If you haven’t heard of Zach Verhoven, you will.
The first-year psychology student is just like any other university student. He plays FIFA video games, sports the nickname “Zig” and listens to French Montana. But unlike many other students, Verhoven could become one of the most important players on the UBC men's soccer team in a couple of years.
As of this writing, he has three goals and five assists, and has started 13 times in 17 games. When he first started training for the team, he did not expect to be so involved. However, he had a great training camp and started for UBC in the first league game of the season.
Verhoven started playing soccer when he was six years old. His father played college soccer at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and so it was only natural that he would follow in his footsteps.
He became a part of the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency program and played with them for a few years until he was released when he was 15. It was there he learned how to be a team player.
“In training sessions, they were always telling us to play the ball, keep the ball. For the most part, they want us to keep the ball and use our teammates,” he said about his time there. He then went on to play at his local team, Surrey United, until he was recruited to play at UBC.
UBC men's soccer head coach Mike Mosher compared Verhoven to one player — Gagan Dosanjh.
“[He's] just good attacking players. When either of those players get running at you, it's not a fun thing for a defender,” said Mosher. Verhoven’s one-on-one talent drew Mosher’s interest while he was scouting him. Their game styles are really similar.
Dosanjh once scored 26 goals in 50 games. He spent some time in the professional leagues until coming back to UBC last year. A second team All-Canadian in 2012, he led the team to two national championships in 2012 and 2013. When asked if Verhoven could ultimately do the same thing, Mosher answered, “In a year or two's time, yeah. I mean, he’s that kind of player.”
The comparison ends there though. Dosanjh played midfield during his time at UBC, while Verhoven is a winger.
“It’s a huge honour to be compared to [Dosanjh],” said Verhoven when he heard of the comparison. “It’s a compliment and an honour for coach to compare me to him.”
No flash of arrogance or over-confidence, he is a very steady-as-it-goes, grounded kid. He does what most great leaders in sports do — take the blame, deflect the credit. He thanks his teammates at every opportunity and used the skills learnt during his time at the Whitecaps to be more about the team.
His soccer career has not been without hardship though.
“I was on the U-17 Surrey United, and we played the U-18 Surrey United in the finals and it was a huge game,” said Verhoven in an interview. “We were in double extra time and they ended up scoring last minute. At the time, I thought it was one of the worst moments. Then two weeks later, their coach asked me to go with them to nationals.”
Dominant yet grounded, the player who could lead this soccer team to new heights lives in plain sight, until he steps out on the pitch.
Verhoven and the men's soccer team will be facing off against the UBC Okanagan Heat on Friday, October 21 and the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack on Saturday, October 22 at 7 p.m. in their home at Thunderbird Stadium.