Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – Centre-back was a big position of need for the Griffins men's soccer team heading into the off-season, so head coach Adam Loga went out and signed three of them in an effort to bolster his defensive depth.

The first recruit to be announced out of that trio is Liam Van Laar, a talented product out of Edmonton's Juventus Soccer Club, who will come in and challenge for minutes right out of the gate in the 2024 season.

"He's calm, he's stoic, doesn't get too rattled," said Loga. "He simplifies his game well and doesn't overcomplicate things. He moves well and has a good frame to him. I suspect he can put on even more muscle mass in his development. He's keen. He wants to improve; he wants to get better. 

"He took the selection process of where he wanted to go very seriously. It wasn't on a whim; he took his time. So, it's great that he wants to be here with us and believes in us much like we do him."

Van Laar has recently been training with the Calgary Cavalry U21 Edmonton-based development program and is playing Major League this summer for Green and Gold in Edmonton. He served as captain of both the St. Albert Impact 06 team and his high school team at St. Francis Xavier.

"To be able to lock in a talented first-year centre-back off the bounce and someone we can grow with is huge for us," said Loga. "I was able to work with him a little bit with Strides Athletics prior to him signing, so that helps.

"He's a great kid, works hard and I'm looking forward to being able to develop him to be a centre-back for us in the future."