playing field. After starring for the Clarkson Comets Soccer Club, he moved on to the Toronto FC Academy squad at the tender age of 16. He really began to get comfortable at that level, and eventually became the team captain.

     Throughout his three years with the TFC Academy, he attended Northview Heights Secondary School in the Academic Program for Gifted Athletes. Even with his extremely busy soccer workout plan, he performed marvelously in the class room. He was an honour roll student for two full years while taking business and science courses.

         Another important decision that he had to make was the university he was going to attend. Many schools had recruited him to join their squad and he visited several campuses. His final choice was an extremely tough one, but he elected to attend Winthrop University, one of the newest schools in South Carolina.

       After only half a season at Winthrop, he was faced with another life changing decision. He was very successful during those games, as he was named team MVP and earned a nAll-Big South Conference Second Team honour. At this point, teams at the professional level were courting his services. Will Stinson stay in school, or start pursuing his professional dreams at the young age of 18? Find out in the full version of this story, which will be released in a few weeks.