Ethen Sampson

HOW ACQUIRED: Signed to a Homegrown contract on March 6, 2014

Sampson joins Vancouver’s MLS roster after spending a year with the club’s U-23 team, with whom he started six of his seven appearances in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL).

During that time, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound right back also trained with the first team on a regular basis and started each of his seven appearances in the MLS Reserve League. More recently, Sampson appeared in five of Whitecaps FC’s six MLS preseason matches.

Before joining Whitecaps FC on a trial in October 2012, Sampson enjoyed a successful four-year stint with South African club ASD Cape Town – an elite soccer school in the Western Cape. Sampson helped ASD Cape Town win the U-17 Engen Tournament in 2010 and finish as the runner-up at the National U-19 Metropolitan Cup in 2011.

The Mitchell's Plain, South Africa, native was also recognized individually in both those competitions, as he was named the top defender at the U-17 Engen Tournament and the top player at the Metropolitan Cup the following year. Also of note, Sampson was unanimously voted as club captain at the age of 15 after just a month at the school. He was the second youngest player on the team.

Internationally, Sampson earned a call-up to a South African U-20 national team training camp in 2011.