It can be a thankless job, one that comes with virtual anonymity and a slimmer of hope a door of opportunity might open for them in the future.

They are the local/college products who have helped boost the Valour FC numbers during training sessions all the while working without contracts.

So, ladies and gentlemen, let us introduce you to the likes of Caelan Budhoo (Winnipeg, Cape Breton University), Nikolas Baikas (Saskatoon, University of Saskatchewan), Georges Mukumbilwa (Winnipeg, former Vancouver Whitecaps), Svyatik Artemenko (Winnipeg), Caden Tomy (Winnipeg), Daniel Sagno (Winnipeg, Thompson-Rivers University) and Aaron Hidalgo-Mazzei (Winnipeg, University of Saskatchewan).

“They’re like the Hidden Figures… the people who aren’t going to get any credit, but probably deserve as much as anyone else,” said Valour FC GM and head coach Rob Gale. “It’s just nice that when they’re back in their hometown they’re reaching out to us asking if they can come and train. They want to be a part of it, they want to see where they stand. Those six or seven guys have been so important for what we’ve been doing in the preseason. They’re playing three-four different roles as opposition and give us what we need to get ready.

“They’ve cemented themselves in the group. Really, if you ask anyone in our group they’ve been professional. They’ve come into work and put their heads down every day. They’ve done the running, everything… and none of them are under contract.”

Any team will suffer through the usual knocks and injuries that come with an extended training camp. Valour FC is no different, especially coming off such a long stretch that dates back to last September and the conclusion of the Island Games.

They need bodies in camp to help in intra-squad games, but also to fill in when the trainer’s room is over-flowing with players nursing hurts.

“I’m just so grateful to have this opportunity and to be in this environment,” said Hidalgo-Mazzei, who began his college career at the University of Winnipeg and is now at Saskatchewan while pursuing his Masters of Kinesiology. “Not a lot of people get the chance to do this and I’m happy I get to do what I love during these tough times. Whatever this team needs I’m willing to put the work in and help wherever I can. I’ve just been trying to learn as much as possible.

“It’s a goal of mine to play at this level. I feel like I’ve been holding my own and showing what I can do. I’ve just been trying to take in as much as I can. I mean, some of these guys have been professionals for a very, very long time. They’ve seen so much more than I have so I try to ask for advice or ask for suggestions about what I can do better. I’m always willing to listen.”

There’s a big-picture component to this, too. Every soccer organization needs a feeder system providing it with players. It’s critical not only to have bodies available, but especially a local pipeline in place that helps generate interest in the game and the club.

“We want to provide these guys that leap between the MMSL (Manitoba Major Soccer League) level and FC Manitoba. If they’re doing well at that level this is a great measuring stick.

“That’s one of the first questions we had a couple of weeks in: ‘How do you think you’re stacking up? Look at your competition that’s ahead of you… what do they do that you don’t? What do we need to do to get you to that level?’

“To be quite honest, being around it for five-six weeks you see the growth in these boys and it’s so rewarding for us as a group.  What we want to do is develop a core group that can train and work with us and then they go back to play with their teams. But, if called upon, they’re ready.

“The long-term future of us in his province is to get to that, where we’ve got through a partnership or our own youth programs players who are knocking on the door of the first team.

“To a man, they’ve been an absolute credit.”

The tough part for someone like Hidalgo-Mazzei now is this: Valour FC will be heading into the Canadian Premier League’s ‘Kickoff’ bubble here in Winnipeg on Monday. And he’ll be limited to watching their games unfold from the outside.

“That will be tough,” Hidalgo-Mazzei admitted. “But I’ll be supporting from home and whenever the bubble ends I hope to get the call back to training.

“I definitely want to play at this level. It’s been a goal of mine ever since I started playing. I’ll just keep working hard and maybe one day it happens.”