A 91原创 soccer product suits up for the University of the Fraser Valley men鈥檚 soccer squad .

John Kaspar, a 6鈥�2鈥� centre back from 91原创, has inked the deal. He suits up for the team in the fall of 2017, looking forward to playing at the Canada West level.

He鈥檚 garnered a great deal of attention for being a young cancer survivor. His 2014 cancer diagnosis meant five weeks of radiation and surgery to remove a tumour (fibromyxoid sarcoma) from his left thigh. Just three months after his operation after he was back training.

鈥淚t was a challenge, and I accepted it,鈥� Kasper said, reflecting on his bout with cancer. 鈥淚 proved to everyone that I could come back, and I鈥檓 stronger than I was before.

鈥淭he doctors are surprised I鈥檓 still able to play at the level I am, and the same with my coaches鈥� but I鈥檓 not. I put in the work, and I always knew I鈥檇 be back.鈥�

His performance record is what made UFV chase him down.

He has spent the last five seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC youth residency program, and his youth soccer resum茅 also includes a stint with the U15 Canadian men鈥檚 national team.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a landmark for our program,鈥� head coach Tom Lowndes said. 鈥淥ur first player from the Whitecaps residency is huge, and if you also look at his international experience, to land someone of that calibre is a massive coup. He鈥檚 a warrior on the pitch, and he鈥檚 had to battle a lot of things off the pitch as well, and it鈥檚 only made him stronger. I鈥檓 excited for him to come in and provide a different dimension for us next season.鈥�

Lowndes called him a 鈥渘atural leader鈥�.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a very hard-nosed defender, very good in the air, but he鈥檚 also got a very good left foot and he鈥檒l be able to get us playing from the back,鈥� Lowndes said. 鈥淎ttackers are going to have a tough time dealing with him.鈥�

When he鈥檚 not working hard on the soccer pitch, he鈥檒l be hitting the books to study either criminology or global development.

鈥淚 feel like the school will suit what I鈥檓 looking to get out of post-secondary education, and I鈥檓 close friends with Tom, so it鈥檚 nice to be involved with his coaching as well,鈥� Kaspar said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be fun.鈥�