ISSUE #110 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.INSIDESOCCERMAGAZINE.CA
CONTENTS
Publisher Emeritus Alfons Rubbens
Publisher/Editor Mark Miller - mark@insidesoccermagazine.ca
Art Director
6
10
Steve Smiley, RGD - steve@insidesoccermagazine.ca
Director of New Business Susan Elliott - susan@insidesoccermagazine.ca
Director of Business Operations and National Accounts Branden Clark - branden@insidesoccermagazine.ca
Marketing and Special Event Coordinator Justin Clark - justin@insidesoccermagazine.ca
26 6 FRIENDS AND RIVALS: WOMEN’S WORLD CUP DRAW BY STEVEN SANDOR 10 MLS EXPANSION SHOWS GROWTH OF LEAGUE IN 2015 BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN 14 MARCHING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER – SOCCER HALL OF FAME 2014 INDUCTIONS BY LES JONES, COVERSHOTS INC. 16 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA OFFICIAL DRAW 18 CANADA’S NOT ALONE IN ITS WORLD CUP ASPIRATION BY BOB KOEP
42 32 TFC PROGRESSING WELL IN THE OFFSEASON BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN 36 ELECTION TIME: ELECT THE GOOD PEOPLE BY DAVE KENNY 39 FUTEBOL NATION: NOT JUST A SOCCER BOOK BY BOB KOEP 40 PHYSICAL PREPARATION IN A SHORT SEASON BY RICHARD BUCCIARELLI 42 CELEBRATING SOCCER EXCELLENCE BY KIM WATSON
Joe Duarte
Senior Staff Writers Armen Bedakian, Bob Koep, Kris Fernandes, Mike Toth
Website Operations Susan Elliott: Marketing and Content Steve Smiley, RGD: Art Direction Zsolt Fazekas: Design & Technical
Contributing Writers Richard Bucciarelli, Joe Duarte, Matt Greenwood, Laoghan Hendra, Les Jones – Covershots Inc., Dave Kenny, Barclay Kruse, Judy Rauliuk – Covershots Inc., Steven Sandor, Ron Smale, Tim Smyth, Kim Watson
Contributing Photographers BMO, The Canadian Soccer Association, Bénédicte Desrus, Les Jones – COVERSHOTS Inc., Jamie MacLeod, National Sports Centre, Shutterstock
INSIDESOCCER Magazine is published six times per year by INSIDEOUT Publishing and Marketing Services ISM provides authoritative editorial coverage of Canada’s premier soccer community.
20 AMERICA CUP WAS A PARA SOCCER HIT! BY MATT GREENWOOD
Information contained in ISM has been compiled from sources believed to be correct.
24 SCHWAN’S USA CUP CELEBRATES 30 YEARS! BY BARCLAY KRUSE
ISM cannot be responsible for the accuracy of articles or other editorial matter. Articles in this magazine are intended to provide information rather than give legal or other professional advice. Articles being submitted for review should be e-mailed to branden@insidesoccer.ca
26 FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME BY TIM SMYTH 30 2014: SOCCER REMAINS ONTARIO’S SPORT OF CHOICE BY RON SMALE
News Editor
ON THE COVER
The Canadian Women’s National Team prepares itself for the FIFA World Cup and the world stage.
Undeliverable copies, advertising space orders, copy, artwork, proofs, etc., should be sent to: INSIDEOUT Publishing and Marketing Services P.O. Box 151, King City, Ontario L7B 1A5, Tel: 905.833.1973 Website: www.insidesoccermagazine.ca Printed in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without written permission of the publisher. © Copyright 2015 InsideSOCCER Magazine
4 January/February 2015
FRIENDS & RIVALS WOMEN’S WORLD CUP DRAW PITS POWER TEAMS COACHED BY FAMILIAR FACES IN DIFFERENT PLACES
Photographs Courtesy of the Canadian Soccer Association
A decade ago, John Herdman began working with a group of U-20 players. He knew a lot of work needed to be done but, if the preparations were just right, they’d be ready to peak as a group at the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
Those girls weren’t Canadians. They were the footballing Ferns of New Zealand. Herdman steered both the U-20 and senior New Zealand women’s national teams before he made the decision in 2010 to take over as Canada’s women’s national-team coach. And football has its own special way of making you face your skeletons. It was almost predictable that New Zealand would be drawn into Group A with Canada. The Canadians will open the 6 January/February 2015
Women’s World Cup June 6 at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium against the Chinese. But their second game, also in Alberta’s capital city, will see Herdman coaching the Canadian women against the New Zealand team he’d worked so hard to prepare for this tournament. After the draw was made, Herdman joked that he and New Zealand coach Tony Readings — who used to be Herdman’s assistant — will go for beers after the match. “But not too many.” Canada’s coach said it will be a pleasure to see his former team achieving its goal — playing in the Women’s World Cup. Herdman said it will be special “to share such a cool moment in front of a full house with a group you’ve worked with.” Of course, Herdman won’t be feeling so jovial if the Ferns upset Canada on home soil. But it is unlikely. The two sides last met in 2012, as both were preparing to play in the Summer Olympics — where Canada won bronze. In the preOlympic friendly, the Canadians enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win. Herdman won’t be the only coach
BY STEVEN SANDOR
Canada will play New Zealand in it’s second match of the World Cup, the team Herdman worked so hard to prepare for this tournament.
confronting his or her past. Pia Sundhage left the American program after coaching the U.S. team to Olympic gold in 2012. She had the opportunity to go back home and take over the Swedish national women’s side. She took it. So, of course, fate would have it that the Swedes and the Americans would be drawn together in Group D — which has been deemed this tournament’s Group of Death, with Australia and Nigeria rounding out the field of four. The Americans and Swedes will meet June 12 in Winnipeg. Both the Swedes and Americans were ranked in FIFA’s top five at the time of the draw. And Nigeria’s U-20 side got to the final of last year’s U-20 Women’s World Cup. We can expect to see some of those young players breaking through to the senior side. Sundhage was at Commonwealth Stadium two days after the draw to inspect the venue. Sweden will play Australia in Edmonton — and the winner of Group D will play its quarterfinal match in the
Alberta capital. She said that, considering the long women’s soccer rivalry between the Swedes and the Americans, it was almost expected that they’d be drawn in the same group. “It is what it is. It’s funny because Sweden, through the years, has been in the same group as the USA. We’re very often in the same group as Nigeria and a couple of times against Australia as well. So, now, when I look back to 2003, when Sweden won the silver medal, USA was in that group; Nigeria, too. In 2011, it was the same thing. “But it’s a positive thing. We’re inspired to play against probably the best team in the world — and that’s the USA. We will do our very best, but it’s a tough group, no doubt about that. It will be hard to get to the next stage.” Sundhage said she only has positive memories of her time coaching the Americans — a program filled with many of the top stars of the women’s game. “It was fun. But it wasn’t easy. You
can imagine coaching Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, Tobin Heath becoming a player, Alex Morgan did very well. You knew what you had, so you could be very technical and tactical. It was a great opportunity for me. I am so grateful, because the Americans are very good. They will never give up. They are at their very best all the time, and it’s contagious. The one thing I had to learn to do was to embrace the pressure, which is great now because we (Sweden) have ended up in such a tough group. We will embrace the pressure.” Now, back to the Canadians. Before Herdman gets the chance to enjoy his reunion with the Ferns, his team will need to manage a trick tournament opener against the Chinese. They last met in 2013 at the Yongchuan Cup. Adriana Leon pounced on a giveaway and got the winning goal in the 75th minute. Final score was 1-0 Canada, but things could have been very different had keeper Erin McLeod not made a few very good firsthalf saves. The Chinese and Canadians met in 2012 for a friendly in Moncton, and Christine Sinclair’s 93rd-minute goal was the margin as the home side got a 1-0 result. As the results indicate, the last two times the teams met, the margins were razor-thin. And, before they meet in the World Cup, they’re scheduled to meet this January at the 2015 edition of the Yongchuan Cup. Herdman said he can treat the game against the Chinese one of two ways; he could field an experimental lineup. That way, the Chinese can’t use the match as a way to try and come up with a game plan they can use at Commonwealth Stadium in June. Or, he could field Canada’s strongest lineup and go for the throat. InsideSOCCER 7
“WE COULD GO OUT AND GET MENTAL EDGE BY DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND BEAT THEM” JOHN HERDMAN
“We could go out and get mental edge by doing what we need to do and beat them,” said Herdman. “They kind of fell off the map a few years ago,” all-time Canadian top scorer Christine Sinclair said of the Chinese. “But they are an up-and-coming team.” After the matches against the Chinese and the Ferns, the Canadians head to Montreal to take on the Dutch June 15 at Olympic Stadium. Dutch coach Roger Reijners said that his team played all of its home qualifiers on artificial turf and is training exclusively on turf so it will be prepared for a World Cup played entirely on the plastic pitches. The Dutch knocked off the Italians in a European playoff to secure one of the final berths at the Women’s World Cup. So, while Canada has a favourable draw — avoiding the Swedes and Nigerians was definitely a positive — it’s not correct to say it’s an “easy” draw. The Dutch and Chinese could be very tough. “If we’re not careful, we may be underestimating those teams,” said Herdman. 8 January/February 2015
“But I think the draw is favourable, not just the group stage, but if we predict the route to the World Cup final, we may miss the podium threats till the semi-finals.” That’s the key. If Canada wins Group A, it will play a third-place wild-card team in the round of 16, and likely would miss any of the world powers until the final four teams are decided. Of course, Canada would need to take care of business in the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, but the pathway is there. Now that the draw is done, Canada’s task is to prepare. Canada played some of the world’s top women’s teams in 2014; but couldn’t beat the Japanese, Germans or Americans. Finally, in two closed-door friendlies held in the Greater Los Angeles area late in 2014, Canada got a win and a draw against Sundhage’s Swedes. But, it’s one thing to try to get ready, and another thing to practise knowing which three teams you’ll be facing in the group stage. “We’ve been preparing for a long time,” said Sinclair. “But there’s something
about knowing who you’re preparing for that makes it seem special.” Herdman said that the gap between the haves and have-nots in global women’s soccer has “closed massively.” We should expect this Women’s World Cup to be maybe the most competitive one FIFA has ever staged. And seeing teams playing on a fast turf surface will reward the teams that are technical and keep the ball on the ground — as was the case for the Germans at the U-20 World Cup, held last summer. The Germans won the tournament because they were able to open up defences with quick, incisive ball movement. In 2015, you won’t be able to play the long ball and have success in Canada.
The world will be here in July Where will you be?
Play at the world’s largest soccer complex, the National Sports Center, in Blaine, Minnesota
To register your team, contact Bert Lobo, USA CUP Ambassador to Canada 416.846.4866 • tournament@rogers.com
Major League Soccer is welcoming a pair of new franchises for the 2015 season in two very big markets and already, these two new teams are creating quite a buzz across the continent. New York City FC and Orlando City SC will join the league and play in the Eastern Conference in 2015.
MLS The hype behind these two clubs comes from a number of key moves, the biggest being the acquisition of some big name Designated Players. New York City FC is a team owned by Manchester City and the New York Yankees and there are plenty of similarities to its parent club in England: most notably, New York has adopted the same baby blue colour scheme and the two home kits look nearly identical. But fans in New York will recognize the team not for its colours but for its signings: Spanish striker David Villa and English midfielder Frank Lampard. Villa is Spain’s greatest striker in history, the top goal scorer for La Furia Roja, surpassing Raul for the title. His signing came after a La Liga winning season with Atletico Madrid, a year that also saw his side reach the UEFA Champions League Finals. He instantly becomes one of, if not the top forward in Major League Soccer and will be a huge threat for other teams in the league. Lampard is currently on loan at Manchester City, leads in assists and is so influential, despite his age, that Manchester City doesn’t want to give him back until the end of the Premier League season. Orlando, meanwhile, has also made a big, game-changing move by bringing in Brazilian icon Kaká. He’ll be adorned in
10 January/February 2015015
EXPAN
SHOWS GRO
royal purple and will spearhead Orlando’s 2015 season as the team’s key attacking player. Signing Kaká was no easy task but one made from the connection to Orlando’s owner, a Brazilian billionaire named Flavio Augusto da Silva, who is a close personal friend of the former Brazilian international and FIFA Ballon D’Or winner.
Orlando and New York both have big Designated Players on their respective rosters, of that there is no doubt, but the rest of their squads have been filled out rather nicely with some big MLS talent as well. Orlando has picked up Houston
goalkeeper Tally Hall, Sporting KC all star central defender Aurélien Collin, Philadelphia’s powerful midfield duo of Pedro Ribeiro and Amobi Okugo, former U.S. national team defender Heath Pearce, Portland starting goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and Honduran international (and Designated Player) Bryan Róchez. Stoke City’s American winger Brek Shea is also on the cards for Orlando and rumours of Robinho joining Kaká have been flying around since the latter first signed so Orlando might not be done with its big name signings just yet. New York, meanwhile, has filled out its roster with a number of familiar MLS names, players that its head coach, Jason Kreis, has worked with first hand at Real Salt Lake. New York picked up a few RSL regulars, including midfielder Ned Grabavoy and Sebastien Velasquez and defender Chris Wingert. The team has also traded for or acquired a number of MLS regulars like Andrew Jacobson, Jeb Brovsky, Josh Saunders, Mehdi Ballouchy, George John and Josh Williams. But it was the pick-up of New England’s rookie forward Patrick Mullins that was a real swoop for New York and alongside David Villa, Mullins could just become a star in MLS, too. New York and Orlando are still in the
SION
BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
OWTH OF LEAGUE IN 2015
Brazilian icon Kaká will be adorned in royal purple and will spearhead Orlando’s 2015 season as the team’s key attacking player.
InsideSOCCER 11
Frank Lampard is currently on loan at Manchester City, leads in assists and is so influential, they don’t want to give him back until the end of the Premier League season!
process of building their teams, though, and the 2015 MLS SuperDraft will be the next big chance to acquire players. Usually, during a SuperDraft, a number of trades are orchestrated anyway and with two expansion teams looking to make big moves, this offseason draft promises to be one of the most heated in recent years. With picks one and two respectively, New York and Orlando will also get to pick from the cream of the crop at the college level. Now, since New York and Orlando are both based in the east, the league made a few changes to its structure in order to accommodate these two new sides. Sporting Kansas City and the
Houston Dynamo were moved from the Eastern Conference over to the Western Conference, making the west an even more dangerous proving ground. With Chivas USA folding, this brings the total
Spain’s greatest striker in history, David Villa number of teams in the league to 20, with further expansion around the corner. Ten teams will compete in each conference and the MLS Playoffs will be contested at years’ end by the top six teams in either conference. In the coming years, teams in Atlanta and Los Angeles will push the league to 22 teams and MLS commissioner Don Garber has said he wants the league to have 24 teams by the year 2020. Potential markets include Las Vegas, Miami, Sacramento, and Minnesota, though other markets could also make a case. In particular, Miami has the best shot, since 12 January/February 2015 2015
a franchise was already awarded to David Beckham’s ownership group as part of his contract as a player for the LA Galaxy. Miami’s hopes are tied to a stadium deal, though, and that is the biggest challenge for Beckham and Co. Finding a downtown Miami stadium location has proven to be more difficult than anticipated but if they can work something there, Miami would be next in line for expansion in MLS. For now, fans of the league will have one eye out on these two new teams. As MLS continues to grow, more and more interest grows, too, in these markets, while poorly performing teams like Chivas are folded over. This upward slope of growth means the MLS of today and the MLS of five years from now will be two very different leagues. New York and Orlando can, therefore, be considered as the kick off point for a third major chapter in the history of the league. They will have to answer some tough questions, though: can David Villa and Frank Lampard rule in the East? Will New York overtake the Red Bulls as the city’s home side? Can Kaká become a force in world football once again or are his best days behind him? Whatever happens, one thing is clear: New York and Orlando will be two very exciting teams to watch in 2015.
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Words and Photographs by Les Jones, Covershots Inc. & Author of SOCCER: Canada’s National Sport
MARCHING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER SOCCER HALL OF FAME – 2014 INDUCTIONS There were two particularly memorable highlights from the 15th annual Soccer Hall of Fame & Museum induction banquet: a musical tribute from the first nations family of Xulsi-malt and an emotional speech about the state of Canadian soccer from Carmine Marcantonio. Xul-si-malt (One who leaves his mark) is the first indigenous player to be inducted into the Hall. A member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, he was compelled to assume the English name Harry Manson at an early age and, like other aboriginals, was subject to discrimination and abuse. He also took up soccer, introduced into the area by the British military forces stationed in the area, and quickly became a local star. He organised and captained 14 January/February 2015
the Nanaimo Indian Wanderers AFC and in 1903 was a key part of the Nanaimo all-star team that won the BC Challenge Cup. Ten members of his family journeyed to Vaughan, Ontario, accompanied by nominator Robert Janning (author of Westcoast Reign - The British Columbia Soccer Championships 1892-1905), for the November Induction. Some pre-teens were included, “so that in 60 years time they will still be able to recount the occasion to succeeding generations.” Wearing traditional ceremonial clothes and playing hand drums they sang a thank-you to their ancestors while celebrating both the inductees and the event itself. Marcantonio starred with Toronto Italia in the 1970s, and then had a memorable seven years in the NASL. His fondest memory is perhaps playing with Eusebio for Toronto MetrosCroatia in the period when they won the NASL Soccer Bowl championship. After throwing away his script and ignoring the “two-minute rule” for speeches, Marcantonio railed against the current state of Canadian soccer. With Canada’s men’s team ranked 123rd in the world, he forcefully pointed out that much smaller nations, from Uruguay to Serbia, have Former Canadian women’s national team player Isabelle Morneau.
become world powers in soccer and in other sports. The latest example is Costa Rica who, with a population of 4.8 million (smaller than that of Toronto), beat Italy in the 2014 World Cup. The passionate speech supported a theme introduced by guest speaker Chris Rudge, CEO of the Toronto Argonauts and former CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee. Rudge challenged the soccer community to put away its infighting and focus on the real task at hand – developing world-class soccer stars. It was music to the ears of many in attendance, though unfortunately, no senior CSA personnel were present to hear it. The Men’s National Team, which captured the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup and which was described by CBS Sports as “The Most Improbable Champion in the History of the Gold Cup” was recognized as the Team of Distinction. MVP Craig Forrest saved 2 penalties in the tournament where Holger’s Heroes dispatched South American power-house
Colombia 2-0 in the final. Other members of the squad in attendance included Jason de Vos, Jeff Clarke, Elvis Thomas, Jim Brennan, Dwayne de Rosario, Paul Stalteri and Tony Menezes who flew in from Brazil, while coach Holger Osieck was represented by his son Bjorn, now CEO of Ottawa West SC. Isabelle Morneau and Geri Donnelly, two former Canadian women’s national team players, were also inducted. Morneau collected an impressive 87 caps while Donnelly was the Canadian Player of the Year in both 1996 and 1999 and the scorer of Canada’s very first international goal in 1986. Inducted as Builders were Chris Bennett, former Canadian international and long time coach, together with Winnipeg referee and current Executive Director of the Manitoba Soccer Association, Hector Vergara. Vergara has the distinction of the record number of appearances by an official at FIFA World Cups.
Organizations of Distinction that were recognized were the Edmonton Angels, who won the first five national women’s championships – the Jubilee Trophy and formed the core of the first national teams, and The Robbie International Soccer Tournament, founded in 1968 and which has subsequently raised over $1.6 million for Cystic Fibrosis. While the banquet has perhaps lost a little lustre over the years, with a lower profile and the induction of some individuals who lack the status and achievements of earlier inductees – the evening was once again a big success. Aboriginal drumming replaced the traditional Scottish piper but it was the drumbeat for change that resonated.
InsideSOCCER 15
FIFA WOMEN'S
WORLD CUP CANADA 2015
DRAW RESULTS Group A
Group B
Group C
Canada (CAN)
Germany (GER)
Japan (JPN)
China PR (CHN)
Côte d’Ivoire (CIV)
Switzerland (SUI)
New Zealand (NZL)
Norway (NOR)
Cameroon (CMR)
Netherlands (NED)
Thailand (THA)
Ecuador (ECU)
Group D
Group E
Group F
USA (USA)
Brazil (BRA)
France (FRA)
Australia (AUS)
Korea Republic (KOR)
England (ENG)
Sweden (SWE)
Spain (ESP)
Colombia (COL)
Nigeria (NGA)
Costa Rica (CRC)
Mexico (MEX)
Gr
VANCOUVER + EDMONTON + WINNIPEG + OTTAWA + MONTRÉAL + MONCTON
24 COUNTRIES. 6 CITIES.1 GOAL. JUNE 6 – JULY 5
Kozue Ando, Japan Saskia Bartusiak, Germany
TICKETS AT
PHOTO: FIFA VIA GETTY IMAGES
FIFA.COM/CANADA 2015
Whenever soccer fans meet on the streets of Toronto, or any other Canadian city, the talk soon turns to the fortunes of the Canadian men’s national team.
CANADA IS We are not among the top rated countries in the world and everybody knows that. But there is a secret hope that we are climbing up the ladder and maybe can get to the World Cup one day. Of course we were in the World Cup finals once, in 1986. We had an excellent team then, under coach Tony Waiters, and a bit of an advantage in qualifying because top rated CONCACAF team Mexico, as host of the tournament, didn’t have to participate in the qualifying round. But how to do an encore? Well, Canada is not alone in this aspiration. There are many much bigger (by population) countries that have similar ambitions and also have trouble
18 January/February 2015
getting there. Take for instance China, (1.3 billion people) India, (over 1.2 billion), the two biggest countries in the world by population and neither has ever been seen in the World Cup finals, even though India once got close. It is not that they are not playing the game; they just never developed the kind of players who can compete on the world level. China, for instance has a well organized soccer structure with a professional league, the China Super League, on top. World class players like Didier Drogba, 36, of the Ivory Coast and Frenchman Nicolas Anelka, 36, have played there.
Professional soccer in China started in 1994 and the Super League was formed in 2004. It was just this year expanded from 14 to 16 teams. But its top strikers for the past six years have been imports, with Brazilian Elkeson, 25, tearing the league apart since he arrived two years ago. Elkeson picked up the golden boot in both seasons he played there, scoring 28 goals in 30 games this season. Elkeson plays for the league champion Guangzhou Evergrande – a repeat league winner mainly because of him. The league operates with the promotion/relegation system with the bottom two teams going down to the
Photograph Courtesy of the Canadian Soccer Association
NOT ALONE BY BOB KOEP
IN ITS WORLD CUP ASPIRATION China League One. But all this activity hasn’t brought China any closer to a World Cup berth. But there is hope. Now India is getting into the act and has just launched an eight team Super league in an effort to close the gap to the bigger teams in the sport. However, this undertaking seems to be a half hearted effort probably designed to get some money out of television. And once you are in this league you stay there forever provided you are not going bankrupt. There is no relegation, the same system as in the MLS. The new league’s season runs from October to December, just three months, and its main sponsor is Indian car manufacturer Hero and is consequently called the Hero Indian Super League. But a three-month season is not getting anybody to a respected level of play. To get the foot in the door of the new league, interested parties entered a sort of raffle, where one could bid for a franchise. It’s not unlike the Major League Soccer procedure in North America. The people involved in the bidding have little soccer background — some industrialists, Bollywood movie stars, famous cricket players and the likes. But there is a lot of television money on the table and the basic idea is to further the sport but also make some money, or the other way around. The U.S. IMG Reliance management group has sole commercial rights, TV rights, merchandising, advertising etc.
5 February/March 2012
There is big potential with the possibility of reaching some 500 million TV viewers. And IMG is hoping to bite into the sporting market dominated by cricket and Kabaddi, a very popular contact sport in South Asia. Each team in the new Indian Super League is allowed six international stars, so-called marquee players, and must field five Indian players at all times during a game. Of course those marquee players have had their day and are closing out their career. Top names are French international Louis Saha, 36, Italian Marco Materazzi, 41, Spaniards Luis García, 36, and Joan Capdevila, 36, Frenchman David Trezeguet, 37, and German Manuel Friedrich, 35. Top drawing card is Atlético de Kolkata, which usually plays in front of some 50,000 and has the 120,000 capacity Salt Lake Stadium as its home ground. It was sold out for the season opener. Speaking of India, this country qualified for the World Cup once, in 1950 when the tournament was staged in Brazil. But the team never got there because of some funny circumstances. Indian players at that time were used to playing bare footed. They played the 1948 Olympics without wearing shoes and the team was planning to do the same in Brazil. But FIFA insisted they wear the proper footwear and caused a major commotion in India. It was probably the reason why India stayed home. But the official reason given was the
high travelling cost for the team even though FIFA offered to pay for the trip. So the other group members Sweden, Italy, and Paraguay just went ahead and played a group of three. Of course we will not likely ever get such a league in Canada. The American influence is too strong here and the three top markets in the country, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver each have a team in the U.S. operated MLS. In that case Canada is unique in the world, being the lone big name country without a home league. We do have the Ontario based Canadian Soccer League and the Pacific Coast League, but both are more or less recreational leagues lacking the playing caliber to compete on the international level. Still, working through the MLS is the only chance for us to develop top rated stars and, of course, there may be the one or other player making the grade in Europe. We can only compare our fortunes with that of the United States, which has made some progress since the inception of the MLS, but is still one level away from the quality of teams in Europe and South America. There is some consolation for Americans, though, as their team reached the round of 16 in this past summer’s World Cup while the past two world champions Spain and Italy, were sent home after the opening round.
InsideSOCCER 19
In the build up to any major sporting event, local experts are often recruited to provide leadership and support in an effort to ensure its success. Very often, a test competition will be organized prior to the main event which affords the local organizing group the opportunity to review key functional areas, such as the event facility, security, transportation, workforce needs, and much more. To that end, the sport organizing committee responsible for hosting the TO2015 Parapan Am soccer competition (which consists of a 7 v 7 Para Soccer competition and a 5 v 5 Blind Soccer competition), played host to six of the Western Hemisphere’s top Para Soccer national team sides at the new Pan Am Sport Fields located at University of Toronto. This tournament, which ran from September 19-26, 2014, was dubbed the CP-ISRA 2014 America Cup and it not only served as a test event for TO2015, but was also a qualifying event for the CPISRA World Championships being held in England this June.
BY LES JONES
Toronto and many other communities around Souther Ontario will be playing host to the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games this summer, the biggest sporting event ever to take place in the region.
EARLY STAGES
TO2015 Sport Organizing Committee Co-Chairs, Dino Rossi and Matt Greenwood, made a proposal in 2013 to the Cerebral Palsy International Sport and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA) to bring an international Para Soccer tournament to Toronto as a test event for the 2015 Parapan Am Games. Once given the blessing, Greenwood and Rossi set out to establish a Host Organizing Committee a full 12 months prior to the event and
AMERICA CUP WAS A PARA SOCCER HIT! BY MATT GREENWOOD Photographs by Martin Bazyl Photography 20 January/February 2015
targeted volunteers with specific skill sets to help make it a reality. Meeting monthly, and with full support of TO2015 staff, the committee was able to progressively build volunteer roles and responsibilities for each functional area required to pull off the event. In so doing, it also developed strong partnerships with the key staff members at the University of Toronto and
the energetic and skilled Venezuelans who were victorious, and they celebrated as though they had won the World Cup. THE COMPETITION We look forward to welcoming Venezuela The event welcomed six national teams again this summer. to Toronto, including the Canadian Men’s Old rivalries were on display in the Para Soccer team, currently ranked 11th medal games as Canada met the USA in the world. The guests included: Brazil in a bronze medal match that, sadly, (World Rank #3), Argentina (World Rank didn’t quite match the advanced billing. 6), United States of America (World Rank Canada never really came to grips with 9), Venezuela (World Rank 17) and Mexico the pace and athleticism of the US squad, (World Rank 21). who visibly wanted the victory more. In Two groups competed in a round the end Canada were left licking their robin format over the first four days, wounds after a 3-0 defeat, although including a notable performance by a lot of positives could be found for Coach Drew Ferguson’s young Canadian Coach Ferguson. This event proves to be side, which drew 3-3 with a very strong excellent preparation for this summer’s THE VENUE events and his young squad, A significant amount of which featured a number of attention was placed on this teenagers, earned valuable particular test event due to the experience. For some, it was their historic location of the venue. first taste of international soccer. The new Pan Am Sports Fields at The final did produce the University of Toronto were built performance many neutrals had on the north lawn of Hart House, hoped for, with Argentina and just south of Varsity Stadium. Brazil playing their trademark That plot of green space had styles of soccer to great effect. not been very well maintained Brazil took a lead early in the over the years, at least not for first half and rarely looked at the purpose of sport, but has risk of losing it. They added a now been replaced by two second and third goal without world class artificial turf field conceding before Referee Skye surfaces, which were built to Arthur-Banning of the USA meet international Field Hockey Can Para Starting VII (from left to right): Back Row: Derek Whitson, blew for full-time and cued specifications, but which can also Trevor Stiles, Samuel Charron, Liam Stanley Front Row: Dustin Hodgson, the celebrations. be used as soccer pitches. The Kyle Payne, Matt Brown location itself is stunning, surrounded as it is by centuries-old halls of academia, Argentina team in the opening game of LEGACY This event will enable the Canadian and it proved to be a great draw for the event. students and sightseers alike, with many Underdogs took on powerhouses in Soccer Association to provide three commenting on the perfect back drop the semi-final round, as Argentina saw off legacy components to the Ontario soccer created by Hart House and Soldiers’ the United States 2-1 in a closely contested community: Tower. Following the completion of the match. Brazil then overwhelmed Canada 1. Equipment including goals, balls, Parapan Am Games, these fields will be by a score of 6-1 with a great show of skill cones, hurdles and bibs which will be the sole responsibility of the University and athleticism that left fans excited for distributed by the Organizing Committee on completion of TO2105 to Clubs in the and will see an abundance of field the final day of competition. hockey usage. Because the 2014 America Cup province currently offering accessible or Logistically, the location of the fields was a qualifying event for the Parapan special needs type soccer programs. did prove to be a challenge to access Am Games as well as the World 2. A skilled workforce including easily, with numerous construction Championships, it was imperative to Coaches and Referees able to attend projects underway in the area, as well as determine the 5th place finisher as only specialized training courses and officiate major events being held in and around the fop five teams would qualify for in future international level Para Soccer the campus. The return to school for up TO2015. In many ways. the 5th v 6th place competitions. to 50,000 students also created some game was arguably the most dramatic of 3. Greater awareness of Para Soccer through attendance at the America issues for organizers but, in the end, they the final day of competition. were dealt with and didn’t hamper the Mexico had brought a reduced squad Cup and To2015, media articles, online event in any meaningful way. and despite injuries and exhaustion, it video highlights of games and player These factors won’t be an issue this played with the passion and tenacity that appearances. summer, thankfully, as designated Pan we’ve come to expect of Mexican national Am roads will make movement of athletes teams. On this occasion, however, it was numerous third party service providers. A Technical Inspection was held six months prior to the competition, which provided CP-ISRA Technical Delegate Paulo Cruz with the opportunity to meet the volunteer team and visit the brand new sport field complex at University of Toronto, which was built specifically for the Games, to ensure everything was on schedule and would meet the needs of the athletes and technical staff. All committee members, as well as a fantastic army of 30 volunteers, will be returning this summer to do it all again as part of the Parapan Am Games.
and team officials considerably easier.
InsideSOCCER 21
PROUD SU and
SUPPOR
CANAD
NATIONAL
SUPPLIER
ORTERS
of
ADA’S
AL TEAMS
As Schwan’s USA CUP celebrated its 30th year this July 11-19, the 2014 edition of the tournament welcomed a record number of teams – 1,060 teams from 21 states and 19 countries.
SCHWAN’S USA CUP CELEBRATES 30 YEARS BY BARCLAY KRUSE
Over the course of the tournament’s history over 18,000 teams have played over 50,000 games, while millions of visitors from across the world have called USA CUP home for nine days in mid-July. USA CUP has always been a unique tournament, standing out among the many youth tournaments that populate the rapidly expanding U.S. youth soccer scene. Played at the National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine, Minnesota, Schwan’s USA CUP is the only tournament of such a large size that is played on one contiguous campus. With 46 fields, expanding to 54 fields in 2015, the NSC welcomes over 20,000 players and fans each day. There’s no traveling between different sites. Everyone’s in the same place, and they’re all there to celebrate soccer. But what’s most memorable about Schwan’s USA CUP is that it’s about more than just soccer. With a wide variety of 24 January/February 2015
Photographs Courtesy of the National Sports Centre
activities ranging from the Olympic-style opening ceremonies, to the athletefriendly Grand Dance, the tournament creates memories that last a lifetime and gives visiting athletes a chance to focus on much more than just soccer. In the ever-intensifying world of youth sports, it’s that broad focus that has become one of the memorable aspects of the USA CUP experience. Some of the memory-making features of this year’s tournament included the USA’s first-ever, and world’s largest-ever “Handshake for Peace” at the tournament’s Opening Ceremony. Later in the week, a capacity crowd of 9,000 fans, including many from the USA CUP family, watched the Minnesota United FC pro team win an international friendly against Swansea City FC. It was the first time an English Premier League team had played in the State of Minnesota.
The tournament welcomed its first-ever team from India, the Yuwa Supergoats, a U15 girls team that was formed to empower women to continue their education and fight against childhood marriage and human trafficking of young girls. The team didn’t win any championships, but they won hearts and minds – and garnered national media coverage -- with their spirited play and powerful message. And fans followed the tournament around the world, through NSCtv, the USA CUP daily video show, as well as live webcasts of Opening Ceremonies and selected games. We invite all youth teams around the world to put Schwan’s USA CUP on your team’s tournament schedule, at some point in your career. It’s just week of your soccer life, but the memories will last a lifetime.
(IZTAPALAPA, Mexico) At 18, Baruch is one of Mexico’s top young footballers. His mother keeps his press clippings. Two years ago, Baruch’s left leg was amputated to halt the spread of a malignant tumour.
LOVE GAME
FOR THE
OF THE
BY TIM SMYTH
Photographs by Bénédicte Desrus
”Nothing changed when they took the leg,” Baruch shrugs, flicking on through the plastic envelopes. “I’m better with my right one anyway.” Through the window, ozone-blue morning light winks on orange brick, tomato plants and plantain leaves. Like the majority of apartment complexes in Iztapalapa, Baruch’s was built in the 1970s, when rapid growth in Mexico City’s population saw the capital swell into areas that had previously been grass and canals. The borough’s 1.8-million residents are mostly workingclass families who make a long commute to the city’s economic centers. For its size, Iztapalapa’s still got that barrio feel. Stall owners flirt with customers in dim, humid markets. Elderly men watch their younger selves’ latest versions strut, practice thousand-yard stares and prink gelled fringes. Taxi dashboards are draped with blue and white streamers, flags that read Cruz Azul. Founded by a cement company in 1927, Cruz Azul is Mexico City’s most emblematic working-class team. Orgullo obrero – workers’ pride – is the hardcore fans’ motto. Baruch’s room is a shrine to the team, and his prized possession is a photo of himself with their talismanic, Argentine-born attacking midfielder: Cristián “El Chaco” Giménez. In the photo, Baruch has a baseball cap tugged low to hide where he’s lost hair to chemotherapy. El Chaco 26 January/February 2015
has a brotherly arm slung around Baruch’s shoulder. “This was cool. He’s so relaxed. He asks you questions, wants to know about you. He’s my favorite player: I modeled myself on him. He has real psychological strength. I like him, Messi and Wayne Rooney. They’re way better than Ronaldo. They play for the team.” After the operation, you didn’t play for a year. What did you do? Baruch shrugs again. Behind his thick-framed hipster glasses his eyes go dull. “Nothing. Stayed in bed. Slept. I didn’t want to see anyone.” It sounds like you were depressed. “I just wasn’t myself. I missed too much school because of the chemo so they sent me home for good. The team filled a void.” Baruch’s mother found out about Guerreros Aztecas in a local newspaper. Founded one year ago by five players, the volunteer-run team now has a squad of twenty-three. “He needed it,” Rosa Margarita says. “We take care of him here, but he needs men around him. His father’s in Cancún and they don’t really know each other.” Baruch was Guerreros Aztecas’ youngest player when he joined, but they made him captain on his first game with them.
Baruch’s teammates drown him in hugs and kisses only half hoping to make him cringe.
InsideSOCCER 27
“Age doesn’t matter: they respect me because I know what I’m doing. I don’t shout. I just indicate. I try to be relaxed, like El Chaco.” What was it like, playing with one leg? “You lose some speed, sure, but the rest is adaptation. It wasn’t hard. It felt good. You can learn to live without pain, because it isn’t physical; it’s mental. I relearned my old movements and found my old rhythm.”
Seven of Guerreros Aztecas have made the national team’s shortlist to represent Mexico at December’s Amputee Soccer World Cup in Sinaloa. But Baruch’s cancer has moved to his lung, so he can’t make it. “It’s my dream to represent the guys because they’re like family to me, but my breath’s killing me these days,” he says. While his mother and grandmother have kept him in the dark about the
Baruch in an action shot with his team, Guerreros Aztecas. He holds himself suspended between his two crutches to smash a stinging volley past the goalkeeper.
28 January/February 2015
latest metastasis, he’s been Googling his symptoms: the coughing, the spitting, the hot, coin-sized discus of pain in his back. “I’m trying to use what I’ve learned from football – how to stay cool when things are hard, how to focus on the present. There are two kinds of fear. One kind passes. The other you have to tune out.” Baruch’s mother has his name on her foot “so he can be with me everywhere”. Six months ago he got a tattoo of his mother’s name, but he got another one his family doesn’t know about yet. Under his shirt, above his heart, is a diamond with the words I love you and everything’s going to be all right printed across the top. “It’s a Justin Bieber song. I swear to you I hate all his other ones. This tattoo is because I’m going to live life my way. You never know how much time you might have left.” The sun glints on his glasses. Behind the lenses his eyes have the same numb focus they have when he’s got a ball at his feet. Baruch’s first 18th birthday party is with his mother and grandmother. His second is with his other family: Guerreros Aztecas. They make for a striking procession from outside the Museo Bellas Artes through the tight colonial-era streets. The pavements are treacherous with renovations, but the guys on crutches aren’t fazed – except, of course, when they jokingly trip each other up. A kid stares as we pass. “Dad, what happened to their arms and legs?” “We misbehaved,” says midfielder Victor Hugo back over his shoulder. At one point we slow down for Royer, who’s lagged behind. “Sorry,” he says. “I lost my leg.” Our destination’s a classic rockthemed burger bar on the outskirts of Tepito, birthplace of Mexican footballing legend Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Rising poverty and violence have tested Tepito’s resilience, but the mordant humor of its population is proverbial throughout Mexico City. When Baruch arrives, the cry of “Hey, puto!” momentarily drowns out the Queen song blasting from the speakers. Baruch’s drowned in hugs, kisses on the
face that are only half meant to make him cringe. The warmth in the room makes clear how much these men need each other. Amputees are one of Mexico City’s most vulnerable populations. Only 25% of working-age men missing a limb are in study or employment. Every year, 1,500 male amputees are forced out of work. The Guerreros’ stories reflect the predatory heart of Mexico’s economy. Victor Hugo was a bus-driver until the driver he replaced had him beaten to a pulp. “They worked the leg big time, so the hospital had to take it”. He hasn’t had a job since. “Construction, transport, factory work – they won’t even look at you if you’re missing a leg.” Goalkeeper Martín, a thin man in a leather jacket, used to work as a plumber until a nerve disease in his arm forced his amputation. “Customers didn’t trust a one-armed man to do a good job. They found mistakes where there were none.” Now Martín begs outside the Metro station Division del Norte, in the middleclass neighborhood of Del Valle. “Because of the team I feel no shame: only strength. We’re a big, strange family. It’s easy to say ‘Move on’ and put on a macho face. But we talk openly here. It’s therapy.” Who’s your favorite player? “I have two. [Real Madrid’s Mexican striker] Hugo Sánchez, because he made
it out of here. And Baruch.” “The blows ese chavo’s gotten in his life have made him so strong. I feel so bad. We love him so much, and we can’t do anything. We were waiting one day and when he didn’t show we knew it was serious.” Martín looks over at Baruch on the FIFA arcade game, presses the heels of his hands to his eyes to dam back tears. “He’s my favourite player. And he’s playing the game of his life.” In the street Royer beats me 3-0 in a one-on-one jumpers-for-goalposts game. He’s nimble on his crutches, and strong. When I lunge to tackle, he flicks the ball with his heel, spins and rounds me. One of his goals is a rebona behind one crutch. Royer lost his left leg when he saved a girl from an onrushing train. “I saw this girl of about 18 playing on train-tracks outside Celaya, where I was working at a biker festival. She was high and drunk, and the train was from here to the street corner, coming fast. So I ran. Dived. Caught my pants on the tracks. I woke up looking at a stump.” Having been involved in a local barrio gang for a lengthy period, he says that his time with Guerreros Aztecas has helped him to turn his life around and swap the street-corner for the classroom of his local high school. “After the accident, I spent a year saying, ‘I can’t’. Then I joined the team.
They welcomed me, hugged me, didn’t ask any questions about who I was before. Now I look down and see my missing leg, and I think ‘Whatever, it happened. Keep moving’.” Royer and I share the Coke I had to buy for losing. Baruch sits with his cousins. “He’s like Ronaldinho,” Royer says. “So relaxed up front; so organised. He’s even got the same goofy teeth.” Royer’s made the shortlist for Sinaloa. Will they miss Baruch? “He’s our captain. He’s our best player. And the way he keeps overcoming problems is the way we all keep overcoming problems. But psychologically, emotionally, he’ll be there with us. Keeping going is our tribute to him, whatever happens. He’ll always be a warrior, wherever he is.” In the street, Baruch weaves past his cousins to slot home a goal. He celebrates with a laugh and pushes his glasses back up his nose. Then he lifts his head and waits for the game to start again. Baruch passed away October 5, 2014. Four Guerreros Aztecas, including Royer, represented Mexico at the World Cup in Sinaloa. Mexico made it to the quarterfinals, where they lost 1-0 to Argentina. At Guerreros Aztecas’ last training session before the World Cup, they hung up a banner showing Baruch about to volley a football.
InsideSOCCER 29
2014:
BY OSA PRESIDENT RON SMALE
SOCCER REMAINS ONTARIO’S SPORT OF CHOICE The headline for my message is important. Too often the focus is on the things that aren’t perfect about how the game is administered. It’s forgotten that, together, we do a lot of things very well. Soccer is still the sport played by more people of all ages than any other in the province of Ontario. That so many families and players make that choice demonstrates that while we can always do more – and be better – we are indeed doing a lot of things right! A year ago I wrote the following words: “While the advent of the Ontario Player Development League (OPDL) and League1 were highlights, I am actually most excited about the work being done across the province when it comes to our technical initiatives around grassroots soccer. So many Districts and Clubs are moving forward with, and truly embracing, LTPD principles. In my regular travels across the province I have seen first-hand the positive impact these changes are having for referees, coaches and players.” A year later I can report that not only did the OPDL and League1 Ontario launch their inaugural campaigns successfully in 2014 but the overall support for LTPD at
30 January/February 2015
the Club level has also grown tremendously. Grassroots soccer is the foundation of the game in Ontario. It is where our player pathway actually begins, whether athletes remain recreational players or ultimately choose to follow the talented pathway. It’s important to recognize that a number of OSA Clubs and Academies have been leaders in implementing player focused programs – even before the OSA made it a point of emphasis. Wherever possible, given local capacity and resources, more Clubs are
embracing LTPD’s player-oriented values.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2015
Our Districts will continue to provide exceptional opportunities for coach and referee development. Meanwhile, our Clubs can focus on what they do so well: developing all their players within the Club structure while helping those players find their proper place in the provincial/national development plan.
PLAYER PATHWAY
Our player pathway is taking shape. I’ve highlighted the impact of OPDL and League1 here and in previous messages but as significantly, we are making progress in restructuring our Regional and District Leagues for 2015 to ensure high-level competition for players in those leagues—leagues which will become a feeder system for the talented pathway.
AREAS OF FOCUS
In 2015, three areas will be of particular importance: 1) growth, recruitment and retention, 2) technical development and 3) renewal of the current OSA Board structure. On the recruitment side,
it will be necessary to continue to identify coaches and referees as well as capable volunteers, who are all indispensible to the good work that is done across the province. Continuing to build and promote the game at the Club/grassroots level will be essential. Beyond grassroots soccer and the talented pathway, as an Association we also need to focus on growing Futsal and adult soccer, beyond just League1 Ontario. Meanwhile, steady progress is being made around modernizing our Board structure. That said, there is much more to do as we work toward a more streamlined approach that focuses on policy and the skills that Board members bring to the table.
ALIGNMENT BETWEEN CLUBS, DISTRICTS AND THE ASSOCIATION
stakeholders”. One of our core values is that we be playercentered. Every decision made, either as a Board, staff or as a united Association, should be measured against and guided by those principles.
THANK YOU
A genuine thank you to all those who continue to support the Association—coaches, referees, administrators, Academies and leagues as well as parents and volunteers. Even when we are challenged, it helps us grow and make better, more informed decisions. Our Districts, Leagues and Clubs work diligently to enhance opportunities for all those who love and support soccer. In turn, we try to provide guidance and leadership to ensure that, by building trust and working together, the soccer experience for everyone in Ontario is a bit better every day.
One of the many valid questions I receive often during my visits with stakeholders across Ontario is: shouldn’t the work of the Clubs, Districts and the OSA be better aligned? I believe significant headway has been made in addressing that question. In turn, strides are being made to ensure the OSA is also aligned with the Canadian Soccer Association in terms of technical direction and our overall strategic planning.
OSA MISSION AND VALUES One of our key commitments in 2014 will continue next year: that is, to ensure that the Association is always guided by our mission and our values. Our mission statement refers to “collaboration and cooperation with members, partners and
InsideSOCCER 31
TORONTO FC
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
TFC PROGRESS
IN THE OFFSEASON Photograph by Les Jones, COVERSHOTS INC. & Shutterstock.com
The holidays are a time to wind down, relax and take things easy, but for Toronto FC, it has been full steam ahead as head coach Greg Vanney and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko continue their offseason work ahead of the 2015 season. General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko and Head Coach Greg Vanney announce signing of Italian international Sebastian Giovinco.
(Editor’s Note: Almost exactly a year after being announced as a “bloody big deal” for Toronto FC, Jermain Defoe has returned to England to join Sunderland in the Premiership. The deal sees The Reds acquire U.S. National striker Jozy Altidore from The Black Cats. Altidore is a talented goal scorer heading into his prime and will benefit from the increased playing time he never really found after leaving the MLS New York Red Bulls eight years ago…. Also breaking late is news that Toronto has signed Italian national attacking midfielder Sebastian Giovinco, lately of Italian Serie A club Juventus, for a four year term. Armen Bedakian fills us in on the rest of Toronto FC’s dealings as it heads into the 2015 season.) Toronto FC has already made a number of changes to its roster; central defender Doneil Henry was sold to Premier League outfit West Ham United in an unprecedented move for a TFC Academy player. Henry joined the TFC Academy as a young 16-year-old player and quickly developed into a starter for Toronto FC. In 2014, he and Nick Hagglund exchanged the starting role beside Steven Caldwell and even started side-by-side on a number of occasions.
32 January/February 2015015
ING WELL It was revealed late in the 2014 season that Henry was actually on loan to Toronto after being sold to a team in Cyprus, Apollon Limassol. He was then sold to West Ham United to join manager Sam Allardyce, famed for his ability to shape and groom young defenders. On former manager Ryan Nelsen’s recommendation, Allardyce picked up Henry and he now joins their senior team. The sale of Henry isn’t the only move Toronto FC has made, though; the team picked up a major piece in the offseason, acquiring Real Salt Lake forward/winger Robbie Findley during the MLS re-entry draft’s first round. This bold move sees Toronto add a player with considerable MLS experience and while his last season with RSL wasn’t his best, Findley has proven he can score in significant numbers in this league. The TFC brain trust believe that, if given the right chance, Findley can be a solid contributor and a starter for the team. Findley is a forward and a winger and his versatility up top allows Toronto FC to attack in a more dynamic way. Findley is one of a number of attacking pieces that Toronto now possess, in a list of players that grows longer by the day. But, what Findley brings to the team is not just an on-field presence but an off-the-field one, too. He is a strong, vocal character who works hard and can be an example for the younger players on the team to follow, too. At the end of the 2014 season, Michael Bradley expressed his desire to
see the team add more experienced players who can provide this young Toronto FC team with the strong backbone it needs to succeed. Findley is one player who fits that bill to the tee. This offseason also saw an interesting new draft take place in the form of the Chivas USA dispersal draft. Chivas USA was an MLS franchise that had struggled both on the field and off for much of the last decade; low attendance figures and bottom-of-the-Western-Conference finishes, coupled with plenty of front office drama forced Major League Soccer’s hand, and the league purchased the franchise back before folding it entirely. Now, MLS moves back to the Los Angeles area with another new franchise joining the league in 2017 in the city. But the players contracted to Chivas USA weren’t going to wait until then to rejoin, and a dispersal draft was held in a randomized order that allowed each team to select players from the now defunct
BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN Chivas USA side. While goalkeeper Dan Kennedy was the big prize, snatched up by FC Dallas, Toronto FC came through with an excellent new pick up in the form of U.S. U-20 international Marco Delgado. Toronto FC actually managed to pull off a bit of a lucky move here, signing Delgado quite low on the draft standings, after a number of teams above them chose to skip their picks.
Jozy Altidore
InsideSOCCER 33
Toronto sat at spot 14 of 20 but managed to see Delgado fall all the way down the list. With TFC head coach Greg Vanney having been a former member of the Chivas USA coaching staff, he had a firsthand look at the youngster. Speaking of coaching staff, Toronto FC added yet another face to Vanney’s list of assistants in Robin Fraser. Last with the New York Red Bulls as the assistant to head coach Mike Petke, Fraser reunites with Vanney and joins Toronto FC as Vanney’s direct assistant. Fraser joined Toronto FC one day after the New York Red Bulls fired head coach Petke but this dynamic is an interesting one for Toronto FC. Fraser and Vanney worked together before, at Chivas USA, where Fraser was then the head coach and Vanney his assistant. Now, the roles have been reversed but Fraser and Vanney have no problems with their roles, Fraser joking that Vanney was now “the boss” but offering that the two see things similar enough to get along but just differently enough to have a healthy balance. Fraser joins a coaching staff filled with some interesting names, including
34 January/February 2015
Jim Liston and Michael Rabasca. Toronto FC demonstrated its commitment to improving the quality of the team as an organization during a meeting in December where they showed off a number of tools and processes for helping track each player’s physical, mental and cognitive growth during the course of a season. This focus on development in training should hopefully see the team suffer through fewer injuries and be more physically fit come game day. They’ll need it, too, since the first seven games of the 2015 season will be on the road as BMO Field undergoes a massive renovation. The new BMO Field will feature 30,000 seats and new club areas, ready for May of 2015. Then, next year, BMO Field will once again get a facelift in the form of a new canopy roof over the stands. As Toronto FC continues to grow, so does its Academy, an area that continues to pump out top quality young talent. Toronto FC’s Jordan Hamilton has quickly become Canada’s starting U-20 striker and is scoring goals in bunches against all kinds of opponents. Manny Aparicio is an interesting young attacking midfielder
who demonstrates a tremendous vision on the ball while central defender Chris Mannella also earned a first-team contract and the praise of Vanney for his quick transition to the first-team level of training. Toronto FC will have a chance to give these young players a real chance at playing time this year, too, as the team unveiled a new team in USL PRO for 2015. Rather than using an affiliate team, Toronto FC now has a B team from which they can monitor their own players and give them meaningful minutes at a consistent level. All of this is done in an effort to continue developing talent from the city and bring players into the first team, as Jonathan Osorio, Ashtone Morgan and Doneil Henry, amongst others, have already shown. In this regard, the future looks bright for Toronto FC. With the 2015 season fast approaching, Toronto FC is feeling confident and prepared as the club continues on its quest for the playoffs and the much coveted MLS Cup!
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COACH DAVE: MY CORNER
FIT FACTS
ELECTION TIME ELECT THE GOOD PEOPLE BY DAVE KENNY The outdoor season is over, the indoor season has started and the evaluations of past programs have begun. Every soccer club in Ontario is now reviewing its program to see how the LTDP is working and how the club is stacking up. It is an important time for many in Ontario communities who are experiencing elections. By this, I am not referring to municipal elections that have passed; I am referring to the more important board elections- those of the local soccer clubs. The boards of soccer clubs are still filled with volunteers. These are the people who set the direction of the club, attend meetings on behalf of the club members and are the ones who nowadays hire the administrators and technical staff. With paid employees picking up a lot of the jobs that used to be handled by volunteers, what is left for the volunteers are board positions and coaching spots, two areas I know a little bit about. The majority of volunteers are still found on the fields in soccer clubs, as coaches. Volunteers for soccer clubs often step forward to more advanced positions and run for the more “prestigious” positions of board member, after a few years of coaching. I, personally, have been a volunteer with a number of clubs over 36 January/February 2015
a 35-year time span, and have served on the board of my men’s league for over 12. Over the years, I have met some great volunteers. Some people have been with one club more years than I have been volunteering, and others have had more of an impact in fewer years than I have spent. Without the volunteers, a very low number of clubs in Ontario could survive. It is however, important to elect the best volunteers for the board positions in order to ensure the club is operated effectively, professionally and effortlessly. I grew up in a family of volunteers. Both my parents were board members in Richmond Hill, my youth club. It was also the club where I started my coaching as a 15 year old. My father was elected President of the local club on two occasions. He also coached and scored the highest mark on the referee’s exam the year he decided to add “official” to his resume. (Yours truly had the second highest mark). My father ran our “mosquito” tournament, (now known as u12), and organized many out of town
tours including soccer trips to the USA and Europe. He was also a founding member of the York Region Soccer Association and League. For my dad’s efforts, he was named the Ontario Soccer “Man of the Year” in 1977. He was also the first “soccer person” inducted into the Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame, in 2004. (An accomplishment I am truly proud of ). My mother worked much more behind the scenes, but was an important part of the volunteer roster none-theless. She was a fundraiser (BINGO) and held the board position responsible for field bookings. (The town didn’t want the hassle of dealing with other groups asking to use soccer fields if there was a volunteer willing to deal with it). This was back when “user fees” were minimal or non-existent. As a side note, my mother and I also took our push lawn mower to cut a field on one occasion, when she received complaints on the length of the grass. THAT is the volunteer spirit coming through! During the summer, our rushed family dinners were often interrupted by somebody looking to book a practice field or rescheduling a game. Following dinner we were probably heading in three or four different directions, depending on who was driving my little brother to his game or practice. My brother would eventually develop to officiate, coach and sit on the Board of Directors of two
In order to keep or maintain the involvement of good (or GREAT) volunteers, it is important that the person volunteering continues to feel that they are needed and making an impact. different soccer clubs in Ontario. I am grateful that my parents were so involved with “my” club. I know that they got involved because my brother and I were involved as players. I also know that they were intimately involved for the betterment of ALL the players in the club, and for the betterment of the club as a whole. It is their commitment that prompted me to follow in their footsteps and volunteer as I do. I mention this because one of the worst things I have witnessed in Ontario soccer clubs is the parent who only gets involved to benefit his own children or himself. Good, or may I say GREAT volunteers are there for all the right reasons and make the club work. Unfortunately, I have also seen some volunteers who were there for all the wrong reasons and bring the club to a halt. (I am sure all readers will know of someone in this category). I have seen a future politician use his one year of volunteering as his “commitment” to the local community. I have seen parents run for board positions to make sure the “free” program in which their kids were involved is continued. I have also seen parents who join boards to make sure their child becomes better known in the hopes of attracting the attention of regional or provincial coaches. Worst of all, I have seen a group of volunteers attempt to take over a board by stacking a number of people of
their choosing to run in an election. My long-time friend, Sara, once held a volunteer co-ordinator position with her soccer club. She is now employed full-time, in a similar capacity, with a local charity. According to Sara, a soccer club has “so many potential volunteers at their fingertips; however, ensuring that the volunteers are entering into a mutually beneficial relationship is the key.” The volunteer achieves gains by, for example, coaching his child. The organization, however, needs to have a volunteer that “accepts the mission...and supports the greater whole.” In order to keep or maintain the involvement of good (or GREAT) volunteers, it is important that the person volunteering continues to feel they are needed and making an impact. Communicating what that impact has been is “Incredibly important”, according to Sara. “We go to work and in return we receive a paycheque. When thinking about volunteers, we need to identify their motivational ‘paycheque’ and (as an organization) we need to constantly ask ourselves, have they been ‘paid?’” (I understand Sara’s “paycheque” concept — when I was at the point where I felt I was no longer needed or respected, I knew it was the time for me to walk away from my previous club). As volunteers look to gain more from
their volunteering hours, they are often willing to step up to the board level. Some clubs however, struggle to attract these volunteers and have very little turnover in their board personnel. A possible reason for the lack of change could be as a result of the organization itself. “Clubs could do a far better job at recognizing volunteers at all levels,” states Sara. Some Ontario clubs recognize volunteers for their years of service, often with small tokens of appreciation when people reach certain milestones. Informal recognition is just as important, if not more so, as formal recognition. “Thanking volunteers, when they come into the clubhouse,” says Sara, “is an easy example of informal recognition.” Recognition is a key element in keeping volunteers, which helps to promote higher levels of service. Additionally, Sara believes volunteer coordinators can play a large role in attracting good volunteers to run for board positions. “The best volunteer coordinators put in the time to learn about their volunteers,” she said. “This is also a great way to identify volunteers that may be appropriate for a higher leadership position.” Unfortunately, many clubs in Ontario do not have a volunteer coordinator who can recruit people for board positions. The majority of clubs have a hard enough time filling all positions necessary, never mind finding only the “best” candidates. Clubs InsideSOCCER 37
As volunteers look to gain more from their volunteering hours, they are often willing to step up to the board level. Some clubs however, struggle to attract these volunteers and have very little turnover in their board personnel. may be forced to accept poor candidates due to a lack of good volunteers. A bad volunteer often feels he should gain from the experience and does not think of the organization as a whole. There is usually an underlying reason as to why the “bad” volunteer is stepping forward. Often it stems from a disagreement with a current board member or board decision. I can recall one incident where a coach stacked the club Annual General Meeting (AGM) with parents in the hope of voting a certain individual off the board and replacing him with the coach. Fortunately, the scheme was discovered ahead of time and enough supporters of the said executive member showed up at the AGM to thwart the “revolution.” Some clubs have now changed their constitutions in order to prevent a similar backlash from special interest groups gaining steam. Many clubs now use a nomination committee to meet with candidates in advance of the AGM. This ensures fewer bad volunteers ending up in board positions. Bad volunteers have their own agendas and are disruptive, to their own child’s progress as well as to the club as a whole. Problems do not get resolved, time is wasted as meetings roll late into the night with no valuable resolve and discussions tend to be repeated. Bad volunteers drain the energy of others. Good volunteers become frustrated and end up leaving the association. So how can you guarantee you get a board full of good volunteers? The answer is simple. Get involved and take the time to attend your clubs’ AGM. Educate yourself by learning about the candidates. Board positions are more important to soccer clubs now than ever before. With million dollar budgets, full time staff, year round programs and facilities to manage, boards need to be well rounded and each member should bring something 38 January/February 2015
“special” to the table. Members should have variable backgrounds and have a balance of technical and administrative experience. “Yes-men” are never good on a board. Each member must be able to speak for themselves to ensure positive discussions. However, once a decision has been made, board members should stand united in solidarity for the club membership.
When it comes to election time in your club, I hope everyone takes the time to find out about the candidates who have put their names forward. Ask a few questions, and treat the answers as you would answers during a job interview. Be sure to differentiate the bad volunteers from the great ones. A great volunteer is results driven. She or he is persistent and will not be satisfied until they succeed. That success is not personal, but multifaceted. The best volunteers are the ones who care more about what they contribute to the club/sport as a whole and less about what they personally get out of the volunteering experience. In the end, by learning about your board candidates and hopefully by
electing a board full of good volunteers, your club will be effective, efficient and professional. As a result, your child will reap the benefits. Remember, the kids are what are most important here. The better the board, the better the programs. The better the programs, the better the experience for your children.
There are oodles and oodles of soccer books in the stores. They could fill an entire shelf and keep you reading for years. But the recently released FUTEBOL NATION by English writer David Goldblatt is something rather unique and should be at the top of your list.
FUTEBOL NATION NOT JUST A SOCCER BOOK REVIEW BY BOB KOEP
The author of the soccer bible “The Ball Is Round” here tells the story of the creation of a nation, the struggle of Brazil to get where it is today mainly as a by-product of football (we call it soccer but for Brazilians and many others it is football, or Futebol) Brazil doesn’t have many other outstanding subjects to brag about, it has coffee and soya beans. That’s dull. But nobody ever has won an important international award and no major corporation has ever left a major mark. Without football Brazil would hardly be on the map. Thus the story of Brazil is that of futebol, and as you keep reading this amazingly fascinating book, you are wondering whether you read the history of the country intertwined with football or the history of football intertwined with the history of the country. The game itself moved from the “British Game” in the 1800s to the Brazilian “spectacle” and eventually developed into the dancing, samba, tricky, romantic style that began in the midfifties. Football is the only thing that matters in Brazil, when the national team (the Seleção) plays, the streets are empty and other major events (such as theatre performances) are cancelled. In other words, if you want to know what is important in the nation, all you need is to follow the Seleção. Or read this book. The nadir of the story was reached at the World Cup final in 1950, with Brazil losing to Uruguay at Maracanã. It was a devastating event that shook Brazil for years until the arrival of Pele brought a little light back to the hearts of Brazilians. It was followed by five World Cup wins from 1958 to 2002 and all seemed well. The Seleção grew into one of the county’s biggest export items and the team commands a bigger appearance fee than any other in the world. And with the arrival of Brazilian João Havelange as FIFA president in 1974, the entire world footballs scene changed to what it is today. He brought to FIFA “the imprimatur of the Brazilian ruling elite, imperious cordiality, ruthless politics and self-serving blurring of public and private realms” according to Goldblatt. That is still the FIFA trade mark today. As the author points out, Havelange revolutionized FIFA from “a small time amateurish
federation into the world’s most powerful organization.” There are numerous little side stories that give the reader insight of the ups and downs, the jubilations and despair that go along with the Seleção, and the various governments, mostly dictatorships in the mid-1900s. And if the author had waited a few weeks with the release of this book it could have caused him to finish it with a massive eulogy after Brazil hit its darkest hour giving up ten goals and scoring just one in its last two games of the recent World Cup in its home country. No bigger disaster ever hit this country.
InsideSOCCER 39
FIT FACTS
PHYSICAL PREPARATION IN A SHORT SEASON BY RICHARD BUCCIARELLI This year marks my 3rd season as Assistant Coach and Fitness Coach with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks Women’s Varsity Soccer Team. The Women’s Soccer program at UOIT itself also happens to be only 3 years old, having been introduced in the winter of 2012. The first three years in our team’s history have been very successful. We qualified for the playoffs in year one, and improved upon that record in year two by advancing to the OUA QuarterFinals. Moving into a new division (OUA East) in year three. we finished the season in 2nd place, with a 13-2-2 record (going unbeaten in our first 14 games), and even earned a CIS National Top-10 ranking for the majority of the year, finishing with a #7 ranking heading into the play-offs. We continued to get good results in the post-season, earning a bronze medal in the OUA Final Four, plus a place in the 2014 CIS National Championships at Laval University in Quebec City, as the 3rd place team from Ontario. The success of the UOIT Ridgebacks Women’s Varsity Soccer Team owes itself to numerous factors and people, the most important of which is the Head Coach who literally built the team from scratch three years ago, Peyvand Mossavat (he was also named OUA East, and CIS Coach of the Year this season). 40 January/February 2015
I am honored to have been part of the coaching staff since the team’s inception, and to have contributed to its impressive performances on the pitch. Below is a brief description of the four physical preparation strategies that I and the Coaching Staff used, which have contributed to our team’s success over the past three years in general, and specifically during the incredible 2014 season:
1. RECRUIT GOOD ATHLETES (AS WELL AS GOOD PLAYERS):
The reality of university soccer is that the season is very short (only 2 ½ months including play-offs) and there are typically 2-3 games per week. There is also very little time to prepare teams, as the actual “pre-season” comprises only 2 ½ weeks in the middle of August. For teams to be successful, they must recruit players with certain athletic qualities that will enable them to thrive in this environment. Among the qualities to look for are: • Speed (especially over 20-35 metres) • Leg strength and jumping ability • High intensity running ability (as measured by a field test like the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test)
2. CONDUCT THE RIGHT FITNESS ASSESSMENTS (AT THE RIGHT TIME):
Part of the process in recruiting players who are good athletes, as well as training to develop and maximize their athletic abilities, is having the right fitness assessment protocol to measure them. The best time to test for speed and jumping ability is in the off-season or the beginning of the season. This is because it is difficult to train to improve speed and jumping ability, so testing should be used to identify who is already good at these abilities. Tests of high intensity running ability (like the Yo-Yo tests) must be used consistently (every 4 to 6 weeks) throughout the off-season, summer, and pre-season. If athletes are training properly, there is a very large capacity to improve, and the Yo-Yo test in particular is very sensitive to improvements in fitness through training.
3. CREATE HOME TRAINING PROGRAMS (AND HOLD PLAYERS ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM):
As mentioned previously, the preparation time allotted for “pre-season” in university soccer is not nearly enough time to actually prepare players for the physical demands of the competitive season. Thus, university players must use the spring and summer months to train and maximize their fitness levels. Because university teams are prohibited from
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training together “as a team” during these months, fitness training for the players must be accomplished through home training programs that the players must complete on their own. Home training programs must focus on improving high intensity running ability, as this is the one area of fitness with the greatest capacity for improvement through proper training. High intensity aerobic interval running (with 4-6 intervals of 3-4 minutes in duration and work-to-rest ratios of 1:1) is the most effective method of training to improve high intensity running ability. Players must be held accountable to their home training programs. This can be accomplished by having them sign-in and report their workouts, and of course also by conducting frequent fitness assessments to evaluate their progress throughout the year.
4. GET THE IN-SEASON FITNESS TRAINING RIGHT (WITH, AND WITHOUT THE BALL):
Even though the university competitive season is short, with the right timing of
training, teams can still improve fitness during the season. In general, schedule allows for only one day per week of intense fitness training. In the first month (September) aerobic training should be done with a high intensity (speed) but low volume (number of repetitions/ distance covered). Work periods of 30 seconds - 1 minute, with work-to-rest ratios of 1:2 – 1:4, are most effective. It is also useful to use a combination of hard running workouts (much easier to control for intensity) with technical exercises/ small-sided games (more specific to soccer). As the season progresses into the second month (October), a switch must be made to performing repeated sprint training and speed training. Shorter work periods (5-10 seconds) with much longer work-to-rest ratios (1:5 – 1:10) are most effective. Again, combining running and sprinting exercises both with and without the ball works best.
UOIT Fitness Coach Richard Bucciarelli with Goalkeeper Coach Ramon McIntosh at the 2014 CIS Banquet. Richard Bucciarelli is the Assistant Coach and Fitness Coach with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks Women’s Varsity Soccer Team. The Ridgebacks recently competed in and placed 8th at the 2014 CIS National Championships at Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec, November 5-8, 2014.
SPEED COMPETITION 1
n y o l . e d e m InsideSOCCER 41
CELEBRATING SOCCER EXCELLENCE! 2014 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION BANQUET
Photographs by Jamie MacLeod
BY KIM WATSON
The 2014 Induction Banquet was a night filled with excitement as we celebrated an evening of soccer excellence! This year, the banquet was held in the elegant Chateau Le Jardin Conference and Event Venue in Vaughan Ontario with more than 230 people in attendance. It was a night where soccer’s elite gathered, reminisced with old teammates and shared their past soccer experiences. We honoured seven extraordinary Canadians, two soccer organizations and one Team of Distinction. In the Player category, two elite Canadian National
Left to Right: Geri Donnelly, Isabelle Morneau inducted in the Player category for their incredible achievements with the Women’s National Team Team members, Geri Donnelly and Isabelle Morneau, as well as NASL star Carmine Marcantonio were honoured. Coach Chris Bennett and referee Hector Vergara were celebrated as Builders and inducted into the Hall of Fame for their achievements and international successes. The two Organizations of Distinction celebrated this year were The Robbie International Tournament, which has raised over one million dollars in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and arguably the most outstanding women’s soccer organization in Canadian soccer history, The Edmonton Angels. The Team of Distinction was the 2000 Men’s National Team who achieved one of its most notable international triumphs by winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the Pioneer Category, The Soccer Hall of Fame inducted its first aboriginal player, Harry Manson. Mr. Manson’s athletic abilities and leadership qualities made him an outstanding player despite facing many racial barriers. It was an emotional evening when eleven members of his family, who had travelled 42 January/February 2015
Left to Right: Stuart Brown, Michael Ellis representatives of the Organizations of Distinction, The Edmonton Angels and The Robbie Tournament from British Columbia, performed a traditional drum and dance in his honour. Gary Manson, the grandson of Harry Manson, reflected on what this recognition meant to their family and the impact this honour will have to the Snuneymuxw people. The story of Harry Manson and his induction into The Soccer Hall of Fame was featured on The National with Peter Mansbridge as well as on The Current radio program. The Brian Budd Award is given annually at The Hall of Fame Induction Banquet to recognize those who have excelled in both soccer and in another endeavour. The candidate must exemplify good character, show outstanding dedication, achievements and leadership in developing soccer in Canada, and provide inspiration to past, present and future generations. This year Marc Rizzardo was select-ed for his outstanding achievements both in soccer and as a highly regarded physiotherapist in Canadian sport. Many inductees and others in attendance travelled from British Columbia, Edmonton, Manitoba and the United States to share Newly inducted as a Player, NASL superstar in this celebration. The 2014 Carmine Marcantonio with his memorabilia Induction Banquet was a that was on display at the Induction Banquet memorable evening full of heartwarming speeches, entertaining anecdotes, exciting videos and attractive displays. It was a night in which Canada’s soccer history both past and present were recognized and honoured, an evening all in attendance will not soon forget!
N E W V E N U E | E X PA N D E D O F F E R I N G S
soccer development
CONFERENCE Manulife Financial Sportsplex & Healthy Living Centre at RIM Park, Waterloo MARCH 21-22
2015
This year's Soccer Development Conference will be held at RIM Park in Waterloo on March 21 and 22. Previously hosted exclusively as a coaching conference, the OSA's ever widening event has now expanded to cover a number of other areas of the sport. HOPE POWELL Hope Powell is an English former international footballer who was the coach of the England women's national football team and the Great Britain women's Olympic football team until August 2013. The English Football Association (FA) appointed Powell as England's first-ever full-time national coach in 1998.
JOE FLETCHER In 2007, Joe was placed on the FIFA list of International Officials. Joe’s refereeing experiences include the FIFA Under 20 tournament in Colombia, the 2012 Olympics Games in London, the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, as well as numerous other matches around North/Central America and the Caribbean.
DR. COLIN HIGGS Dr. Colin Higgs is Professor Emeritus in the School of Human Kinetics at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and member of the Canadian Sport for Life Leadership Team. Dr. Higgs works extensively in developing countries and has published and presented widely on Long-Term Athlete Development, sport bio mechanics, and social development through sport.
CAROL ANNE CHENARD Carol Anne Chenard has been an international referee since 2006. She was one of just 16 referees selected for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. In addition, Chenard is one of only three Canadian women to be on the list of FIFA international referees for women's soccer matches.
LUIS FERNANDO PAES DE BARROS Luis Fernando Paes De Barros is a youth coach at Brazilian club Santos FC. He joined the club in 2013 from A.D.Sao Caetano, where he was the club’s head Strength and conditioning coach. De Barros, who has a master’s in Physical Education from the University of Sao Paulo, has also previously worked in Futsal with roles as head coach at clubs in Brazil, Japan and Qatar.
JOHN O'SULLIVAN John O'Sullivan is the author of the international bestseller Changing the Game: The Parent's Guide to Raising Happy, High-Performing Athletes and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids, as well as the Founder of the Changing the Game Projects.
VENDOR SHOWCASE Would you or your company like access to some of the most plugged in members of the Ontario soccer community?
VANESSA MARTINEZ LAGUNAS Vanessa Martínez Lagunas, who is a FIFA Women’s Soccer Instructor, UEFA/DFB Pro License and NSCAA Premier Diploma holder and former player of the Mexico WNT has previously confirmed her attendance. She has coaching experience at several levels of the game in Germany, Mexico and the United States.
At this year's Soccer Development Conference approved vendors will get that chance, as hundreds of coaches, referees, university students and soccer aficionados stream through the RIM Park. If your company would like to reserve space or inquire about advertising you are encouraged to contact the OSA Marketing Department for more details.
FUTSAL FESTIVAL 2015 (U-12 BOYS & GIRLS) As part of this year's Soccer Development Conference, there will be a Futsal Festival taking part at RIM Park in Waterloo. Taking place Sunday March, 22, Boys and Girls U-12 teams are encouraged to register on a first-come first-serve basis. Register your futsal team and the team Head Coach will be granted free access to the Conference.
For more information & pricing, please visit:
ontariosoccer.net/socdev2015
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