The Canadian Premier League revealed on Friday that Valour FC midfielder Sean Rea has won the league’s Best Canadian U-21 Player award for 2022.

The award is given to the player voted by the media as the best under-21 Canadian player in the league during the regular season. CPL clubs are required to play domestic U-21 players for a minimum of 2,000 minutes each season.

Rea had an outstanding 2022 campaign that included breaking the league record for assists in a season with nine, while also scoring five goals, often in spectacular fashion. He was also the league leader in chances created with 71, which was 28 more than any other player in the CPL this past season.

“It was a great two years [with Valour],” said Rea during the league’s awards night. “Even last year was a learning curve, adapting, getting to know the team, getting to know Phil Dos Santos as a great manager. I had a blast with the guys, we had a great two years. It feels amazing to end off these two seasons with an award like this.”

Some absolute brilliant goals so far this season & this is up there with them as Sean Rea wins it for Valour in the 87th minute. pic.twitter.com/VcTSz88Isq

— Kristian Jack (@KristianJack) May 16, 2022

The CF Montréal loanee was also nominated for the league’s Player of the Year award, and he was among the finalists for the Players’ Player of the Year as well.

Past winners of the award include Forge’s Tristan Borges (2019), former Cavalry FC fullback Mo Farsi (2020), and Alessandro Hojabrpour last season, who was then a member of Pacific FC.

York United striker Osaze De Rosario and Forge’s Woobens Pacius were also nominated for this year’s award, with the winner determined by votes from select media members.

A sculpture of a young polar bear, created by Inuit artist Taqialuk Nuna, is given to the Best Canadian U-21 player. The polar bear as it grows up becomes one of the most respected and formidable animals in the country.