*This is part of a short story athlete feature series written for Instagram*
From growing up in the Yukon to playing overseas in Germany, first-year men's soccer goalie
Callum Weir's journey has been anything but linear.
The rookie from Haines Junction, Yukon, population 800, has started every game for the Vikes this season, allowing just 12 goals & earning Canada West & U SPORTS Player of the Week accolades.
While most Yukon kids lean into hockey, Weir began playing soccer at age five when his parents started a youth league. It wasn't long before he became competitive and started commuting 150km to Whitehorse thrice weekly to play.
At age 12, Weir discovered futsal—a FIFA-recognized indoor version of soccer played in a gym. His agility & athleticism lent well to the fast-paced game. In 2016, he represented the Yukon at the Arctic Winter Games in Greenland.
It was there that Weir fell in love with the sport. Last December, he got a call to join the Canadian National Futsal Team in Montreal. He hopes to represent Canada at the Futsal World Cup qualifiers next spring and the World Cup in Oct. 2024.
While futsal continues to be a passion, soccer brought Weir to Victoria.
After high school, Weir got the opportunity to play with Pacific FC's U23 program in Victoria, linking up with now-teammates
Jack Napier-Ganley,
Armaan Nijjar and Jordan McKinty. That program, which started during the pandemic, only lasted one season.
With uncertainty ahead, Weir signed a pro contract with Blumenthaler SV in Germany. After a 10-month stint overseas, he returned home to play in the Canada Summer Games, helping the Yukon to its best-ever finish.
After the Games, Weir returned to the island to train with his friends before earning a spot on League 1's Harbourside FC in Nanaimo. During that time, Weir connected with Vikes head coach
Larry Stefanek about possibly joining some of his old teammates at UVic.
The rest is history.
While Weir's first season with the Vikes has been outstanding, he credits his coaches and teammates to the success.
"The coaching staff is wonderful, and something that doesn't get mentioned enough is the back line with Archie, Fin and Alex. It's absolutely phenomenal, without a doubt, the best backline I've ever played with," said Weir.
