ISM Issue 102

CANADA’S PREMIER SOCCER MAGAZINE WWW.INSIDESOCCER.CA

Informing and Entertaining the Canadian Soccer Community Since 1992

DESERT DREAMS: getting hot for U-17 World Cup

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: TORONTO FC CRASH OUT OF CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 SOCCER HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES WIEDEMAN AND HALL KEEP IT LOOSE IN THE LOCKEROOM

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5 February/March 2012

ISSUE #102 JUNE/JULY 2013

INSIDESOCCER e Magazin Publisher Emeritus

Alfons Rubbens - alfons@insidesoccer.ca

WWW.INSIDESOCCER.CA

IN THIS ISSUE...

Publisher/Editor

Mark Miller - mark@insidesoccer.ca

Art Director

Steve Smiley, RGD - steve@the-carlisle-group.com

Director of New Business

Susan Elliott - susan@insidesoccer.ca

Director of Business Operations and National Accounts

Branden Clark - branden@insidesoccer.ca

Marketing and Special Event Coordinator

Justin Clark - justin@insidesoccer.ca

News Editor Joe Duarte

Senior Staff Writers

Dennis Fitter, Bob Koep, Kris Fernandes, Mike Toth

Website Operations

Alfons Rubbens: Marketing and Content Olga Demidova: Technical Saul Markowicz: Research Jeff Hamilton: Design

Contributing Writers Armen Bedakian, Richard Bucciarelli, Tony Earp, Gina Gentile, Joelene Huber, Dave Kenny, Mike Kenny, Steven Sandor, Ron Smale, Don Wiles, Mike Woitala

8 DESERT DREAMS: GETTING HOT FOR U-17 WORLD CUP

BY STEVEN SANDOR

20 WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES

BY STEVEN SANDOR

12 BMO TEAM OF THE WEEK: CELEBRATING SOCCER COAST TO COAST

22 CAN-SO-REF IS BACK

BY MIKE KENNY

14 WIEDEMAN AND HALL KEEP IT LOOSE IN THE LOCKER ROOM

BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN 16 ONTARIO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE IS ACADEMIC TO SOCCER EXCELLENCE

BY DAVE KENNY

26 TFC CRASH OUT OF CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN 28 INSIDESOCCER MARKETPLACE 32 2013 SOCCER HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE’S 34 WE CONTINUE TO ASK THE QUESTION – HOW TO MAKE SOCCER EVEN BETTER?

18 2013 CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

CANADA’S

PREMIER SOC CER MAGAZIN

E WWW.IN SIDE

Contributing Photographers The Canadian Soccer Association/Mexsport, BMO, FC Edmonton, Soccer Hall of Fame, Paul Giamou, Les Jones – COVERSHOTS Inc., Arthur Kwiatkowski ARSENiK Studios Inc., Tony Lewis, François Mellet, Oliver Spring, Toronto FC 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.

Information contained in ISM has been compiled from sources believed to be correct.

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 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 Web site: www.insidesoccer.ca Printed in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without written permission of the publisher

6 February/March 2012 © Copyright InsideSOCCER Magazine

Informing and Entertain Canadian Soccer Com ing the munity Sinc e 1992

DESERT DREA

ON THE COVER: Hanson Boakai is Canada’s U-17 offensive sparkplug, and the FC Edmonton 16-year-old will look to make an impact in the upcoming 2013 U-17 World Cup in the UAE. Photo Courtesy of the Canadian Soccer Association/Mexsport

gETTINg HO MS: T U-17 WORLD FOR CUP

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

TORONTO FC OF CANADIANCRASH OUT CHAMPIONSHI P 2013 SOCCER FAME INDUCT HALL OF EES WIEDEMAN AND KEEP IT LOOSE HALL IN THE LOCKER OOM

SOCCER.CA

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Striker Andrew Gordon (left) battle’s Panama’s Kevin Galvan. Gordon, who plays in Woodbridge, Ont., scored twice in the Quarter Finals against Jamaica setting up a match against Panama in the Semi’s

When Canada qualified for the U-17 World Cup, the team had to deal with the combination of heat and humidity at the CONCACAF Championships in Panama.

DESERT

DREAMS:

getting hot for U-17 World Cup

BY STEVEN SANDOR Photographs Courtesy of Canadian Soccer Association/Mexsport When the team heads to the United Arab Emirates in October for the U-17 World Cup, the players will again have to adjust to heat. Desert heat. The average October high temperature in Dubai? A steamy 36˚C. And the low? A warm 24˚C. To get ready for the elements, coach Sean Fleming is planning to take his young charges to an Arizona camp in August, “to replicate the desert elements.” Then, the team will go to either Morocco or Qatar for more preparation. Ten days before the tournament begins, the Canadian U-17s will get to the UAE. But who will go on the trip? Even though the Canadians did well to qualify, there are no guarantees in soccer. Just because you made it to the squad that played in Panama doesn’t guarantee you a ticket to the Middle East. Fleming brought five members of the Whitecaps Residency, five TFC Academy players, two members of FC Edmonton’s set-up and a single player from the Montreal Impact Academy to Panama. That’s 13 players from the four major pro academies in Canada. The rest came from smaller, amateur clubs. And Fleming said more of those players 8 June/July 2013

Whitecaps Residency prospect Marco Bustos from Winnipeg, Manitoba was a regular call-up to Canada’s U-17 men’s team in 2012. He will look to play a big role for Canada in the upcoming U-17 World Cup

Even though the Canadians did well to qualify, there are no guarantees in soccer. Just because you made it to the squad that played in Panama doesn’t guarantee you a ticket to the Middle East.

need to think about moving out of their smaller clubs — because it could impact their selections to the national team in the future.

“When we left Panama I told players that there could be changes ahead for the World Cup,” said Fleming. “You know in reality that there are going to be injuries, that other players may become available.

And I told some of the players that they aren’t in the challenging environments they could be in. The professional environment is where you are going to develop; that’s where the opposition is developing their players.”

One player who missed the trip to Panama but could figure in the plans for the UAE is Kianz Froese-Gonzalez. The Havana-born, Manitoba-raised player missed the CONCACAF qualifiers to injury, but he’s a highly rated prospect. He played in the qualifiers for the 2011 U-17 World Cup… for Cuba. But he’s since changed

affiliations from his birth country to Canada, and the Whitecaps’ Residency player could force his way back into Fleming’s line-up.

As for those who starred in Panama who could make a huge impact in the UAE, midfielder Hanson Boakai is at the top of the list. Boakai is the team’s offensive sparkplug, and the FC Edmonton 16-year-old scored a 20-yard screamer out of nothing to earn Canada a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica. Striker Andrew Gordon, who plays in Woodbridge, Ont. scored twice as Canada came back from two deficits to beat Jamaica 4-2 in the quarters of the CONCACAF tourney. TFC Academy prospect Jordan Hamilton played the role of the supersub, while Whitecaps’ Residency prospect Marco Bustos provided great service into the opposition’s penalty area.

No Canadian male team, be it senior or junior, has enjoyed as much diversity in

attack as Fleming’s charges.

“Definitely, we have some options in attack; we have players who can do things in the final third. But I think we have developed some intensity as a team, a real attitude that we can recover. Bad things are going to happen in a game.

The opposition is going to score. There are going to be bad calls. You have to recover and move on. That’s football. I am still concerned that we weren’t clinical enough in front of goal. And, the goals we gave up were on silly mistakes. It wasn’t a case of the other teams passing the ball through us and breaking us down. We made mistakes — and that means they can be corrected.”

But he did praise Boakai’s ability to conjure goals out of nothing.

“In today’s game, where teams defend so deep, you need to have players who can come up with a special goal. If you have a player who can do that, you force InsideSOCCER 9

defenders to respect that shot, and they can’t just defend deep. They change goals. The United States was knocked out of the tournament by Honduras by two cracker goals.”

There is one part of FIFA’s plan that frustrates Fleming. The draw doesn’t happen until late August, which doesn’t give the teams a lot of times to prepare after they’ve found out who they’ll be facing in the UAE. It impacts the friendlies that can be arranged before the tournament.

But, at least that’s a problem that’s the same for the entire field.

To get ready for the elements, coach Sean Fleming is planning to take his young charges to an Arizona camp in August, to replicate the desert elements. Then, the team will go to either Moroccoor Qatar for more preparation.

“I think we have developed some intensity as a team, a real attitude that we can recover.

Bad things are going to happen in a game. The opposition is going to score. There are going to be bad calls. You have to recover and move on.”

Canada Men’s U-17 2013 Team (left to right): Hanson Boakai, Andrew Gordon, Marco Bustos, Marco-Leonel Dominguez, Jordan Haynes, Matthew Chow, Elias Roubos, Ian Fernandez, Kevon Black, Alex Comsia, Marco Carducci

10 June/July 2013

Celebrating Soccer Coast to Coast The weather is warm, the grass is green and the lines are freshly painted. Soccer season is well underway and kids are kicking, dribbling and running their way through soccer fields across Canada.

Soccer is the most popular participation sport in the country, which is why BMO - the Bank of Soccer in Canada - is proud to support grassroots soccer with BMO Team of the Week.

BMO Team of the Week, now in its third year, is a program dedicated to recognizing youth soccer teams that display team pride, spirit, community involvement, and passion for the game. Based on those criteria, fifteen weekly winners are named, each team winning a $500 prize, a $500 donation to their charity of choice, BMO Team of the Week tracksuits, plus a community celebration at a local BMO branch. One of those 15 teams will then be named the 2013 BMO Team of the Week Champion, a title that is decided by Canadian soccer fans through online daily voting from August 5 – 19 at BMOsoccer.com. And the championship title prize is incredible: $5,000 to the team’s charity of choice, a trip to see a Canadian MLS or Canadian National team home game, and a $125,000 prize towards an upgrade of their local soccer filed - the largest prize of its kind in Canada!

This year, for the first time, BMO has brought on board three members of the Canadian Women’s National soccer team to highlight the importance of youth soccer and promote the program across the country. Diana Matheson, Erin McLeod and Rhian Wilkinson are BMO Team of the Week Ambassadors for 2013! These three soccer ambassadors are proof positive of how local youth soccer teams can play an important part in the development of young people, and hopefully their star power will encourage more boys and girls soccer teams across Canada to be part of BMO’s Team of the Week.

If you know a little soccer star between the ages of 7 and 12, go to BMOsoccer.com today to nominate their team as a BMO Team of the Week. There’s still time to enter! Nominations close July 12th.

12 June/July 2013

Every team has its characters...

Wiedeman & HALL keep it loose in the lockeroom

BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN

Photographs Courtesy of Paul Giamou/Toronto FC While the most famous character of all may be Mario Balotelli during his time at Manchester City, each and every locker room has a healthy mix of leaders, hardened veterans, young talents, and even pranksters. Some of football’s fondest memories come from player’s simply joking around. Who can forget Thierry Henry’s legendary interviewhandling skills, when a young Cesc Fabregas was asked if he had indeed been fouled.

“Say yes,” Henry muttered to Fabregas.

It was, at once, cheeky, clever and a treat for fans to see.

“That’s what you need in your team,” the newscaster adds. It certainly is.

Major League Soccer has its fair share of characters, too. Besides Henry, there are plenty of funny footballers across the league – Andrew Wenger and Zarek Valentin gave Montreal Impact fans a good laugh in various interviews. Stephen Keel and George John’s mock-infomercial, featuring the duo putting oranges into a blender, was a brilliant and comedic way of heating up a rivalry with MLS’ orangecoloured outfit, the Houston Dynamo.

Toronto FC has a pair of characters, too: Andrew Wiedeman and Jeremy Hall. Individually, the two are good for a funny quote here, a sarcastic punch there, and, as very good friends, the duo bring energy and humour to the Toronto FC locker room.

Yet these two pals have yet to be interviewed together, so InsideSOCCER decided to right this wrong and get the two talking once and for all. The first question was simple: how did you two first meet? The answer, and the rest of the interview, was riddled with laughter.

14 June/July 2013

“I think it was fate!” said Wiedeman.

“Nah, it was a GA (Generation Adidas) trip, we went to Spain together, and it was love at first sight! Then we played in Dallas together.”

“In Spain, we were really close off the field, dinners and, what was it, flamingo, the dancing and stuff?” said Hall.

“Yeah, we went and did some flamingo dancing,” answered Wiedeman.

“Yeah, then we played together in Dallas, so we had a little click,” said Hall.

“Yeah, it’s a little bromance,”Wiedeman agreed.

Hall was transferred to Toronto FC in November of 2011 for a second round draft pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. Six months later, Toronto FC picked up his former Dallas teammate, Wiedeman.

“I was excited!” Hall said, regarding the

news that Wiedeman had been signed

by Toronto.

“I requested a trade when he came here!” said Wiedeman, with a hint of sarcasm. “I walked straight into the coach’s office and said ‘get me to Toronto, first plane you got’ but they wouldn’t take me, they had to wait till a DP became available, it would take a DP for me to get in, so that’s how it went down.”

Wiedeman was, of course, sent to Toronto FC in a trade that saw under-fire Designated Player (DP) Julian de Guzman sent to FC Dallas. The two played at Dallas before being traded to Toronto, two of three players who were traded between the clubs in a series of transfers, Eric Avila being the third.

In their second season at Toronto FC, the two have increased their level of performances quite noticeably. Hall has moved from right fullback into a central midfield role and thrived, while Wiedeman notched an important second goal against the Montreal Impact at BMO Field in the Amway Canadian Championship.

For these two, Toronto may not be the final stop in their footballing careers.

When asked what other teams the two would like to one day play for, Hall recalled his time in Spain.

“I do have a good appreciation for Madrid after seeing their facilities and their game,” said Hall.

However, Wiedeman revealed that his sporting career could have been very, very different, so much so that Toronto fans may have just seen him don the blue of the Toronto Blue Jays, rather than the red of Toronto FC. “Yankees!” said Wiedeman, unexpectedly.

Hall was transferred to Toronto FC in November of 2011 for a second round draft pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft

In an effort to keep morale high, Wiedeman began posting jokes on the locker room’s board, which became known as the “joke of the day”.

“Not too many people know this about me, but, no joke, I could have played professional baseball. I should have, but I did the stupid thing and I followed my passion instead of taking the money. Seriously, I had a coach in eighth grade who played for the Yankees, Braves, Indians, no big deal, who told me I had the best hands at short stop he had ever seen.”

“C’mon,” I goaded. “Really?”

“I’m not lying!” said Wiedeman. “I mean, I probably wouldn’t have been like, a power slugger but I would have been a good leadoff batter, draw some walks, maybe get hit by a pitch every once in a while, like a David Eckstein. You know, I wouldn’t have been the biggest guy, buffed up on steroids – I’m not about that – but I would have made place.”

For now, the two continue their journey with Toronto FC, but with a recent string of last-minute breakdowns, the Toronto camp has been struggling.

In an effort to keep morale high, Wiedeman began posting jokes on the locker room’s board.

This became known as the “joke of the day,” but Wiedeman explains that this locker room tradition didn’t have the legs to survive very long.

“It was a tradition for about a week and then it stopped because I ran out of appropriate jokes,” said Wiedeman, Hall cracking up beside him. “It went on for about a week, I came in one day and everyone seemed kind of down so you know, I took it upon my shoulders and

said ‘I’m going to put a joke up on the board, try and lighten the mood a little bit,” and it worked.”

“Did it for every day, then we had double beef Friday that day where I did two cow jokes, you know, related to cows, and then I put one joke up that was a little dirty and it wasn’t well received so I took it down, it stopped! It was the end of a tradition!”

Ever the comedian, InsideSOCCER asked Wiedeman who is comedic icon was. There certainly is a touch of Steve Carell’s silliness mixed with the cleverness of Ricky Gervais in his speaking style, a confident swagger coupled with an astute understanding of both timing and word usage. Yet, it was not Gervais, Carell or other comedians like Will Ferrell that Wiedeman points to as his comedic hero, rather, the person – the friend – standing next to him.

“Jeremy,” said Wiedeman, to another round of laughter. “This guy’s funny, once you get him out of his shell!”

Don’t take my word for it though.

The two are active on social media and Wiedeman in particular uses the platform for random thoughts, contests and a way to connect to his fans. So, what makes for a successful social media presence as a footballer?

“Just be yourself,” said Wiedeman, before adding.

“Just be natural,” added Hall, the straight man to Wiedeman’s comic foil.

The two can be seen hanging out around Toronto and exploring the city. Balotelli once famously walked into the University

of Manchester campus, interrupting classes and asking if he could use the toilet. Wiedeman and Hall replicated this now-infamous story, having been spotted by some at Ryerson University.

“I filled out an application for the student housing right then!” said Wiedeman, when asked about his impressions of Ryerson University.

“Great location!” added Hall, before asking, “What was that coffee shop we went to?”

“Balzac’s” Wiedeman answered.

“Yeah, we went to Balzac’s, got a little coffee, some hot chocolate, right before a movie. We had to kill time so we’re like ‘why not?’ we scoped it out a bit, a good little campus, good location.”

“Lots of…nice looking people,” added Wiedeman, taking a well-timed pause.

“Good scenery.”

I wrapped the interview up by asking the two who they thought would win the UEFA Champions League: Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund. In unison, the two agreed on Bayern Munich.

“Oh, that’s going to be a good game,” said Hall. “Probably Bayern, it’s going to be a good game though.”

“Munich,” said Wiedeman. “When is that one?”

“May 25th,” Hall answered.”

How will they be spending the day?

“Team’s in Boston, yeah, so taking a nap,” Wiedeman concluded.

InsideSOCCER 15

COACH DAVE: MY CORNER

Ontario Player Development League is academic to soccer

EXCELLENCE

BY DAVE KENNY “The exciting new, high performance league”... and why I can’t support it!

At the recent Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) “Conference ‘13”, the Guide and Entry Proposal documents were released for the new Ontario Player Development League (OPDL). According to the documents, the OPDL will, “showcase the highest level of competition in Ontario youth soccer.” It also promises that the league will be “the go-to league” for NCAA, CIS, national and provincial scouts.

The OPDL is apparently the next step in the Long Term Player Development Plan and is scheduled to begin play next year with the under 13 age group. Those of you who read Inside Soccer Magazine regularly will know I am a huge supporter of player development and for the most part I am a big supporter of the LTDP. This league however, I CANNOT support. Let me explain...

One of the principles of the OPDL is that teams will not obtain admission by “promotion” from a lower league and will not be “relegated” for poor performance. Admission to the league is based entirely on whether a CLUB meets the criteria to play. The criteria consist of technical (coaching), facility and administrative standards.

Head Coaches of OPDL teams will need a minimum National B licence.

Assistant coaches will require a minimum of Pre B Provincial certification. The Head 16 June/July 2013

Coach must be paid. In addition, the club must have a paid goalkeeper coach who must be present for a minimum of two training sessions per team per week.

The club must also have a paid fitness coach with specific qualifications as well as a paid individual or organization responsible for injury prevention and treatment. Each club must also submit detailed development plans for ALL other coaches in the club, paid or volunteer.

One problem as I see it is that coaches who have National B status are most likely already employed. For a coach to advance from Provincial Pre B to Provincial B and then National B usually takes a minimum of two years. I hope there will not be a sudden awarding of B Licences just to ensure there are coaches available.

Facility requirements must allow for year round training at the highest standard. Portable goalposts MUST be available, indoor facilities MUST have heating and cooling, and regular programming must be maintained for the u8 to u12 age groups within the club, without compromising the OPDL programming. Winter training is also mandatory.

The administrative component to league admission is where the tightest restrictions have been placed. Each club will be required to prove that continued

participation in the league will not threaten other core programs. Clubs must submit a plethora of documentation including budgets, statements and copies of coaches’ contracts. In addition, clubs must have a paid administrator and policies for “player well-being” such as, “a healthy snack policy” and “a tobacco free policy.”

League Set Up

Under the OPDL, the league will divide teams into regional conferences and will play 28 games between April and November. All games will be played on Saturdays at multi-field venues where all teams can participate at the same venue on the same day. This is supposed to allow scouts to see all the players at one time, in one facility.

The league will arrange the schedule and book all venues. They will also arrange for field staff, medical staff and officials. It will, supposedly, ensure the schedule includes “rest” periods in order to maintain the minimum 3-1 training to game ratio.

Upon successful acceptance into the league, each club will be granted a licence to participate for a period of two years.

There is no relegation. After two years, the clubs will need to renew their licences and go through the process again.

In theory, this league looks fantastic!

It ensures high quality coaches, support staff and facilities. So why will I not support it? Quite simply, it is too expensive, does not guarantee the best players will be playing, strains the resources of community clubs and replaces programs already in place that are not fully utilized.

The cost of the league does NOT ensure the best players will participate.

League registration fees for each team are $9,000. But clubs cannot register one team. Even though the league will only operate at the u13 age next year, clubs that offer programs for both sexes

MUST agree to operate a boys and girls OPDL team. So the $9,000 is really a commitment of $18,000. Additionally, there is a provision to allow clubs to operate “reserve” teams as well, so the total could be even higher. The OPDL estimates the cost per player to cover other expenses is $4,000-$4,500. On the assumption that the OSA estimates are accurate, an eighteen player roster means a budget of $90,000 per team, including registration. If there is no duplication of services, how many clubs in Ontario can realistically add an additional $180,000 per year to its expenditures? With another age group being added in each year from 2015 to 2019, budgets could easily escalate to a half million dollars. If funding cannot be found by sponsorship, costs will need to be absorbed by the players.

So, the best players will not necessarily be playing - the players whose parents’ can afford the $4,500 will be playing. The OPDL document does allow for a “limited number” of hardship cases to have their league fees waived. But what exactly is the league fee for each player? It is surely not $4,500. If a player’s portion of league fees is calculated as a share of the $9,000 team registration, then his share is $500, meaning he will still need to come up with another $3,500-$4,000.

There are also no guarantees that players from the clubs selected will be given spots on the OPDL team. Players from within the same region as an OPDL club, willing to pay, will look to compete for spots against local players, given the promises of possible NCAA scholarships etc. Essentially, the ODPL will create its own poaching system where players will leave his/her own community club in order to play OPDL. Doesn’t this already happen with teams that get promoted to play in OYSL? The difference here is that the coach won’t need to recruit. The system will do it for him.

Currently, the best players in Ontario generally play in the OYSL. I know of players who were told by provincial coaches that if they wanted to stay in the provincial program, they needed to play OYSL. What I don’t understand is why the OSA has turned against the OYSL, a league it created. If the goal is to stop OYSL teams from poaching players, the

OPDL will not eliminate that. If the OSA wants better coaching at the elite level, they should mandate it. If they want to eliminate promotion and relegation, then do it! Have teams apply to play OYSL. I could argue that the OPDL might just be a money grab. With registration of $9,000 per team and a maximum of 24 teams accepted in 2014, in both male and female divisions, OSA revenues could be $432,000. By 2016 revenues could be $1.3 million. Not wanting to appear cynical, I will leave this to discuss on your own.

The OPDL documents repeatedly mention that u8 to u12 programs must be protected. What that is telling me is that the OSA has given up on anyone born prior to year 2000. Obviously, the OSA is looking well into the future and has no interest in the players currently u13 or older. The OPDL will be phased in to eventually include all age groups but only for players born 2001 and later.

Older players must not be forgotten. We need to keep them involved in order to complete the LTDP and keep them for life. By not including older players in new programs, we increase the risk of losing participants at an age where traditionally other recreation opportunities become available (i.e. golf and rugby).

What annoys me most about the OPDL is that the OSA is re-creating programs that are already in existence.

The district program, currently operated at the u12 level and the regional program (u13), is essentially what the OSA is trying to create with the OPDL. Teams in the OPDL will be made up of regional players no matter which town or city the team is named after. Expanding the district or regional programs would be a far more economical alternative to the OPDL. Currently, the district program ends when players are passed forward to the u13 regional program. The regional program ends when players progress to provincial. Players who are released are essentially out of the running for a provincial or national team down the line. A “district league” could be operated in all age groups u12 and up from March 1 to April 30 and again from September 1 until mid November each year.

Players would be available at all other times to his/her club team. By keeping

the district teams together, players will never be forgotten and late developers will not be missed. District teams could play in multi field venues to allow all scouts to see the players at the same time. Surely the cost for these teams would be less than $90,000 per year and could be shared by the community clubs the players call home.

Long term, perhaps the solution is found in our hockey system. Why don’t we encourage private enterprise to create a Junior Soccer League similar to the Ontario Hockey League? A private owner, competing against fellow investors would put together all the technical and support staff necessary to compete at the highest level. I would prefer to let the people who can afford it and not the community clubs pay for an OPDL type league. The Canadian Junior hockey system is the best development league in hockey. Why would we not consider a similar system for soccer?

What the OSA has created with the OPDL is nothing more than what is available at the many academies around the province.

These academies have qualified coaches, centralised games and at a similar cost per player. So the model that the OSA admonished for years is the same model it is now using for its premier league.

Will the OPDL be around in 2014?

I think it will. But I think it will have a different look than the OSA is expecting.

They will not make the 24 teams per gender as hoped, unless they loosen the rules. Now that the OSA has made peace with the academies, I think a number of these OPDL teams will be academies.

They have the support systems in place and the experience to operate. You may see some of these academies affiliating with a community club to share resources or maybe even see a few clubs trying to work together to field an OPDL team.

Would I like to see my club apply for an OPDL team? I hate to say it, but I say “No.” We have just about everything in place on the technical side but I don’t think now is the time to commit $180,000. Maybe we should see if the league survives the first two years and then reconsider.

I hope EGO does not win out over COMMON SENSE! InsideSOCCER 17

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Sat, Jun 01

Nelson Stadium

5:00 PM Burlington SC

SC Waterloo

7:00 PM Windsor Stars Sat, Jun 01 Windsor Stadium

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Sun, Jun 02 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

London City

Sun, Jun 02 St. Joan of Arc

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

Brampton City Utd

Sun, Jun 02 Centennial Stadium

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Serbian White Eagles

HOME TEAM

Fri, Jul 05

Hellenic Com Centre

8:30 PM London City

Astros Vasas FC

Fri, Jul 05

Centennial Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

York Region Shooters

Sat, Jul 06

Queens West Field

5:00 PM Kingston FC

Toronto Croatia

7:00 PM Niagara United Sat, Jul 06 Kalar Sports Park

Wed, Jun 05 Club Roma Park

AWAY TEAM

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Astros Vasas FC Sun, Jul 07

Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

Serbian White Eagles

Sun, Jul 07

Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

Brampton City Utd

Sun, Jul 07

Nelson Stadium

7:00 PM Burlington SC

London City

Sun, Jul 07

St. Joan of Arc

7:30 PM York Region Shooters

Windsor Stars

Fri, Jun 07

Hellenic Com Centre

8:30 PM London City

Serbian White Eagles

Sat, Jun 08

Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

York Region Shooters

1:00 PM Kingston FC

Windsor Stars

Wed, Jul 10 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves London City

Fri, Jul 12

Centennial Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

Toronto Croatia

Sat, Jul 13

Windsor Stadium

7:00 PM Windsor Stars

Kingston FC

Sun, Jul 14

Terry Fox (Ching Park)

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

Niagara United

Sun, Jun 09 Queens West Field

Sun, Jun 09 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

Toronto Croatia

Sun, Jun 09 Victoria Park

7:00 PM Brampton City Utd

Burlington SC

Sun, Jun 09 Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

Serbian White Eagles

Fri, Jun 14

Sat, Jun 15

Centennial Stadium

Windsor Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

7:00 PM Windsor Stars

Niagara United

Astros Vasas FC

Sun, Jun 16 Queens West Field

1:00 PM Kingston FC

London City

Sun, Jun 16 Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

SC Waterloo

6:30 PM York Region Shooters Sun, Jun 16 St. Joan of Arc

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Sun, Jun 16 Centennial Stadium

Niagara United

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Wed, Jun 19 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Brampton City Utd

Fri, Jun 21

Hellenic Com Centre

8:30 PM London City

Windsor Stars

Sat, Jun 22

Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

Burlington SC

Sun, Jul 14

Nelson Stadium

7:00 PM Burlington SC

York Region Shooters

Sun, Jul 14

Windsor Stadium

7:00 PM Windsor Stars

SC Waterloo

Sun, Jul 14

Centennial Stadium

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Astros Vasas FC

Wed, Jul 17 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Toronto Croatia

Sat, Jul 20

Queens West Field

5:00 PM Kingston FC

Serbian White Eagles

Sat, Jul 20

Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

London City

Sun, Jul 21

Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

Burlington SC

Sun, Jul 21 Victoria Park 5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Sun, Jul 21

St. Joan of Arc

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

Toronto Croatia

Sun, Jul 21

Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

Windsor Stars

Sun, Jun 23 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

York Region Shooters

Sun, Jun 23 Nelson Stadium

5:00 PM Burlington SC

Windsor Stars

Sat, Jul 27

Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

Astros Vasas FC

Sun, Jun 23 Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

Kingston FC

Sat, Jul 27

Windsor Stadium

7:00 PM Windsor Stars

Serbian White Eagles

Sun, Jun 23 Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

London City

Sat, Jul 27

Kiwanis Field

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Kingston FC

Sun, Jul 28

Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

London City

Sun, Jul 28

St. Joan of Arc

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

SC Waterloo

Sun, Jul 28

Nelson Stadium

7:00 PM Burlington SC

Toronto Croatia

Fri, Aug 02

Hellenic Com Centre

8:30 PM London City

Toronto Croatia

Sun, Jun 23 Centennial Stadium 8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Fri, Jun 28

Warrior Field Waterloo

8:15 PM SC Waterloo

Sun, Jun 30 Queens West Field 1:00 PM Kingston FC

18 June/July 2013

St. Catharines Roma Wolves Astros Vasas FC

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

hedule - 2013 SEASON

Fri, Aug 02

Centennial Stadium

HOME TEAM

AWAY TEAM

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

SC Waterloo

Sat, Aug 03 Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

Windsor Stars

Sun, Aug 04 Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

Serbian White Eagles

Sun, Aug 04 Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

Toronto Croatia

Wed, Aug 07 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Niagara United

Fri, Aug 09

Windsor Stadium

8:00 PM Windsor Stars

London City

Fri, Aug 09

Centennial Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

Burlington SC

Sun, Aug 11 Queens West Field

1:00 PM Kingston FC

HOME TEAM

AWAY TEAM

Sun, Sep 01 Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

Astros Vasas FC

Sun, Sep 01 Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

York Region Shooters

Wed, Sep 04 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Serbian White Eagles

Sat, Sep 07 Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

Serbian White Eagles

Sun, Sep 08 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

SC Waterloo

5:00 PM Burlington SC Sun, Sep 08 Nelson Stadium

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Sun, Sep 08 Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

York Region Shooters

Sun, Sep 08 Centennial Stadium

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Windsor Stars

Fri, Sep 13

8:30 PM London City

Burlington SC

SC Waterloo Hellenic Com Centre

Sun, Aug 11 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Sun, Aug 11 Nelson Stadium

7:00 PM Burlington SC

Niagara United

Sun, Sep 15 Nelson Stadium

5:00 PM Burlington SC

Astros Vasas FC

Sun, Aug 11 Windsor Stadium

7:00 PM Windsor Stars

York Region Shooters

Sun, Sep 15 Victoria Park

5:30 PM Brampton City Utd

Toronto Croatia

Sun, Aug 11 Centennial Stadium

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Brampton City Utd

Sun, Sep 15 St. Joan of Arc

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

Niagara United

Sun, Sep 15 Warrior Field Waterloo

7:00 PM SC Waterloo

Kingston FC

Windsor Stars

Sun, Sep 15 Club Roma Park

7:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Windsor Stars

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Wed, Sep 18 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves York Region Shooters

Fri, Aug 16

Centennial Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

Sat, Aug 17 Hellenic Com Centre 7:00 PM London City

Sat, Aug 17 Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United Kingston FC

Sun, Aug 18 Victoria Park

3:00 PM Brampton City Utd

Windsor Stars

Sun, Aug 18 St. Joan of Arc

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

Burlington SC

Sun, Aug 18 Centennial Stadium

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

SC Waterloo

Wed, Aug 21 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves Burlington SC

Fri, Aug 23

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

London City

Sat, Aug 24 Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

Toronto Croatia

Sun, Aug 25 Queens West Field

1:00 PM Kingston FC

Astros Vasas FC

Sun, Aug 25 St. Joan of Arc

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

London City

Sun, Aug 25 Nelson Stadium

7:00 PM Burlington SC

Brampton City Utd

Wed, Aug 28 Club Roma Park

8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves SC Waterloo

Centennial Stadium

Fri, Aug 30

Hellenic Com Centre

8:30 PM London City

Kingston FC

Fri, Aug 30

Centennial Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

Brampton City Utd

5:00 PM Windsor Stars

Niagara United

Sat, Aug 31 Windsor Stadium

Fri, Sep 20

Hellenic Com Centre

8:30 PM London City

Brampton City Utd

Fri, Sep 20

Centennial Stadium

9:00 PM Serbian White Eagles

Kingston FC

Sat, Sep 21 Kalar Sports Park

7:00 PM Niagara United

SC Waterloo

Sun, Sep 22 Queens West Field

1:00 PM Kingston FC

York Region Shooters

Sun, Sep 22 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

Brampton City Utd

Sun, Sep 22 Centennial Stadium

Burlington SC

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Sat, Sep 28 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

Niagara United

Sat, Sep 28 Windsor Stadium

7:00 PM Windsor Stars

Brampton City Utd

Sun, Sep 29 Nelson Stadium

5:00 PM Burlington SC

Kingston FC

Sun, Sep 29 Warrior Field Waterloo 7:00 PM SC Waterloo

St. Catharines Roma Wolves

Sun, Sep 29 Centennial Stadium

York Region Shooters

8:00 PM Toronto Croatia

Sun, Oct 06 Esther Shiner Stadium 3:30 PM Astros Vasas FC

Windsor Stars

Sun, Oct 06 St. Joan of Arc

Kingston FC

6:30 PM York Region Shooters

WWW.canadiansoccerleague.com InsideSOCCER 19

FC EDMONTON

WHAT A

DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES

BY STEVEN SANDOR

Photographs by Tony Lewis

You hear it all the time. After a match, usually after a particularly good or wretched performance by the team in question, a coach reminds the media that the season “is a marathon, not a sprint.”

It’s a reminder that we shouldn’t put too much stock in a single game — as it’s part of a team’s evolutionary process; the true mettle of a club is proven by consistent results over time.

But in NASL, the season is a sprint, not a marathon. Each and every game — even in May, is magnified.

When, during the offseason, North America’s Division 2 announced it was changing formats for the 2013 season, going to a split-season schedule, we could only wonder what it would mean for the NASL. Now, halfway through the first half of the spring season, we have a pretty darn good idea.

It has created a league where every week, the shifting of the league table is a big deal. When the final game of a weekend is completed, the league sends out a newsletter going through all the shuffles in the standings.

Last year, the league decided to kill the playoffs, and go to a split-season format not unlike we see in Central or South Lance Laing was the best player on the pitch in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semi-final against the Whitecaps 20 June/july 2013

American leagues, which have Apertura and Clausura campaigns.

In the spring of 2013, each of the seven NASL teams — including FC Edmonton — plays a 12-game schedule.

At the end of the campaign (early July), the winner of the table gets to host the Soccer Bowl in the autumn. Most of July is off time, as the general managers are given the opportunity to take advantage of the international transfer window. The New York Cosmos join as an expansion franchise. Then, from August to October, each of the eight NASL teams plays a 14-game schedule. The winner of the fall session is the road team in the Soccer Bowl.

So, at the end of May, FCE was already halfway through its spring session. After six matches, the Eddies had eight points, a +1 goal differential, and sat in a pack with three other teams, all of them three points behind the first-place Carolina RailHawks.

But the Eddies had a major advantage: Because Edmonton’s climate makes it difficult to play home games in March and early April, the Eddies began the season on an extended road trip to southern locales and Minnesota’s Metrodome. Now, with just six games to make up the three-point gap to Carolina, the Eddies know four of them will be at home. They’ve already burned two-thirds of their road schedule.

And, through two home matches, the Eddies were perfect at Clarke Stadium, a far cry from last season when FCE won just three times on home turf all season long.

With so little time to determine who gets to host the Soccer Bowl, each NASL match takes on the feel of a Cup game.

Case in point: On May 12, the Eddies — on their first nationally televised game on Sportsnet on The Score as part of a ninegame commitment with Rogers — took a 2-0 lead into the half over the Atlanta Silverbacks. A red card issued to Atlanta keeper Joe Nasco put the Silverbacks down to 10 men. The game, at halftime, was effectively over.

Chris Nurse is more known as one of the hardest men in NASL than he is for scoring goals. Nurse has brought steel to the Eddies’ spine.

But, understanding that, with a table so close and the spring season rapidly coming to a close, FCE coach Colin Miller demanded more from his team. He understood that a trip to the Soccer Bowl could come down to goal difference.

“I want to get a good result here and move up the league and I want the players to learn to be absolutely ruthless here,” Miller said before taking his team into the halftime team talk.

And, after the game, Miller gathered his team in a circle, and it was clear he wasn’t pleased. The final score was 3-0 — as Canadian Michael Cox paced the attack with two goals — but it was clear Miller wasn’t happy with his team.

That’s the sort of pressure the teams face where every game is magnified.

When you only have 12 games to get to the finish line, a big win or a big loss can turn a season on its ear.

“Going into the season, we knew about the importance of winning the home games,” Miller said. “Especially with this format. I am not a big fan of the way the league is set up; that’s Colin Miller’s opinion, not FC Edmonton’s Laing and Nurse opinion. I have no problem with the July break, but I believe that the league should have a champion and that there should be playoffs.”

Why is Edmonton already so much better than the team that finished dead

Boakai at FC Edmonton training camp. last in the league in 2012? There are two major areas of improvement, at left back and the holding midfield slot.

We all know that good left backs are treated like gold. Finding a left-footed player who can get up and down the pitch is like looking for a Holy Grail. For two seasons, the left back position was a major issue for FCE. But, in former NASL Best XI selection Lance Laing, the Eddies are now arguably better at left back than anyone else in the league.

Laing has been vital to the Eddies’ attack. Miller said it’s a mission of his to help Laing find his way back onto the Jamaican national team.

And Laing was the best player on the pitch in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semi-final against the Whitecaps. The Caps won that Commonwealth Stadium leg 3-2, but a goal came on a controversial penalty drawn by Camilo. The first Whitecaps goal came off a free kick and was allowed, despite the presence of Darren Mattocks, in an offside position, interfering with the play.

Laing set up both Edmonton goals and neutralized the Whitecaps’ presence down their right side. Laing missed the second leg at BC Place due to a concussion and the Eddies, who had defender Adrian LeRoy sent off early in the second half, lost 2-0.

Chris Nurse scored off a Laing corner in that first leg against the Whitecaps.

But the Guyanese national-teamer is more known as one of the hardest men in NASL than he is for scoring goals. Nurse has brought steel to the Eddies’ spine.

When Miller was hired, he looked at tape of the 2012 season and lamented how “soft” the team looked. Nurse was brought in, and it wouldn’t be unfair to call him a second-division version of Patrick Vieira. He jokes that he’d kick his granny if it meant it would help his club win.

With Clarke Stadium now boosted in capacity from 1,200 to 4,000 seats, and a partnership deal with Rogers that will see the NASL and the Eddies promoted on that company’s media holdings, owner Tom Fath has some reason for hope.

And Nurse and Laing are two reasons why the team playing on the Clarke turf has won its first two home matches.

InsideSOCCER 21

CAN-SO-REF

CAN-SO-REF IS BACK! Welcome to the latest edition of Can-So-Ref within InsideSOCCER Magazine. By re-launching Can-So-Ref, we hope to provide Referees with a platform to share news, ask questions and communicate with fellow Referees.

BY MIKE KENNY In future issues of ISM, Can-So-Ref will feature good stories about young up and coming Referees, as well as share stories from more experienced Referees that will amuse and educate younger Referees and

others who love this game.

In this issue, we take a look at how to properly inspect the pitch before a game, as well as congratulate some of our fellow referee’s on their accomplishments.

If you have any questions or enquiries or would like more information about Can-So-Ref or the OSRA, please email Mike Kenny at cansoref@gmail.com.

INSPECTING THE FIELD

BY DON WILES, EDUCATION OFFICER OSRA When it comes to safety, almost any company in the world will say safety is our first priority. Many mean it! Some do not! If you really believe safety is the first priority, you have to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. What does that mean to a soccer referee?

In our world, safety should be a number 1 priority. FIFA, CSA and OSA all tout the requirement for safe playing experiences for all players, as they should. But safety on the professional field is vastly different than safety on the amateur (children’s) field. As I point out in my instructional seminars on foul recognition, professional players are very different when compared to a young person playing youth soccer at the local park. Most of the professional games we watch on television involve men’s teams.

These players are some of the fitness most muscular athletes in the world.

Most of them have body mass indexes 22 June/July 2013

(BMI) in the single digit range. These players are mean, lean football-playing machines. The professional/international ladies’ teams are not far behind. These players have low BMI and fully developed bone structures. The players we find on the local pitch are vastly different than the professionals on television.

They are not as strong and there bone structure is not fully developed. So watch the professional matches. Learn from observing professional referees but understand the professional game is quite a bit different than the amateur game. Events that do not draw the attention of the referee in a professional match demand the referee’s whistle in the amateur match.

I hope to offer a few articles for CanSo-Ref over the next few publications that will help District level referees in understanding what to look for and what to do to make your games safer events.

Let’s start with an item that is identical for an EPL match, an MLS game or an U13 girl’s game in Scarborough – Field Inspection.

If you were to travel with a crew of provincial or national level referees to a game anywhere in Canada, the very first thing the crew will do is inspect the field.

You cannot have a safe game if there are safety hazards on the field. Do you show up a half hour prior to kickoff and inspect the field? You must do this inspection!

It is your responsibility as the referee to declare that the field is playable. No one else can make that call. That includes coaches, parents, the president of the soccer club or anyone else at the field prior to kickoff. Only the referee can make the decision. It is your first major decision for this game and it is a very important decision.

What should you be inspecting when you arrive at a field? I like to start looking

at the pitch as I approach the field. Get a broad view of the overall pitch. This is the time you will notice garbage cans that may be too close to the field or portable benches that may need to be moved back. Some spectators may be too close to the sideline. This is a great time to set the distance for spectators when there is a small number to move. Herd mentality works at this point. Once the line of chairs starts to form, subsequent arrivals will line up with the early ones you asked to move.

At this point, I enter the pitch from one end. I walk up to the first corner flag. Is the top of the flag near my chin to my nose? OK! It is tall enough. What is the right spot for your height? Is it smooth and free of sharp edges and pushed well into the ground so there is no hazard at ground level? Good! One down – three to go!

Sometimes the teams do not have

corner flags. They often want to use cones. The flat Frisbee style is fine. The taller construction style is not permitted.

A player could fall on a cone in the corner area and incur a major internal injury from the taller cones.

OSRA Indoor Tournament a Success Pictured are the North York Soccer Referees who participated in the recent OSRA Indoor Tournament.

The Scarborough Branch ended up winning the tournament but a good time was had by all who participated.

From the first corner flag, I walk to the net. The netting is important. You do not want holes through which the ball may pass and the referee misses a goal. However, some goals do not have netting. Indeed, the laws of the game do not demand netting. What is important?

Are the posts anchored into the ground?

Are they solid? Are they rusty? Could one break and fall on a player? Check the welds at the top corners. Are there any cracks in the welds? Could the cross bar break free and fall on child below the bar?

A falling cross bar could cause a fatality!

Cracked welds or posts with rust holes means the game cannot begin. There is a serious hazard on the field. Give those anchored posts a good shake. Make sure they are strong.

Today, many soccer clubs are employing portable nets that can be moved from field to field or pushed away to permit the grass to be cut. They are made of aluminum. They are light and very versatile. The problem is that very few clubs anchor this style of net to prevent it from tipping over. Even though the net is fairly light, serious damage can be done to a player if the net tips over. The net should be anchored to the ground or weighted down with sand bags. See Law #1 page 11 of the 2012/2013 Laws of the Game. Encourage your local club to anchor all nets!

Check the backside of the goal post.

Many of the old goals have large steel hooks, which are used to hang the netting for the goal. These hooks are a huge safety hazard. A goal keeper diving to make a save can have his/her hand, arm or even his/her face slide down over these hooks. These hooks can cause a devastating injury. Do not start a game on a field where the nets have steel hooks.

After I am finished with my look at one end of the field (nets and corner flags) I walk towards the referee area between the team benches. I do not go straight there. I meander around the half of the field I am in. I am looking for items on the field – broken glass, sticks, dog poop. I will pick up a stick or other foreign objects on InsideSOCCER 23

my way to the bench. I draw the line at dog poop. That responsibility belongs to the home coach. I hope he has a shovel or a spare plastic bag.

Obviously, the other end of the field gets similar treatment. While you are meandering around the field look for sprinkler heads that are sticking up above the sod. If a sprinkler head cannot be push down to sod level, you cannot use the field. On more than one occasion, I have been completing my walking inspection and sunk past my ankle in

mud. The sprinkler head had been leaking for days. The field in that area was a quagmire. The coaches wanted to mark the area with cones so the players would not run there. You can imagine my decision about that idea.

Natural turf fields are deteriorating in quality. They are expensive to maintain and many herbicides and pesticides cannot be employed. The fields can be a bit rough. Be reasonable! As long as there are no ankle breaking holes, the field is likely playable. Would an MLS team play

on our fields? No! But it is what we have.

So be safe but be reasonable.

Are you a professional referee? You are being paid, so technically you are a professional. Are you behaving the way a professional referee should behave?

Inspect every field you enter. That is what the high level referees do and so should you!

Congratulations to Rick Singh of Richmond Hill!

Rick Singh has been selected to receive the Ontario Soccer Association’s Centre Circle Meritorious Award. Rick has contributed greatly to the sport of soccer at Richmond Hill and beyond. He recently received his OSA Meritorious Award at the OSA AGM in Niagara Falls. Rick Has served as Head Referee of Richmond Hill Soccer Club and Board Member of the OSRA, York Region Branch for over 25 years.

24 June/July 2013

TORONTO FC

TORONTO FC CRASH OUT OF

CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN Photographs Courtesy of Canadian Soccer Association/By François Mellet

It’s an Amway Canadian Championship Toronto FC will want to forget.

For the past four years, the Canadian Championship, and its trophy, the Voyageurs Cup, has been in Toronto FC’s hands. The victories ranged from concentrated efforts of success to wild, unbelievable finales, each year a different face off against the Vancouver Whitecaps or the Montreal Impact, each year, the same result – the cup stayed at BMO Field.

No more. This year, for Canadian soccer’s most prestigious title, Toronto FC has missed the championship finals and for the first time in four years, a new 26 June/July 2013

victor will be crowned. The Vancouver Whitecaps battle the Montreal Impact, as the two newer Canadian Major League Soccer outfits look to stake their claims – and for one, to carve its name – on the Voyageurs Cup. It’s a shame, for a city that has suffered plenty of heartbreak over the last few months. Most famously, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 4-1 lead over the Boston Bruins in game seven of the first round of hockey’s Stanley Cup playoffs, in a series tied at 3-3, and lost it in overtime.

Unlike the Leafs, however, Toronto FC

didn’t leave it late, instead, falling apart from the first whistle against the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo.

Calamity, disaster, a fundamental breakdown in the game of soccer – all these words, and more, can be used to describe the events that took place at Stade Saputo. It wasn’t always the case.

Things were looking so promising for Toronto FC. Rejuvenated under Ryan Nelsen, Toronto approached the first leg at BMO Field with confidence. Nelsen started every Canadian sans an injured Terry Dunfield, to great effect. Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio bossed the midfield, Ashtone Morgan contained Daniele Paponi, and Doneil Henry looked dominant in the box. Emery Welshman was lively, albeit ineffective, on the wing, and Toronto cruised to a 2-0 win at BMO Field.

Of course, it was a goal with a Canadian flavour that put Toronto ahead, Sanna Nyassi battles John Bostock for possession in semi-final leg 1

when Doneil Henry’s sweet strike from outside the box smashed into the roof of the net. Andrew Wiedeman scored Toronto’s second, and the club travelled to Montreal confident the result would be theirs.

After the game, Montreal head coach Marco Schallibaum was criticized for not using the best possible starting XI against Toronto FC. Leading up to the game, Toronto promised to use a similar reserve line up. For the first 20 minutes of the game, Toronto’s young team looked capable of containing Montreal and holding on to the 2-0 aggregate lead.

Then it all fell apart. Marco Schallibaum had indeed rested important players in Toronto, but at Stade Saputo in Montreal, the Impact played a full team of starters, and Marco Di Vaio was called from the bench in the first half, too. The result was catastrophic for Toronto FC. Justin Mapp scored on the 24th minute, cutting

Robert Earnshaw chases down Montreal’s Justin Mapp during the Second Leg of the Semi Final.

Toronto’s aggregate lead in half; less than 10 minutes later, Daniele Paponi added Montreal’s second, tying the series.

Marco Di Vaio came on, and it was lights out for Toronto FC right before half time, when the Italian hitman scored Montreal’s third. The second half was even crueller to Toronto and even more dominant from Montreal, as the Impact scored three more before the final whistle blew; Andres Romero, Di Vaio and Andrew Wenger all scored, giving Montreal a 6-0 win at home and a 6-2 series final score.

It would be Montreal’s first Voyageurs Cup final since their CONCACAF Champions League run back in 2008.

It would also be the first Canadian Championship final Toronto FC missed since 2009.

This final leg is a series that illustrates the vastly different styles of play; where Vancouver is an attacking outfit that builds up with the midfield and uses its fullbacks to push forward, Montreal is a team that soaks up pressure, plays deep in its half before springing forward.

Yet it was the Toronto-Montreal tie that exposed everything that works wonderfully in Montreal and everything Toronto FC still needs to work on; the counterattacking style Montreal has developed yields results under pressure and, when working, can be a devastating force to be reckoned with; Toronto just could not contain Montreal when they broke, and the Impact managed to find goal after goal exposing Toronto’s

weak spots.

Now, Toronto FC can focus on the league for the first time in four years, while the Montreal Impact can flex its muscles on an international stage once more, should it advance past Vancouver.

Whatever the final result, one thing is certain – Toronto FC will be back next year, and with a chip on its shoulder, it only makes for an exciting encounter in 2014.

2013 Amway Canadian Championship Semi Final - Leg 2 - Andrés Romero Goal InsideSOCCER 27

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InsideSOCCER 31

THE SOCCER HALL OF FAME

2013 INDUCTEES TEAM OF DISTINCTION 1984 CANADIAN MEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM – In 1984, The National Men’s team qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time in our history. It was during this competition that Canada recorded one of its finest victories with a 3-1 win over Cameroon before 27,621 fans. Canada was matched up against Brazil in the quarter finals with the game ending in a shoot out resulting in an impressive fifth place finish for the Canadian squad. This team formed the nucleus of the team that qualified for the World Cup for the first time two years later.

PLAYERS JANINE HELLAND – Janine played 47 times for Canada and was a member of the Women’s World Cup team in 1995 and captioned the team in1999. She was a member of the iconic Edmonton Angels team that won the Jubliee Trophy in 1995 and 1999. She also won a silver medal in two CONCACAF championships. During her outstanding playing career Janine was voted Canadian Female Player of the Year for 1997 and was runner-up for the honours in 1996 and 1998. In 2012, Janine was named to the All-Time Canada XI team as part of the Canadian Soccer Association’s Centennial Celebrations.

32 June/July 2013

JASON DEVOS – Jason played 49 times for Canada and captained the team that won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000. He began his professional career in the old Canadian Soccer League with the London Lazers in 1990. When the league folded in 1992, he moved to Montreal to play for the Impact in the American Professional Soccer League appearing in 55 games before crossing the Atlantic to play in the England Leagues. During his career Jason played a total of 398 games and scored 32 goals in the English Leagues before retiring with Ipswich Town at the end of the 2007-2008 season.

PAUL PESCHISOLIDO – Paul came to prominence during the FIFA Under-16 World Tournament in 1987 and went on to play 53 times for Canada. He was a member of Canada’s CONCACAF Gold Cup winning team in 2000. Paul began his professional career in the old Canadian Soccer League with the Toronto Blizzard in 1989. When the league folded in 1992, Paul had a trial with English First Division club Birmingham City and was quickly signed. During his English pro career he played 447 games in England’s Football League and scored 118 goals.

BUILDERS BILL GILHESPY - Bill has been involved in soccer at the provincial, national and international levels for over 40 years. He served as President of the Alberta Soccer

Association from 1980 to 1984. In 1984 he became a member of the Canadian Soccer Association executive where he remained until 1997. While at the Canadian Soccer Association he represented Canada as Head of Delegation in many countries in international soccer competitions. Bill also served as Chairman of the National Teams Committee and was a member of the player status commission of CONCACAF. He was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

ALEX HYLAN - Gordon started refereeing in Scotland in 1965 and brought five years experience with him when he immigrated to Canada in 1970. He began refereeing in the North American Soccer League in 1981 and was appointed to the FIFA list in 1982. In that year he refereed the TransAtlantic Cup game between the New York Cosmos and the famous National Club of Montevideo, Uruguay at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

He was on the FIFA list for ten years and his international experience includes the Presidents Cup in South Korea and numerous other internationals.

KEVIN MULDOON - No individual or professional staff member in Canadian soccer history has been involved with as many Canadian men’s and women’s national teams, spanning four decades, as Kevin Muldoon. Kevin’s career highlights include, his involvement in the team at the quarter finals of the 1984

Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the 1986 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Mexico and the 1999 Women’s World Cup in the United States. For 26 consecutive years Kevin was employed by the CSA (1982-2008) in the capacities of National Teams Equipment Manager, National Teams Goalkeeping Coach and on many occasions working as the Team’s Administrator with the younger Canadian National teams on both the male and female side.

PIONEER AWARD CASTONGUAY BROTHERS - Roland, Paul Emile and Marcel Castonguay were among the finest players of their era throughout Canada. Roland won the national championship playing on the wing for Verdun Park in 1934 and went on to star with his brothers Paul Emile and Marcel making up the forward line in the 1939 final. Later that year Paul Emile was offered a trial with Glasgow Celtic but the war intervened.

Marcel and Paul Emile played together in the 1948 national final in which Carsteel

beat Vancouver St. Andrews to capture the championship. Roland was voted one of the players of the half century by the Canadian Press in 1950.

ORGANIZATION OF DISTINCTION VANCOUVER COLUMBUS F.C. - Vancouver Columbus F.C. is one of the most successful men’s amateur clubs in Canada having appeared in a record six national finals and won the Canadian Championship four times. Columbus F.C. won the National Championship in 1964, 1969, 1977, 1978 and were finalists in 1968 and 2007. They have also won the Province Cup, the championship of British Columbia, six times and won the Pacific Coast League Championship a remarkable seven times. Since being formed 58 years ago, Columbus F.C. has produced more Canadian National Team players then any other amateur club in Canada.

to recognize outstanding individuals who have excelled both in 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.

2013 Recipient - DR. CARL SHEARER Dr. Carl Shearer will receive the Brian Budd Award for his outstanding achievements both in soccer, and as a medical physician. Shearer played for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL, from 1978-1982. He was part of the 1979 Whitecaps who won the Western Division Championship, the National Conference Championship, and the NASL Soccer Bowl Championship.

His passion for athletics led him to specialize in Sport Medicine where he actively practices as a Consulting Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician. From 1991-2010 Dr. Shearer was the Team Physician for the CSA.

THE BRIAN BUDD AWARD OF DISTINCTION The Brian Budd Award was developed

AN EVENING OF

SOCCER EXCELLENCE Join us in welcoming the Induction Class of 2013 into The Soccer Hall of Fame!

This year we will be honouring 6 extraordinary Canadians, 1 soccer organization and 1 team of distinction that have made an impact on the sport of soccer in our country.

The 2013 Induction Banquet will take place on June 1st at the InterContinental Toronto Centre in downtown Toronto.

On Sunday, June 2, the Canadian

Soccer Association will be hosting “The Rematch” featuring the Canadian WNT vs. the USA. In cooperation with the CSA, The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum is pleased to offer a match ticket for sale to this game for each Banquet ticket purchased.

There are a limited number of tickets and will be sold on a first come

first served basis.

The game will take place at BMO Field in Toronto, and kick-off is scheduled for 4:30pm.

For further information and online ticket sales visit The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum’s website at

www.thesoccerhalloffame.ca

InsideSOCCER 33

WE CONTINUE TO ASK THE QUESTION...

How TO Make

SOCCER EVEN BETTER? Bright ideas flow freely. Soccer fans continue to come forward with comments about what they would do to improve the game. Here are some more answers in this continuing series from InsideSOCCER readers. Tell us what you think... do you agree? What would you do to improve the beautiful game here in Canada? We want to hear from you. Write to us. alfons@insidesoccer.ca or susan@insidesoccer.ca This question has been booted around so many times, and I think we’ve heard a lot of the same answers and know that they’re valid. We say that to make soccer better, we need our own professional league for players to aspire to. We say we need a better model of skills-based player development. We say we need a more cooperative approach between the various stakeholders so that there’s less ego-driven, youth championshipdriven decisions, and more decisions that promote top quality development that will mean better junior level players, etc.

They’re all reasonable assessments.

We also know some of the obstacles to our “better.” They include matters like the reality that geography makes travel costs an impediment to establishing a national professional league . . . that youth clubs in the hinterlands don’t get the opportunity to regularly play in the competitive cauldrons of larger cities . . . that there is not an excess of sponsorship dollars to make high-quality training affordable for 34 June/July 2013

lower income youth.

So what do we do to overcome the challenges and produce the “better”?

First, I think we need to find a way to commit to providing both affordability and top quality in the same package.

Right now, it seems that excellent quality, whether it be via the growing academy system, or through participation in our highly centralized, numerically limited provincial programs, comes with a hefty price tag. As a result, opportunity in soccer is directly tied to economic status in Canada.

Second, and building out of the first, we need to find a way around the dearth of good trainers, and my guess is that the solution is in part media-resource based. Many coaches, while having CSA training certificates at various levels, are still themselves limited when it comes to ability: ability to plan, ability to demonstrate, and ability to assess. I’m of the opinion that a partial answer to this is the CSA’s

official adoption and dissemination of the Coerver methodology, or a similar high level, standardized, stepby-step training program. It is already the official methodology of FAs in a number of countries that have more extensive soccer pedigrees than our own. In Canada, Coerver, with its video resources, would allow coaches who were raised on hockey or achieved their expertise in passionate but haphazard training settings to provide their kids with outstanding plans, demonstrations and progressions. Japan, a country that also had a limited soccer background, has adopted Coerver intensively, with great success — women’s world champions, men’s Asian champions (six of their national team Coerver trained). Those who already are excellent trainers do not need to be threatened by this. It would simply mean that they become valueadded assets, injecting creativity into players with a solid base, rather than having to spend their time developing players at the most foundational levels of touch and technique. The end result would be more-skilled, grassroots players, and, ultimately, a larger pool of top quality players at every age level.

There are certainly plenty of other equally valid points to be made by others, as they seek to answer this question on a national scale. These, though, would be matters that I think the CSA could address in its journey “from wellness to World Cup.”

John Twinem

John Twinem is a 49 year old minister who grew up playing soccer and then got into coaching. He has coached various teams from U12 up to men’s premier level soccer during the past 25 years.

John’s children have moved through the ranks of soccer and have seen soccer pay for their schooling in the U.S. John currently coaches a U15 boys’ team at the Tillsonburg Soccer Club in Ontario.

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defender 48 | Darren o’Dea

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