For Forge FC captain Kyle Bekker, two lifelong dreams came true in a matter of days.
On Jan. 6, 2013 he was selected third overall by his hometown club Toronto FC in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.
Just a week later, he got a message from Canadian men's national team interim coach Colin Miller that he had been called up for the first time.
For the Oakville. Ont. native, who was coming off his final year at Boston College, he appeared sparingly with the youth national teams, so getting an opportunity with the senior team was no guarantee.
"It was always a dream of mine, but it was never an expectation," Bekker told CPLSoccer.com. "On top of that, you're getting called into your first camp and you've never played a professional game. That was a pretty unique experience."
Bekker was called in for a January camp in the United States, featuring friendlies against Denmark and the U.S. men's national team. New to the team, he wasn't sure how much time he was going to get in the matches.
He ended up starting both. His national team debut came against Denmark in Tucson, Arizona, a match that Canada ended up losing quite handily, 4-0. Bekker said it was a bit of a wake-up call for himself to the highest level of the game.
Three days later however, in Houston, came a much more memorable 0-0 draw with the U.S., which at the time was a strong result for the program. Bekker remembers a lot from that game, but one interaction with veteran midfielder Kyle Beckerman stands out in particular.
"I'm backing up for the ball and he just checks me in the back," said Bekker, "and, I think it was a foul, maybe it wasn't a foul. But he's just like 'Welcome to the league, rookie.'"
Bekker would go on to represent Canada 18 times at the senior level, including at both the 2013 and 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup tournaments.
"For me, it's anytime you walk into a locker room and you see your name on a team sheet, you see your jersey hanging up with your name on it, and it's got the maple leaf on it, and you're hearing the national anthem, those are the moments that to me I'll always remember, it's so special," said Bekker.
For the past eight seasons, he has been a vital builder of Canadian soccer in a different way, as the most recognizable and successful player in the history of Canada's domestic league with Forge FC.
On the eve of the FIFA World Cup coming to Canada, he's proud of how far the league has come, and optimistic about its future following the event which inspired its founding.
"There's no World Cup without a professional domestic league, that's just the fact of the matter," said Kyle Bekker. "And I think Canada was a bigger catalyst in having this unique three-country tournament than maybe a lot of people know. We were the driving force behind getting the bid and teaming up with the States and Mexico. I don't know if it happens without Canada."
Bekker says June 12, he can't wait to be a fan just like everyone else and cheer on this special group, in particular, former Sigma FC teammate Richie Laryea.
