Ex-Whitecap leads Langara Falcons

A high turnover in players plagued the Langara Falcons soccer team last September but Carlos Marquez’s years of experience made him stand out.

The title rookie of the year only adds to the 20-year-old’s long list of achievements. Marquez was part of the provincial team for three years as well as playing for the Richmond United Metro for six years before being signed to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency program in 2010.

Marquez was not signed by the Whitecaps last year and has been focusing on his studies and improving his game with the Falcons. Head coach Marc Rizzardo said Marquez is focused on taking the “college route” right now and will then try for the professional league again.

“He is extremely skillful and knowledgeable,” said Rizzardo. “He’s just got that extra experience that sometimes sets him aside from other people.”

Rizzardo highlighted the fact that most opposing teams didn’t know what to expect when faced with Marquez last season.

Nicholas Chen, defenceman for the Falcons, has been playing with Marquez for almost eight years. Chen described him as a laid-back player who rarely gets overwhelmed on the field.

“His pre-game mentality is always relaxed, he never stresses,” said Chen. “One thing that stands out is his ability to beat players one on one and create scoring opportunities.”

Marquez has been able to power through when things haven’t gone his way. Even though the residency program didn’t work out for him last year, he was able to look past it and see the positives in an otherwise disappointing situation.

Reported by Madelyn Forsyth