Springboard for MLS

Auckland football player Michael Boxall has made the first pick in the supplemental draft for Vancouver team the Whitecaps. Boxall said of his selection: “Vancouver’s a great place to come to, and I’m excited for the opportunity.” Boxall is one of 33 players at the Whitecaps’ first Major League Soccer (MLS) training camp, which opened this week at Empire Field. Vancouver has 14 players signed and will carry 3. Boxall is hoping to earn a place and use this as a springboard for his national team career — following in the footsteps of UCSB alum Tony Lochhead, a World Cup defender for New Zealand who spent time in MLS with the New England Revolution.