The Canadian Soccer Association dished out a pair of player awards on Monday, naming Queens Park Rangers midfielder Michael Petrasso the Canadian Under-20 Male Player of the Year and awarding Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 defender Kadin Chung the Under-17 honors.
This is the third-straight U-20 Player of the Year award for Petrasso, who recently made his first-team debut with QPR. The 20-year-old former Toronto FC academy player spent time in 2015 with the Canadian U-20, U-23 and senior national teams, most notably helping Canada finish fourth at the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Orlando City SC forward and MLS Rookie of the Year Cyle Larin and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Kianz Froese were also nominated for the Under-20 honor, but finished behind Petrasso in a vote of Canadian national team and club coaches. Larin was also nominated for the BMO Canadian Men's Player of the Year award, the winner of which will be announced later this week.
Chung signed with Whitecaps FC 2 – Vancouver’s USL affiliate – in August after spending four years in the club’s residential academy. A regular with Canadian youth national teams, the British Columbia native played every minute of Canada’s six matches at the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship.
The CSA also announced the winners of the Women’s U-20 and U-17 honors, with Jessie Fleming and Kennedy Faulknor taking home the awards, respectively.
