Joe Hanson won’t blow out 21 candles on his birthday cake until August and yet Valour FC’s newest addition already has thousands upon thousands of kilometres travelled on his own personal odometer.
Hanson, a forward, was officially signed by Valour on Monday after he had spent the last few weeks training with the club on a trial. A product of the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, he is also the first player from the Yukon to play pro soccer, suiting up with the Whitecaps U23 team and then with Whitecaps FC2 in MLS Next Pro over the last few years.
“It’s been quite a journey even to get here. And I’m only 20,” said Hanson in a chat with valourfootball.club. “Coming from the Yukon you had to be willing to travel around and chase any opportunity you got.
“I started travelling to play when I was eight or nine years old. There were sometimes, even still now, where it can be tough and at the younger age, I would get super homesick once in a while. But what set me apart is I wanted to play, and I knew at that age playing professionally was all I wanted to do and so I accepted it.”
Born in Whitehorse to parents who both played college soccer in the U.S., Hanson’s father founded and ran the Total Soccer Excellence Academy in the Yukon and now serves in an administration role with the territories’ soccer association. He began playing with the Yukon Selects FC squad and then joined Crossfire Premier in Seattle for tournament matches, helping the program win state championships at the U10, U11 and U12 levels.
After playing with the Selects at the Canada Soccer National U15 Championships in 2018 he joined the Vancouver Island Wave before being identified by the Whitecaps.
Hanson made 37 appearances for Whitecaps FC 2 over the last two years before becoming a free agent this offseason and it was Valour FC GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos previous connection with that organization that ultimately brought the young prospect to Winnipeg.
“He’s going to give us depth in the attack, and he’ll also count against our U-21 minutes, which is important,” Dos Santos said. “He comes with a good couple years of learning in the Whitecaps Academy system. Big body (Hanson is listed at 6-3) and there’s always moments in games where you’re going to need that up front, someone who can disrupt the opposition, find spaces, and create. Joe brings that. He’s someone who likes to work off the ball.
“There’s lots of room for him to learn and grow, but that’s part of the process and we’re looking forward to how he’s going to embrace this challenge.”
Hanson has been in Winnipeg for a few weeks on a trial before the club made the commitment. And while that uncertainty is never easy for a young player, he felt at home the instant he stepped foot on the Winnipeg Soccer Federation South complex turf.
“This was my first experience with free agency, so that was a bit uncomfortable and stressful at times so it’s nice to know now where I’m going to be,” said Hanson. “It can be tough just waiting for that phone call and not knowing where I’m going to be but I’m very happy now.
“It’s funny, from the first training session here it just felt like a great fit. I hit the ground running, it’s a great system and a team and coaching staff that gave me the freedom to play my game and bring out the best of me as a player. It’s not easy to explain. It just felt natural from the first day.”
Hanson described himself as ‘a bit of a nightmare for defenders’ because of his size, but also his quickness and technical ability for a big man up front. There’s a spark in his eyes because of the possibilities that could be provided for him in Valour colours and for the chance to play more in his home and native land – perhaps as soon as this weekend’s season-opener in Langley against Vancouver FC.
“I can’t wait,” Hanson said with a wide grin. “It’s something I’ve thought about for a while when I wonder if I’d be playing in the CPL one day.
“This will be my first opportunity to play in the Canadian professional league and as a Canadian kid it’s a dream to play professionally in your home country. I’m excited to get to travel to new cities, even in my own country I’ve never seen. Playing in MLS Next, I was always going to American cities, not those in my own country.
“I’m very excited. I’ve got family and friends already planning on being in Vancouver. Hopefully I can get a chance to play, or they can at least watch me later on TV.”