History

The Victoria Highlanders Football Club was founded January 6th, 2008, as the United Soccer Leagues (USL) awarded the City of Victoria the rights to a Premier Development League (PDL) franchise.  Alex Campbell Jr., owner of the Highlanders, was dedicated to the dream of bringing professional soccer back to the city of gardens.  It was only after the highly successful FIFA U-20 Men's World Cup in 2007, that Mr. Campbell realized the time was right. 

The City of Victoria embraced the U-20 tournament like no other. 11,500 passionate soccer and sport fans caught a glimpse of the worlds next soccer phenoms in a re-fitted Royal Athletic Park.  The event was played out of six cities (Victoria, Burnaby, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal) and helped create the footing for soccer organizers across the country.

At the end of January 2008, Drew Finerty was hired as the clubs first ever General Manager.  Drew had spent the previous three years in the same capacity with the Victoria Rebels, a Canadian football club.  Signed to a three year contract, Finerty’s first task was to find the club a Head Coach.  Within three months, the Highlanders found their man.  April 2nd 2008 the Victoria Highlanders introduced former Canadian National team player, captain and interim Head Coach Colin Miller as Head Coach and Director of Soccer Operations for VHFC.   Also introduced was Assistant Coach and Director of Youth Development Steve Simonson, who spent time with the BC provincial team, Royal Military College and Vancouver Whitecaps organization.

In late April, management and the new coaching staff spent two days on Denman Island for a "soccer retreat" to discuss the roll out of player scouting and identification.  The coaching staff was given the opportunity to use their 12 month lead time to identify local players that were of PDL standard.   Miller and his staff used their time wisely, beginning with an open trial in May, where 40+ players were selected to begin immediate training to form the basis of the youth and reserve pool team.  Along with these youth and reserve team trialists a number of Vancouver Island League verterans as well as University players were invited to be considered for 1st team duty.   Over the next 8 weeks the group trained twice weekly and prepared for a few exhibition friendlies to evaluate their progress of the identification process.

In early July, the club added Goalkeeper Coach Bob Stankov and Assitant Coach Dave Dew.   At the end of July, the Highlanders broke camp and made to monitor their early recruits as they returned to their winter league universities and club teams.

On top of scouting & development, the club forged two important business partnerships.  Firstly, the Highlanders joined forces with the Lower Island Soccer Association (LISA) to provide coaching support to the U18 Metro Boys team and assigned Steve Simonson to direct and develop the side of youth players that could become the next level of prospects in the system.  And secondly, a partnership with the newly opened Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence (PISE) helped provide a professional setting for the club’s training facility and offered players access to a world class sports medicine centre.

Within weeks after signing these partnerships, PISE opened their new all weather Field Turf pitch.  The new facility was then dedicated in the name of Campbell’s father, Alex Sr,, in appreciation of his financial contribution while he was the CEO of Thrifty Foods.

In the future, the club is looking forward to playing their first home game at the new City Centre Stadium.  The City Centre Stadium will be completed in April 2009, in time for the clubs first home date.  Season tickets are now availabe and are valued at $105 for eight home dates.