Kodiaks men’s soccer signs Emiliano García Velarde
The Kodiaks men’s soccer team has added a stellar playmaker, Emiliano García Velarde, to its roster for the 2024-25 season.
The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks men’s soccer team has added a stellar playmaker, Emiliano García Velarde, to its roster for the 2024-25 season.
Velarde is from Saltillo, Mexico and moved to Lethbridge four years ago. He attended Catholic Central High School and played for Lethbridge Football Club. Highlights from his club seasons can be found online.
“I was drawn to the ACAC (Alberta Colleges Athletic Association) because it is a very competitive league,” says Velarde. “As for what influenced me to join this team, it was the great people who make up the team like the staff and players.”
He reached out to head coach Sean Carey. Through that back-and-forth process, he was invited out to open sessions with the team.
“He’s a playmaker — he can play wing, he can play fullback, he can play centre-mid,” says Carey. “His close foot control skills are a high level.”
During the preseason, the men’s soccer team travelled to play exhibition games against north division teams. Velarde had an excellent showing and came away with a goal against the Portage College Voyageurs in a 2-0 victory.
“This group of young guys that we've got are just going to continue to grow and grow,” says Carey. “The demand from the older players to these young guys is just making them so much better and moving (them) up to this level.”
The Kodiaks men’s soccer team finished last year’s regular season with a record of 4-4-2. The team qualified for the ACAC championships where they were knocked out in the first round. The team will strive to have a stronger finish this year and the recruiting process has been focused on that goal.
Velarde is set to start this week in Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Agriculture Sciences program.
Kodiaks coaches actively recruit high school athletes around Alberta and neighbouring provinces. If one of the Kodiaks coaches hasn’t spoken to you yet, don’t worry. Simply fill out the recruitment form (gokodiaks.ca/recruitment), and they would be pleased to learn more about you.