ISSUE #109 FALL 2014 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
38 6 VANNEY: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR TORONTO FC BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
46 40 WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE WORLD CUP BY DAVE KENNY
10 CANADA’S MODEST GOALS MET BY LES JONES, COVERSHOTS INC.
44 ATTENDANCE MYSTERY AND LARGE CROWDS BY BOB KOEP
12 CANADIAN FUTSAL FORWARD BY KRIS FERNANDES
46 EFFICIENT GERMANS DO IT AGAIN BY LES JONES, COVERSHOTS INC.
16 TIME TO GIVE THE REFEREES A BREAK BY RICHARD BUCCIARELLI 18 DAN LOVITZ TALKS INDOOR SOCCER BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
48 2014 SOCCER HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
20-37 THE 2014 INDOOR FACILITY GUIDE
News Editor 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, Laoghan Hendra, Les Jones – Covershots Inc., Dave Kenny, Judy Rauliuk – Covershots Inc., Steven Sandor
Contributing Photographers BMO, Doug Boufford – COVERSHOTS Inc., The Canadian Soccer Association, Les Jones – COVERSHOTS Inc., Jamie MacLeod, 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. Information contained in ISM has been compiled from sources believed to be correct.
38 CANADIAN MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRESSING… FINALLY! BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
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
ON THE COVER
Benito Floro looks to the future after the Canadian men’s national team’s victory over Jamaica.
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 2014 InsideSOCCER Magazine
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TORONTO FC
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
VANNEY:
BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR TORONTO FC Photographs by Les Jones – Covershots Inc.
Toronto FC underwent yet another coaching change – its ninth head coach in eight seasons – after general manager Tim Bezbatchenko fired Ryan Nelsen and his coaching staff in the final third of the 2014 season. In his stead comes Greg Vanney, another inexperienced coach. However, unlike Nelsen, Vanney has been around the block in management circles. He is highly regarded across the league. Not only does he carry his coaching badges
from the USSF, he’s also an instructor. The teacher within him is a stark contrast to Nelsen, who was more a player’s manager. Both styles have their strengths and weaknesses, but of Nelsen, it can be said, that if he were five years
younger and a player on Toronto FC, there would be no finer captain in the club’s history. He backed his players through thick and thin. He was hardened from years in the English Premier League and it showed in his interviews. No-nonsense, no fuss, Nelsen went about his job with a degree of intensity, the way an athlete approaches a session in a gym. Vanney, instead, presents himself as an analytical, soft-spoken and tactically confident head coach. His approach to the game is one of dissecting and explaining a match, while holding and pointing faults and flaws to the player and to himself. Whether Vanney works out for the club or not remains to be seen. He certainly has been thrown right into the fire, given charge of the team with around 10 games remaining in the year. But Vanney is neither a newcomer to Toronto FC nor unfamiliar with the team’s practices and method. Tim Leiweke hinted that Vanney’s first role with the club – director of the academy and assistant general manager – was actually a “safety net” measure. Leiweke said he made a mistake in keeping Nelsen in charge this season, a decision made out of loyalty of a man he calls a friend. Vanney’s approach is much different then Nelsen’s, as he is more of an analytical, soft-spoken and tactically confident head coach.
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So Vanney was always next in line, it seems, to take on the head coach role at Toronto FC. In his short time with the team so far, he’s made a few changes: for one, he has implemented regular video seminar sessions whereby he and his players analyse match tapes, an area that Nelsen didn’t seem to focus on heavily. He has also stressed a need for energy in matches, not content with holding back and counterattacking. On several occasions, Vanney has said he wants to “unleash” his players, too. Whether it’s breaking down a match into 15-minute spurts, utilizing forgotten players like Ashtone Morgan, Kyle Bekker
and Dwayne De Rosario or presenting his sharp and accurate breakdown of a match to media afterward, Vanney has certainly brought in a breath of fresh air to the team. Yet this season is by no means decided. Toronto FC remains in the playoff hunt in mid-September. The team has gotten to this point with plenty of help from a player who hasn’t played much this year — Jermain Defoe. The signing of this Tottenham Hotspur legend was heralded earlier in the season as a “Bloody Big Deal” and the romance of having him in the team was oh so very sweet in the beginning. It took Defoe no time at all to find his scoring boots in
Major League Soccer; he quickly notched 11 goals before being ruled out with a sports hernia at the top of August onward. Then, rumours began that he didn’t want to be in Toronto anymore. On the day of Nelsen’s firing, Defoe’s status at the club took equal precedence. The club said they had a record transfer offer on deadline day of the summer window but turned it down. For days afterward, Defoe’s commitment to Toronto FC was questioned. It’s not yet known if Defoe will be back next season, either. In any case, it’s certainly not a position Toronto FC’s brain trust thought they’d be in at this point in the season. ...continued over.
Greg Vanney addressing the media after being introduced as the new head coach of Toronto FC.
5 February/March 2012
InsideSOCCER 7
Jermain Defoe continues to be the centre of attention as it’s still not yet known if he will be back next season.
He’s not the only one departing, either. Leiweke, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, will also be departing by the middle of summer next year. His work at MLSE includes the
Dwayne De Rosario
8 FALL 2014
signings of Michael Bradley and Defoe as well as spearheading a stadium expansion campaign at BMO Field. That stadium plan is underway and it will expand BMO Field to at least 30,000 seats, and add a roof on top of the four stands. But if Toronto FC misses the playoffs again, it would be hard to envision that stadium being full, especially without Defoe in the mix next year, should he transfer away. So, as it currently stands, Toronto FC is right smack in the middle of a bit of an identity crisis. The club continues to project itself as one of the big clubs but isn’t performing like it. It’s almost Manchester United-esque in nature; followers of the league accept that Toronto FC, on paper, is a dangerous looking side, but the club continues to struggle to find consistent results. The argument could be made that finding that consistency is the biggest challenge for any team in the league. Even when the LA Galaxy signed David Beckham and Robbie Keane, it took a few seasons before they became a playoff threat and an MLS Cup winning side.
So perhaps Toronto FC needs some more time. Unfortunately, time is the one luxury the club can’t afford. A lot of that has to do with precedents set in the club’s history, which is almost acting like an anchor. See, Nelsen may have been at the helm for two seasons but his first year and his second year are so distinctly different that this modern iteration of Toronto FC has to pinpoint its genesis at February of 2014. It sounds like a bit of an excuse and surprisingly it’s one that club hasn’t actually used but it’s also a fair assessment of this team — a team that features very few of the players from just last season. However this season ends, one thing Toronto FC can take out of the 2014 season is a lesson in what it takes to be a big club. Putting those lessons into practice consistently will be the challenge of 2015, because even if Toronto FC does make the playoffs this year, the team is still a ways away from being considered as top contenders in the same breath as the LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Sporting KC and Real Salt Lake. The team is close, though, being asked to improve in a very short period of time. Supporters can take solace knowing that, at the very least, Toronto FC remains in the playoff hunt this late in the season, where, usually, the club’s season is done and dusted by July. A bigger stadium, a bigger identity; Toronto FC is growing. There were, perhaps, more growing pains than anticipated this season. Injuries to key players at key times didn’t help, either. But despite the roadblocks, Toronto FC, at times, showed its best form in club history, displayed some of the finest football in eight years. Signs are good under Greg Vanney, a calm voice in a club growing ever more famous for its moments of drama – and so we wait.
The world will be here in July
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
FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD
CANADA’S MODEST GOALS MET BY LES JONES
Photography by Les Jones, Covershots Inc.
Many of the girls were Fabulous. Others were Blessed. But all the Ghanaian girls rose to the occasion (not just those from Fabulous Ladies FC and Blessed Ladies FC.), as the Black Princesses stunned Canada 1-0 at the National Soccer Stadium, Toronto in the FIFA Women’s Under 20 World Cup opener.
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A young Canadian team had modest expectations and a modest target for the tournament – a quarter-final berth and experience for the players - but this wasn’t the start that was expected. A crowd of 14,834, including perhaps 1,000 drum-beating Ghanaians, provided a cheerful, colourful and noisy atmosphere after a low key, ten-minute, opening ceremony which featured Mounties, a Burlington marching band, flag-bearers, a group singing the official song ‘Showtime” and a couple large banners. Showtime it wasn’t! Canada, runnersup in the first FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in 2002, didn’t get their act together until the second half. Passes went astray, possession was lost too often and their timing was off, perhaps because the match was proclaimed as the Opening Game of the tournament, yet it followed a 2-1 defeat of Finland by North Korea! Sherifatu Sumaila tapped in the winning goal after ’keeper Kailen Sheridan could not hold onto a powerful strike from Edem Atovor after 22 minutes. All Canada could offer was a shot off the post, with the goalkeeper beaten, from the lively Emma Fletcher as the Ghanaians surprised with their control, confidence and composure. The introduction of Nichelle Prince, and other fresh legs, in the second half
CUP
saw the hosts up the tempo but despite numerous late chances they couldn’t beat match MVP, ’keeper Victoria Agyei. The pressure was on. Prince started the second game, against Finland, and was a key factor in Canada coming back from a two goal deficit and almost certain elimination. She unsettled the Finnish defence with her direct running and eventually scored the winning goal ten minutes from time, after subs Janine Beckie and Valerie Sanderson had tied the score in a determined Canadian performance The decisive final group game was against North Korea. On the plus side, Korea had already qualified for the group stages with a 2-1 victory over the Finns and a 3-0 beating of Ghana and did not start star forward Ri Un-Sim. On the other hand, they were the 2006 World Cup winners, 2008 runners-up and currently ranked third in the world after Germany and the US and had not yet guaranteed first place in the group. A first half Canadian goal by Beckie
served only to energize the Koreans. They dominated the second-half but for all their excellent team-work could not penetrate a resolute defence led by Kaisha Buchanan. Canada, Korea and Ghana all emerged with 6 points but goal differential put Korea first with Ghana eliminated. Canada’s reward was a quarter-final date with the tournament favourites. Germany had averaged four goals a game in 2014 including five against China and Brazil, both pretenders to the championship, during the group stage. Germany had also completely outplayed Canada in a pre-tournament friendly in Vancouver just weeks before. It was Canada’s best performance of the tournament. Ashley Campbell and Beckie looked dangerous on the wings, and Ashley Lawrence and Prince troubled the defence. Jessie Fleming, back from injury, was outstanding in midfield and the defence, marshalled by Kadeisha Buchanan and Kinley McNicoll, while often under pressure, battled throughout. Germany was made to look ordinary.
But it was not enough. Errors led directly to both German goals. First, Pauline Bremer, Germany’s lethal goal machine, beat the ’keeper in a race for the ball and then Sheridan failed to come off her line for a corner leaving Rebecca Knaak to head home from a few feet. Emma Fletcher hit the bar early and Canada had a couple near misses but while the 22,421 crowd in Edmonton appreciated the effort and the performance, the final whistle left the team in tears. “The Miracle of 2002,” when the team reached the final (also at Commonwealth Stadium), was not to be repeated. Four or five of the U-20 players could make the Canadian team for the Women’s World Cup in Canada next year. However the senior team, while playing the same style of soccer, will also have the same problem — it needs a reliable finisher. Christine Sinclair’s goals are not as frequent as they used to be, and no one else appears ready to assume the mantle. Canada still needs a fabulous goalscorer blessed with good luck!
InsideSOCCER 11
Even though the spring and summer seasons in Canada are largely reserved for soccer, there was plenty of news and developments on the futsal front these last few months, and the future looks very bright this fall and winter for the five-a-side game.
CANADIAN FUTSAL
FORWARD Back in May, the first Futsal Canada National Tournament was held at Queen’s University in Kingston and featured championship and other elite teams in U17 Boys and Men’s divisions from Quebec and Ontario leagues. The tournament concept was put together by league owner and operators to further the sport and crown a year end champion after local play was finished. On the men’s side, a pair of highly entertaining semi-final matches saw Albiceleste defeat its Montreal-area rivals VTL, while in Barrie Futsal Club was edged out by its rivals from Toronto, Boca Juniors, in the other. The final was an instant Canadian futsal classic with Albiceleste and Toronto Boca Juniors meeting in a nail-biting match that was broadcast on Cogeco. Both teams battled to the very last seconds in which the Toronto side pulled off a 5-4 win to lift the trophy, despite being down a man twice in the final 10 minutes. Canadian national goalkeeper, Joshua Lemos, was instrumental in securing the title but it was tournament leading goalscorer Robert Renaud from Montreal that tormented defences all weekend long while notching an incredible 16 goals in 6 games to take home the MVP award. The U17 championship was a tale of 12 FALL 2014
two halves between the London Spartans and Unionville-Milliken Strikers. London dominated play in the first half and would have led at half if it wasn’t for the dynamite goalkeeping of Jayden Wright. The UMSC coaching staff made the necessary adjustments during the break, which saw the Strikers put more pressure on the London goal and justly rewarded with a trio of unanswered goals that resulted in a 4-1 win. Wright’s outstanding performance landed him tournament MVP honours. The decision on who will host the next edition will be made at the 2nd annual Futsal Canada Conference in Toronto. In the running for the 2015 edition is Kingston, which by all accounts hosted an excellent inaugural event and is well positioned geographically, while the other is Laval who is celebrating its 50th anniversary and has a great facility at Laval College.
THE BRAZILIAN CONNECTION
One monumental item to emerge from the summer is Futsal Canada’s new partnership with the CBFS (Brazil’s Futsal Federation). The Confederação Brasileira de Futebol de Salão is widely regarded by most as the elite futsal specific organization in the world and will offer Canada its valued expertise and
BY KRIS FERNANDES Photos by Jamie MacLeod
vast resources to accelerate the sport here in Canada. The agreement was finalized in the northern coastal city of Fortaleza at the end of July with new CBFS President Renan Tavares graciously presenting Futsal Canada with a national team jersey of the most famous futsal player in history, Falcão. “With a well-designed project everything is possible. We will stay in contact, make any necessary indications and help Canadians in everything viable that they are interested in. The most important thing is to make more people aware of futsal and admire the sport, and we will do everything we can to help Canadian futsal grow,” said Tavares. The initial project between the two organizations will immediately pay dividends with a world class coach
coming to Canada to conduct a course later this year for futsal league coaches as well as club and academy technical directors. Eventually, the aim is to bring the Brazilian national team here within 18 months for a friendly match, while also providing exchange opportunities for Canadian coaches and players to go down and train in Brazil in a high performance environment. The other significant partnership made only weeks ago now sees Futsal Canada aligned with United States Youth Futsal. The organizations have worked loosely together in the past but will now kick it into high gear, starting with the USYF U14 and U16 national teams coming to Canada during the Christmas break for a series of friendlies. With 80% of the Canadian population living within 160 km of the US border, it only makes sense to partner together to grow the sport in North America. USYF is the largest futsal specific organization in America and has a similar model with Futsal Canada, in that both are membership organizations that operate leagues, tournaments, courses and identification camps to further the game in each country under the respective governing bodies, US Soccer and the CSA. With the Futsal Player Ident-ification Camps (F-PICs) program returning this season, domestic leagues will be looking to find the cream of Canadian futsal’s crop at U14 and U16 ages this winter with the plan to take the best of the best abroad to train and compete against elite teams
from other nations.
COLLEGE FUTSAL
After a successful first season which saw Université de Saint-Boniface hoist the men’s title while Providence were crowned queens of the court in the women’s division, college futsal returns to Manitoba this winter through the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC). Further out west, the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) will continue the strong momentum that its league has built over the last few years. The Keyano Huskies look to repeat as champions in the men’s division while the women of Medicine Hat College will aim to add more hardware to their cabinet. Saskatchewan will see a lot more futsal this year, with the new Saskatoon Futsal League starting this fall. After a lot of hard work by league operator Jaime Meza, Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) Executive Director Doug Pederson and others at the provincial association,
the league looks to kick off mid-fall and will look to extend to Regina and other cities in the Land of the Living Skies over the next couple seasons. The Quebec Soccer Federation has announced the creation of the Première Ligue de Futsal to launch this fall. It is expected to produce eight teams for both men’s and women’s divisions and will operate in the Montreal area. It will also host the Quebec Futsal Cup on the weekend of February 27-28, 2015. There is no word yet on how this new league will work - if at all - with the highly successful Ligue de Futsal 5 Étoiles that has operated at Laval College for the past couple years. LF5E has close to 500 members and produced two of the best clubs at the recent Nationals in Kingston. If both leagues can manage to work together in some capacity, then high performance futsal in Quebec can not only take a quantum leap forward but perhaps raise the bar for the entire country. continued over...
InsideSOCCER 13
WHY KIDS AND TEENS SHOULD PLAY FUTSAL NOW
If these developments in multiple regions across Canada are not enough to convince clubs, academies and their respective coaches and technical directors that futsal is the future of indoor soccer here, then look at what futsal actually does for players. First, futsal is FIFA’s only official indoor game. There is no FIFA World Cup for 7v7 or 9v9 on turf, but there is for futsal. The next edition is in 2016 in Colombia and will feature 24 teams for the first time, with four of those spots going to CONCACAF. It is a tournament in which Canadian youth can strive to compete in while proudly wearing the Canadian jersey. Many of the greatest players on the planet came from a futsal background. Just Google the names of legends from past and present who first cut their teeth on the futsal court and you’ll be blown
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away. Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo credit their time in futsal for their current success, with the current World Player of the Year showing his appreciation for the sport. “During my childhood in Portugal, all we played was futsal,” said the Portuguese forward. “The small playing area helped me improve my close control, and whenever I played futsal I felt free. If it wasn’t for futsal, I wouldn’t be the player I am today.” The cost-efficiency of the game is another major benefit. With the rates of indoor soccer facilities burning holes in the pockets of teams every fall, many teams have resorted to joining futsal to save their money. Instead of dropping over $3,000 to play in a turf league, plus shelling out extra for affiliation and referee fees, teams now realize they can enter two teams in futsal and still save a considerable amount of money that could go towards extra training sessions, equipment or a tournament.
The best reason to play, however, is that the game itself is simply superior for developing a player’s skill set. Being in a tighter environment, players are forced to utilize both feet, think and react more quickly, as well as being equally responsible on defense and offense. The low bounce ball stays on the ground where it belongs, giving players far more touches than they will ever get in other variations of the indoor as well as the outdoor game. And how do kids improve? Through constant touches. The skills finetuned on the court easily translate to the outdoor game, and it also provides kids another sport to enjoy. If you’re looking for a reputable league or program in your area go check out Futsal Canada’s website (www. futsalcanada.ca) to learn more about the world’s fastest growing team sport.
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FIT FACTS
a r b d
T
TIME TO GIVE THE
i t t
REFEREES A BREAK BY RICHARD BUCCIARELLI Referees at the World Cup – and in soccer in general – have a very challenging job. Physically, they are being placed under enormous stress, and are still expected to perform almost flawlessly if they are to avoid criticism. I attended a match at this year’s World Cup (the quarter final between France and Germany) and after taking an upclose look at the referee at this game, I can attest to just how difficult the job really is. This article will examine some of the difficulties of refereeing soccer at the highest level, and suggest some possible alternatives that could be incorporated in the future.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF REFEREEING IN SOCCER Several studies using time motion analysis on top level referees have determined that referees’ amount of running done, as well as running speed, is not very different from that done by outfield players. One study, done by Bangsbo et al. (2001) found that referees from Denmark’s first division covered an average distance of 10.07 kilometres per match, of which 1.97 km was of high intensity (fast running or sprinting). Similarly, another study by Da Silva et al. (2008) found that top level Brazilian referees covered an average of 9.5 km 16 FALL 2014
in a match, and that their high intensity running was 1.80 km per match. These numbers are slightly lower than the average amounts of running and high intensity running done by players in top level leagues, but not by much. A number of studies done using time motion analysis of players in various top level leagues including England, Italy, and Spain, have found that players run, on average, a minimum of nine and a maximum of 15 km per game, and the amount of high intensity running can vary from one to four kilometres (depending on playing position and several other ingame factors). Thus an argument can be made that the physical demands of toplevel soccer refereeing are similar to those of top level outfield players.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF REFEREEING: Unfortunately for referees, their advanced age puts them at a significant disadvantage with regards to the ability to perform high intensity running. In the two studies mentioned, the
average age of top-level referees was 42 (Denmark) and 39 (Brazil). This means that on average, referees are 10-20 years older than the players on the pitch. Compounding the problem for referees is that their decision-making ability is expected to be perfect, regardless of how much running they have done. There is a very clear relationship between amount of running done in a match and fatigue, and consequently, a very strong relationship between fatigue and mistakes made in soccer. Thus referees are not only expected to be perfect, they are somehow expected to be perfect while performing under extreme fatigue. Soccer is the only major sport that puts this much pressure on its officials. In contrast, think for a moment about Canada’s most popular professional sport, ice hockey. The playing area is about one-third the size of a soccer field, yet in NHL hockey there are a total of six officials; two on-ice referees and linesmen, and two off-ice goal judges (responsible for determining whether or not the puck has crossed the goal-line). Furthermore, in hockey the action is much more intermittent than in soccer, so that while the two on-ice referees do have to perform a significant amount of skating, they are given frequent breaks from play, during which they can recover. The other popular North American sports (football, basketball, and baseball) also have more on-field officials than soccer,
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and these officials do significantly less running and physical work (in the case of baseball, almost no physical work) than do soccer referees.
THE POSSIBLE SOLUTION(S): In my opinion, the governing bodies in soccer (namely FIFA and UEFA) should try to tackle the refereeing problem from two angles:
1
Add video replay to assist in decision-making by allowing each coach to challenge 1 on-field call per half (4 challenges in total per game). This is already done in American football, and in soccer I believe that giving a tired referee the ability to watch one or two quick replays of a specific incident before possibly changing his or her mind on the call would be simple, easy and most importantly quick to do. It should not take an experienced referee more than about 30-60 seconds of watching a video replay to either stand by, or reverse, their decision.
2
Add a second referee on the field of play, and assign each referee to only one half of the field. This change would significantly decrease the total amount of running done by referees, and therefore also significantly decrease referee fatigue. Since fatigue plays such an important role in ability to perform both physically and mentally, adding a second referee should also significantly decrease the amount of mistakes referees make in each game. At the end of the day, soccer fans and media will always be critical of referees and their decisions. In some ways, this criticism also adds to the spectacle and overall interest of the sport as a whole. In my opinion, however, the physical burden placed on top level referees makes meeting fans’ and the media’s expectations impossible to achieve. FIFA has already taken a huge step in the right direction by introducing goal line technology at the World Cup for the first time this year. Hopefully it will also consider making the changes recommended above to help improve the quality of the beautiful game, and give all referees a needed break.
Richard Bucciarelli at the Germany vs. France Quarter Final match at Maracana in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Richard Bucciarelli is the President of Soccer Fitness Inc., a soccer-specific strength and conditioning company located in Toronto. He recently spent 2 weeks in Brazil, attending the FIFA World Cup. For more information about Richard and Soccer Fitness, please visit www. soccerfitness.ca
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@SoccerFitGols InsideSOCCER 17
DAN LOVITZ TALKS
INDOOR SOCCER BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
18 FALL 2014
Photographs by Les Jones, Covershots Inc.
Toronto FC rookie Dan Lovitz remembers his days playing indoor soccer fondly. Lovitz is a 23-year-old left-winger with a bright future ahead of him. Playing in his first season in Major League Soccer, Lovitz has become a key figure in Toronto’s squad and has featured off the bench and in the starting line up for Toronto FC! Growing up, Lovitz played for Lower Marion Velez from the ages of 10-21, a team based in Philadelphia that played soccer year-round. During the winter months, he participated in indoor soccer and futsal, and was drafted 24th overall by Toronto FC at the start of the 2014 season. Does Lovitz credit his transition into professional soccer to the indoor game? “100 percent,” Lovitz told Inside SOCCER Magazine. “You look at some of the skills of the best players in the world, that people marvel at, and you could go to a futsal game and see almost every player is that competent on the ball. They can really manipulate the ball and do whatever they want. That part of my game, certainly, I can attribute to playing in small spaces and having that opportunity to be in futsal squads.” “It’s a great way to develop your game and learn to react to things in small spaces, and work on your technical
ability” Lovitz added. “That’s highlighted, for sure, in a smaller space.” Indoor soccer is an important part of the Canadian soccer landscape, partly because of the weather conditions in the country that make it difficult to play outdoors for 12 months a year. Having this alternative in places like Toronto is crucial to a player’s
development and it’s something Lovitz says makes the game accessible. “Toronto, the love for the game here is strong,” Lovitz said. “Anywhere that is the case, you need to make sure there are appropriate and consistent avenues for kids; any sort of league or facility that can do that is great! It helps for the sport to become an all-year-round thing and not let the weather play as big a role as it does in the outdoor game.” But indoor soccer, and its more competitive format, futsal, offers a different kind of game for players, too. It rewards more technical play, forcing players to think more and move more quickly. It’s different, but equally challenging — a brand of soccer Lovitz says is definitely worth trying out. “Even if you really like outdoor soccer, you can learn a lot about yourself as a player [indoors] and improve in ways you never thought possible,” Lovitz said. “It’s definitely an eye-opening experience to try for the first time.” It’s an enjoyable experience, too. “It’s incredible; it’s so fast-paced; it’s tiring; and, it’s fun!” Lovitz said. “It kind of makes you feel like you’re in another sport! You’re in a close arena and everything is happening a lot quicker.” “It’s fun, non-stop action!” Lovitz concluded. So if you love soccer and want to keep playing all year, or are looking for a new challenge in a familiar sport, give indoor soccer or futsal a try and see how you measure up!
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InsideSOCCER 19
THE 2014
INDOOR FACILITY GUIDE
Name of Facility: Aurora Sports Dome Address: 115 Industrial Parkway N. City: Aurora Province: Ontario Postal Code: L4G 4C4 Contact/Operation Manager: Chrystal Good Phone: 905-727-2552 Fax: 905-727-2592 Email: info@auroradome.com Website: www.auroradome.com Hours of Operation: 8am – 1am Number of Fields: 3 Rental Fees: $180.00 per hour plus tax for prime time. $125.00 per hour plus tax for non-prime hours (Non-prime hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and 11pm to 1am). Type of Turf: In fill Leagues: • Men’s • Ladies • Co-Ed • Children Tournaments: • These are run by the local soccer club Clinics/Special Events: • After school clinics run by the dome History: • Started in 2005 by the Redvers family, in co-operation with the town of Aurora and the Aurora Youth Soccer Club • Multi sports camp run in the summer months Additional Information/Other Sports: • We have hosted Girl Guides, Jujitsu competitions, rugby tournaments, police training and pre-season football training
Name of Facility: Bell Sports Complex Address: 8000 Boulevard Leduc City: Brossard Province: Quebec Postal Code: J4Y 0E9 Contact/Operation Manager: Nick Sisti Phone: 450-926-2887 #225 Fax: 450-926-2885 Email: nsisti@bellsportscomplex Website: www.bellsportscomplex.com Hours of Operation: 7 a.m to midnight / 7 days per week Number of Fields: 1 full 11 vs 11 field or 3 7 vs 7 fields
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Rental fees: $170/$510 per hour Type of Turf: Fieldturf (FIFA 2 star) Leagues: • Adult Soccer leagues (male and female) • Adult flag football league • Ultimate Frizbee league Tournaments: 5th Annual International Senior Women’s Soccer Tournament. For more information visit www. just4kickstournament.com or call Cathy at 514-889-7627 History: • The new Bell Sports Complex, which opened to the public since November 15, 2008, is the most modern facility of its kind • It boasts two ice rinks, one of which hosts the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, 11 vs. 11 soccer fields or 3 x 7 vs. 7 soccer fields & 12 dressing rooms. • A fully serviced restaurant and bar a sports boutique, two clinics and a complete fitness center complete the services in our facility. Additional Information/Other Sports: • Corporate events, trade shows and team building seminars are other services that the center provides
Name of Facility: BMO Centre Address: 295 Rectory Street City: London Province: Ontario Postal Code: N5Z 0A3 Contact/Operation Manager: Tom Partalas Phone: 226-289-2838 Fax: 519-850-3662 Email: info@bmocentrelondon.com Website: www.bmocentrelondon.com Hours of Operation: Day/Evening Number of Fields: 4 - with access open into international regulation field Type of Turf: State of the art artificial turf Leagues: • Men’s – Premier, Division 1, 2 & 3, Masters • Women’s – Premier, Division 1, 2 & 3, REC 101, Masters • Alumni Co-ed (ADULT) • Youth – Co-ed, rec, competitive Tournaments: • Scrooge Christimas Tournament (Youth) • March Madness (Youth Tournament) • Family Day Tournament (Adult) Clinics/Special Events: • Skills and Drills History: • Established in 2004, the London Optimist Sports Centre (LOSC) is an incorporated not-fot-profit organization which currently owns and operates the BMO Centre. We are a InsideSOCCER 21
community minded facility providing a safe and affordable place for all to enjoy sports. Additional Information/Other Sports: • Facility is open to other sports • Includes a 450+ metre exercise track • Large meeting room 288 • Small Meeting Room 60 • Catering • Change Rooms-Showers-racks • Full service concession • Free ample parking • Monitored by CCTV with controlled access as needed
Name of Facility: Bradford Sports Dome Address: 2971 Sideroad 10 City: Bradford Province: Ontario Postal Code: L3Z 2A4 Contact/Operation Manager: Bronna Gerry Phone: 905-778-9154 Email: Bronna@bradfordsportsdome.com Website: www.bradfordsportsdome.com Hours of Operation: Mon – Fri: 4pm – 12am, Sat – Sun: 8am – 11pm Number of Fields: 1 Full, 3 Mini Rental Fees: Vary Type of Turf: Infill Turf – Field Turf Leagues: • Youth • Adult History: • The dome is an air supported structure measuring 200x300 feet, with an Infill turf playing surface that provides incredible comfort for all field sports activities • Seasonal indoor sports facility • Grand Opening – January 2010 Additional Information/Other Sports: • 200’ x 300’ Infill Artificial Turf Accommodates Most Field Sports • 2000 sq ft Clubhouse with Snack Service • 2 Change rooms
Name of Facility: Burloak Sports Centre Address: 952 Century Drive City: Burlington Province: Ontario Postal Code: L7L 5P2 Contact/Operation Manager: Kristin Leveille Phone: 905.631.0000 Fax: 905.631.0001 Email: burloakinfo@scdm.ca Website: www.burloaksportscentre.ca Number of Fields: 2 Rental Fees: Visit www.burloaksportscentre.ca for more information Type of Turf: Indoor Field Turf Leagues: • Soccer • Baseball • Lacrosse Clinics/Special Events: • Soccer Skills Development Additional Information/Other Sports: Burloak Sports Centre features a designated party room that can be converted into any desired meeting room. From hosting a child’s party, to large business meetings, this room is perfect for your individual needs
Name of Facility: Calgary Foothills Soccer Indoor Training Facility (AKA “The Factory”) Address: 3916 56th Ave SE City: Calgary Province: Alberta Postal Code: T2C 2B5 Phone: 403-225-9388 Fax: 403-225-9396 Email: foothills@telus.net Website: www.calgaryfoothillssoccer.com Hours of Operation: Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 10am-3pm, On Field Hours: Mon-Fri 5:30PM-10:30PM, Sat & Sunday 9AM-11PM Number of Fields: 3 Regulation size Futsal Turf Fields, 2 Turf Training Fields
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Rental Fees: Please contact for rental fee’s Additional Information/Other Sports: The Calgary Foothills Training Facility, otherwise known as “The Factory”, is a full service, state of the art training centre. It offers 5 indoor Turf Training Fields, Weight Training Room complete with high end commercial grade fitness equipment, coaches room, meeting room, and viewing room.
Name of Facility: Calgary North East Sports Facility Address: 401 – 33 Street NE City: Calgary Province: Alberta Postal Code: T2A 7R3 Contact/Operation Manager: Perry Logan Phone: (403) 248-0500 or (403) 279-8445 Email: booking@subwaysoccercentre.com Website: www.subwaysoccercentre.com Hours of Operation: Field rentals can run from 8am to 12am. Number of Fields: 3 indoor turf fields and one hard court Rental Fees: October 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 Non-Prime Time (before 5pm weekdays): Fields E1 and E2: $100/hour (includes GST) Field E3: $100/hour (includes GST) Hard court/Gym floor: $64.55/hour (includes GST) Prime Time (5pm and on weekdays and all day weekends): Fields E1 and E2: $150/hour (includes GST) Field E3: $150/hour (includes GST) Hard court/Gym floor: $100/hour (includes GST) Rental rates and updates can be found at http://www. subwaysoccercentre.com/book.html Type of Turf: Indoor Artificial Turf Leagues: • The Calgary North East Sports Facility is home to a variety of leagues and groups, including Fusion Soccer, International Eastside Soccer Club, Calgary Sport and Social Club and Strive Athletics. Clinics/Special Events: • Birthday parties • Team Wind-ups • Corporate team building • Corporate parties Additional Information/Other Sports: • The Calgary North East Sports Facility’s fields are rented through the Subway Soccer Centre.
Name of Facility: Calgary Soccer Centre Address: 7000 – 48 Street S. E. City: Calgary Province: Alberta Postal Code: T2C 4E1 Contact/Operation Manager: Laurie Darvill – Superintendent, Operations Phone: (403) 279-8445 Email: admin@calgarysoccercentre.com Website: www.calgarysoccercentre.com Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday: 9am – 5pm. Field Rentals run 7 days a week, 8am – midnight (Special arrangements can be made outside of these hours) Number of Fields: 4 indoor artificial turf and 1 outdoor. Currently, construction is underway on several projects around the facility. When completed and tested, the 3 new outdoor fields will be of the FIFA 2 STAR quality mark, one of the only locations of this calibre in Canada. (you can learn more of what this means from the FIFA website). The Annex Building (where the outdoor bubble used to be) will increase in size, to include 4 indoor artificial turf fields and change rooms. Rental Fees: October 1st, 2013 to March 31st, 2014 are as follows: Primetime (after 5pm weekdays/M-F & weekends): $180.73 per hour + gst. Non-Primetime (before 5pm weekdays/ M-F): $137.50 per hour + gst. *rental rates and updates can be found on our website* Type of Turf: Artificial Indoor Turf Leagues: • Calgary Minor Soccer Association (www.calgaryminorsoccer.com) • Calgary Women’s Soccer Association (www.womensoccer.ab.ca) • Calgary United Soccer Association (www.cusa.ab.ca) • Indoor Co-Ed Rec Soccer (www.calgarycoedsoccer.com) • Calgary District Lacrosse Association (www.calgarylacrosse.com) Tournaments: Various tournaments are held by the sports leagues each year. The Calgary Soccer Centre is also home to a variety of events such as Trade Shows, Clinics, Birthday Parties, Team Windups, Corporate Team Building, and Corporate Parties. History: The Calgary Soccer Centre just celebrated its 21st year in Calgary on September 8th, 2013. Additional Information/Other Sports: The Calgary Soccer Centre facilities can accommodate a variety of sports and training activities. Book a field today for your league, practices, special events, or tournaments.
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Name of Facility: Calgary West Soccer Centre Address: 11014 Bearspaw Dam Road NW City: Calgary Province: Alberta Postal Code: T3L 1S4 Contact/Operation Manager: Mike Reid Phone: 403-208-6268 Fax: 403-208-6289 Email: bookings@calgarywestsoccercentre.com Website: www.calgarywestsoccercentre.com Hours of Operation/Rental Fees: • Boarded Fields • Prime Time • 5pm-midnight Monday-Friday, Saturday/Sunday/Holidays -all day $139.00 per hr • Turf field • Prime Time • 5pm-midnight Monday-Friday, Saturday/Sunday/Holidays -all day $152.50 per hr • Non Prime time - all fields Monday-Friday 7am-5pm $106.00 per hr Number of Fields: 3 indoor soccer fields and one turf field for year round rental
Name of Facility: Centrefield Sports Indoor Sports Complex Address: 25 Midpark Crescent City: London Province: Ontario Postal Code: N6N 1A9 Contact/Operation Manager: Adam Stern, Owner, or Tracy Regan, GM Phone: (519) 691-1200 Email: info@centrefieldsports.com Website: www.centrefieldsports.com Hours of Operation: Winter Hours - Monday – Friday 2pm – 11pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 10pm Number of Fields: Our field can be used as a full field (150’x 120’) for large groups/half field (75’ x 120’) for games and practcies / or quarter field (75’ x 60’) for drills training.
Rental Fees: (Special summer and off peak prices available) • ¼ field - $55/hr + HST • ½ field - $105/hr + HST • Full field - $199/hr + HST Type of Turf: Professional INFILL turf. Leagues: Many leagues are run and held at Centrefield Sports including soccer, baseball, football, dodgeball, and slo pitch. Clinics/Special Events: We have regular clinics that run throughout the year. Visit our website for details on the most current clinics available. History: Established in 2007, Centrefield Sports is one of the largest indoor sports facilities in Canada. Our owner Adam Stern has played professional baseball with Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers. In 2010 he decided to expand his training facility substantially by moving into a 35,000 sq ft indoor multi-sport training complex. Additional Information/Other Sports: • Soccer, Baseball, Softball, Slo-pitch and Football • 20,000 sq ft professionally turfed field • 9 full batting cages with pitching machines • Cardio Conditioning area • Professional sized soccer nets • Members lounge • Pro shop • 1,500 sq ft Strength and Condition - Weight Room
Name of Facility: COM DEV indoor Soccer Park Address: 745 Fountain St N City: Cambridge Province: Ontario Postal Code: N3H 4R7 Contact/Operation Manager: Derek Bridgman Phone: 519-653-8800 Fax: 519-653-7892 Email: clubhouse@cysoccer.ca, rental@cysoccer.ca Website: www.cambridgesoccer.ca Hours of Operation: 9am – 1am 7 days/week Number of Fields: 3 Rental Fees: Primetime: Monday - Friday 6pm to 1am, Saturday 7am – 1am, and Sunday 7am – 12am • Full Field - $180/hr plus HST • 2/3 Field - $125/hr plus HST
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• 1/3 Field - $75/hr plus HST Non Prime Time: • Full Field - $100/hr plus HST • 2/3 Field - $70/hr plus HST • 1/3 Field - $45/hr plus HST Type of Turf: Nexxfield Leagues: Afilliated with SWRSL Men’s and Women’s Leagues, Tiny Tots, U4/U5/U6 Micro, U8/U10 Mini Soccer, U12/U14/U18 House League History: • Built in December 2007, this 38,000 square foot facility boasts 3 fields of 68 feet by 115 feet and a smaller practice area of 55 feet by 122 feet • The full-field size of 115ft by 210 feet easily accommodates 9 v 9 adult games Additional Information/Other Sports: • The Com Dev Indoor Soccer Park caters to soccer, football, rugby, ultimate Frisbee, baseball, lacrosse and more
Name of Facility: Innes Field- Crescent School Address: 2365 Bayview Avenue City: Toronto Province: Ontario Postal Code: M2L 1A2 Contact/Operation Manager: Laura Paisley Email: lpaisley@crescentschool.org Website: www.crescentschool.org Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 6:30pm – 11PM, Sat/Sun: 8am – 11pm Number of Fields: 1 Rental Fees: $155/hr Type of Turf: Artificial
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Name of Facility: Cyclone Dome Address: 13415 Dufferin Street City: King City Province: Ontario Postal Code: L7B 1K5 Contact/Operation Manager: Bassam Naim Phone: 905-313-8661 Fax: 905-313-1666 Email: dome@cds.on.ca Website: www.cds.on.ca Number of Fields: 1 ( 60M X 40M) Rental Fees: $300 per hour Type of Turf: Polytan from Germany Additional Information/Other Sports: • The Dome is the Home of the ANB academy and it is open for outside rentals.
Name of Facility: Dôme Louis Riel Address: 1659 Bearbrook Rd City: Ottawa Province: Ontario Postal Code: K1B 4N3 Contact/Operation Manager: Sophie Lecot Hearn Phone: 613-830-1993 Fax: 613-830-6093 Email: dome @cepeo.on.ca Website: www.DomeLR.cepeo.on.ca Hours of Operation: 7am –Midnight Number of Fields: 3 Rental Fees: 60$-170$/hr Type of TURF: Artificial Grass Leagues: • Youth • Adult • Old Timers • (7V7, 11V11 and 9V9) Tournaments (Christmas/ March Break): • TBD • Visit website for details:www.domelr.cepeo.on.ca Clinics/Special Events: • Visit website for details: www.domelr.cepeo.on.ca
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History: • In 2003, the Eastern Ontario French Public School Board (Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario) innovated with the decision to construct of a super dome at the Louis Riel French Public High School • With the introduction of grade 7 & 8 to Louis-Riel H.S, a new gymnasium was needed so the school board decided to be innovative with the construction of a dome which included a 400 m track in ‘Mondo’ and a large playing surface in artificial grass. Additional Information/other sports: • Track & field, football, ultimate frisbee, baseball, rugby, softball, volleyball, summer camps are also offered in the summer as well as mini Olympic corporate events
Name of Facility: The Genesis Centre Address: 7555 Falconridge BLVD NE City: Calgary Province: Alberta Postal Code: T3J 0C9 Phone: 403-590-2833 Fax: 403-457-6173 Email: info@genesis-centre.ca Website: www.genesis-centre.ca Hours of Operation: Seven days a week: 9am – 10pm Number of Fields: 2 Rental Fees: Visit website for more information Additional Information/Other Sports: The Genesis Centre is not only a venue for sport and recreation, but a place which caters to the diverse interests of the community. Our facility is capable of hosting everything from sporting events, social occasions, weddings, and birthday parties, to business oriented uses such as trade shows, conferences, and corporate team building. The facility includes two indoor field houses, gymnasiums, multi-purpose spaces, meeting rooms, community kitchen, and outdoor soccer fields. We also offer drop-in play for a variety of sports for only $7/visit or $19/month. Discover activities for you, your friends and family at genesis-centre.ca
Name of Facilty: Hershey Centre Address: 5500 Rose Cherry Place City: Mississauga Province: Ontario Postal Code: L4Z 4B6 Contact/Operation Manager: Craig Codlin Phone: (905) 502-9100 Fax: (905) 615-3299 Email: craig.codlin@mississauga.ca Website: www.hersheycentre.com Number of Fields: 1 Full size FIFA field Rental Fees: Contact for more information Type of Turf: FIFA Turf Field Clinics/Special Events: • Book your clinic/special event today History: • Opened in October 1998 after only 9 months of construction, the Hershey Centre has quickly become the premier sports and entertainment facility in the Greater Toronto Area. To date the facility has hosted over 2000 event days and welcomed more than 3.5 million guests. Additionally the three attached ice surfaces are the home of hockey teams in all of the major Mississauga/Toronto leagues Additional Information/Other Sports: • The Hershey Sports Complex offers a full-size FIFA indoor turf field that can be split to a quad format for tournament play or single field rental with our state-of-the-art custom curtain system • 5500-seat multi-purpose arena • 7000-seat capacity for concerts • 3 additional NHL size community rink ice surfaces • Indoor soccer field • Triple Gymnasium • Two outdoor lit soccer pitches
Name of Facility: Major League Sportsplex Address: 641 Danforth Road City: Toronto Province: Ontario Postal Code: M1K 1G1 28 FALL 2014
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Contact/Operation Manager: Chris Kolovos Phone: 416-264-7000 Email: Chris@mlsportsplex.com Website: www.mlsportsplex.com Hours of Operation: 10am – 2am (Monday - Friday), 8am – 2am (Saturday – Sunday) Number of Fields: 1 Official size Rental Fees: Please Inquire Type of Turf: Astro turf 3D gameday grass Leagues: Visit www.mlsportsplex.com/tournaments Additional Information/Other Sports: • Fields • Full size field 300’ x 200’ can be divided into half or quarters • Second Field with sports court surface made for Futsal • Inline Hockey and Ball hockey • Futsal on the Sports Court • The MLS Bar and Grill
Name of Facility: Milton Soccer Centre Address: 821 Main Street East City: Milton Province: Ontario Postal Code: L9T 3Z3 Contact/Operation Manager: Uwe Samstag-Schnock Phone: 289-971-9208 Fax: N/A Email: info@miltonindoor.com Website: www.miltonindoor.com Hours of Operation: 6am – Midnight Number of Fields: 1 Rental Fees: $185 - $210 Type of Turf: 2011 Astro-Turf X52 Leagues: Youth, Adult, Co-Ed, Seniors, Skills Development. Bocce ball and lawn bowling leagues Clinics/Special Events: Spring soccer clinic for competitive players, Pick up Soccer every Saturday all year for $5 per player History: • Brand new facility (2011) • 6v6 for adults and 7v7 for youth • Lockable team change rooms with showers
Name of Facility: Moose Jaw Field House Facility Address: 1220 High St W Box 1390 City: Moose Jaw Province: Saskatchewan Postal Code: S6H 4R3 Contact/Operation Manager: Jasmine Jackman Phone: 1-306-694-4560 Fax: 1-306-694-0022 Email: jjackman@moosejaw.ca Website: www.facebook.com/moosejawfieldhouse Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 6am-11pm. Sat/Sun: 8am-9pm Number of Fields: One 60x100 Meter Field-Rented out in quarter fields Rental fees: $78.75/$95 Youth/Adult per quarter per hour Type of TURF: Astro Turf Leagues: • MJSA Soccer League • MJ Adult Touch Football League • MJ Minor Lacrosse • Ultimate Frisbee League History: • The grass is always greener at Moose Jaw’s new Field House – literally • The facility’s artificial field turf provides a spring underfoot that no gym floor could ever match • The turf – similar to that used by the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium – is a strong asset, but the roof overhead provides the benefit of more frequent field times for athletes • Since its opening on Nov.1, 2010, The Field House has offered a shelter to walkers and runners as well. Its 365-metre track has a unique, rubber-like surface that is easy on the joints, bringing dozens in from the cold Additional Information/Other Sports: • Track length – 365 metres or 4.5 laps/mile • Full field size – 60 x 100 metres. National regulation size. • Hours of operation – 6a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends. • Drop-in track rates – Kids under 5 free, youth $2.25, adult $3.25, Family $6.50 (GST included.) Purchasing a punch card improves rate/visit.
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Name of Facility: Newmarket Soccer Centre Address: 621 Newpark Blvd. City: Newmarket Province: Ontario Postal Code: L3X 2S2 Contact/Operation Manager: David Hanson Phone: 905 836 8761 Email: president@newmarketsoccer.com Website: www.newmarketsoccer.com Hours of Operation: Monday – Thursday 9am – 7pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am – 5pm Number of Fields: 2 Type of Turf: Indoor Turf History: Opened on July 4, 2013 Additional Information/Other Sports: The facility is a 200’ x 216’ insulated steel structure housing a 43,200-sq.-ft artificial turf area for two fields of approximately 90’ x 192’. There is a 35’ x 80’ attached building with ground floor change rooms, storage area and a second floor Club office with meeting rooms. The SoccerCentre supports fall and winter indoor soccer and community sports activities for local youth and adults.
Name of Facility: Pine Glen Soccer Centre Address: 150 Pine Glen Road City: Oakville Province: Ontario Postal Code: L6M 4P4 Contact/Director of Operations: Lynn Joiner Phone: (905) 849-4436 x 4443
Fax: (905) 849-3677 Email: ljoiner@oakvillesoccer.ca Website: www.oakvillesoccer.ca/facilities/about-pine-glensoccer-centre Number of Fields: 1 Full Sized Type of Turf: Field Turf Leagues: • Youth, adult, co-ed Clinics/Special Events: • Birthday parties, coaching clinics History: • Pine Glen Soccer Centre, Oakville Soccer Club’s home, opened in 2009 to rave reviews. Additional Information/Other Sports: • The 100,000-square-foot centre has a full-sized regulation FIFA sized turf field that can be divided in half or quarters.The centre’s primary use is to provide soccer programs and services to the OSC’s 10,000 registered players, as well as offer opportunities for community members to rent the facility for parties or functions. • In addition to the OSC offices, the facility offers change rooms, public washrooms, a community meeting room and the Red Zone, supplying soccer apparel for on and off-pitch use.
Name of Facility: Soccer Nova Scotia Training Centre Address: 210 Thomas Raddall Drive City: Halifax Province: Nova Scotia Postal Code: B3S 1K3 Contact/Operation Manager: Robert Tobin Phone: (902) 445-0265 Fax: (902) 445-0258 Email: gm.snstc@soccerns.ns.ca Website: www.soccerns.ns.ca/facilities/soccer-nova-scotiatraining-center/ Hours of Operation: 6AM-Midnight 7 days/wk Number of Fields: 4 @ 200x100 (main facility also configured to full field (316 x 200) Rental Fees: from $60/hr to $143.75 /hr per ea 200 x 100 field Type of Turf: Greenfields V-Shape Synthetic Turf Leagues: All levels-all ages
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Clinics/Special Events: • Baseball; Aikido; Ultimate Frisbee; After School Advantage Program; mini trade shows; Club, Regional and National Training Centres History: • Original Facility (Subway Ctr -single Surface (25,000 sq ft) opened in 1999. Full field Multi-Purpose facility (72,000 sq. ft. turf) opened in November 2011)
Name of Facility: Soccer Quest Address: 308 Cedar Street City: Nelson Province: British Columbia Postal Code: V1L 2B9 Phone: 250-352-GOAL Email: soccerquestnelson@sbdemail.com Website: www.soccerquest.ca Number of Fields: 1 Rental Fees: $150 per hour for primetime, $80/hour non primetime Leagues: Youth and Adult Tournaments: Christmas Classic Tournament Additional Information/Other Sports: We run soccer programs for all ages, including development classes for children, leagues for kids and adults, as well as our Kootenay Regional Showcase Program, and our High School Academy in conjunction with L.V.Rogers High School
Name of Facility: Soccerworld Polson Pier Address: 176 Cherry Street City: Toronto Province: Ontario Postal Code: M5A 3L1 Contact/Operation Manager: Matt Braithwaite Phone: 416-466-5493 Fax: 416-466-0454
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Email: info@soccerworldcentral.ca Website: www.soccerworldcentral.ca Hours of Operation: 9am - 1am Number of Fields: 2 indoor fields (90’ x 190’) Type of Turf: Field Turf Leagues: • Youth Leagues: Boys/Girls Competitive and House League • Adult - Men’s/Women’s and Co-ed • Little Strikers program for 18 months to 9 yrs Tournaments: • Holiday Tournament • March Break Tournament Clinics/Special Events: • Adult and Youth Clinics • Rush clinics with Coach Rick History: • Based downtown in the regenerating Portlands of Toronto, Ontario, Soccerworld Polson Pier was established to provide a personal growth experience through the game of soccer and to promote lifelong participation in the sport. Since its formation in 2003, Soccerworld has grown to serve over 5,000 youth and adult players on an annual basis. As a member of the Toronto Soccer Association (TSA) & Ontario Soccer Association (OSA), the club offers recreational and competitive programs for all ages and abilities. • Club offers recreational and competitive programs for all ages and abilities Additional Information/Other Sports: • Ultimate Frisbee, touch football, rugby, lacrosse, Field Hockey, and Film production
Name of Facility: Spiplex Multi Sport Indoor Facility Address: 7939 Highway # 7, RR # 2 City: Peterborough Province: Ontario Postal Code: K9J 6X3 Contact/Operation Manager: Biren Patel Phone: 1-705-755-0432 Fax: 1-705-755-0432 Email: info@spiplex.com Website: www.spiplex.com
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Hours of Operation: 9am – 11pm Number of Fields: 1 Rental Fees: $65 - $125/hour plus HST Type of Turf: Field Turf Leagues: • Youth • Men’s • Women’s • Co-Ed Soccer leagues • Ultimate Frisbee, golf • Rugby • Touch Football History: • Built in 2006, Field can be split into 3 for official Futsal games • Outdoor training fields
Name of Facility: Sportstown Sports Complex Address: 4991 No. 5 Road City: Richmond Province: British Columbia Postal Code: V6X 2V5 Contact/Operation Manager: Colin LaRiviere Phone: 1-604-273-7366 ext. 224 Fax: 1-604-279-1538 Email: info@sportstownbc.com Website: www.sportstownbc.com Hours of Operation: 8am – Midnight Number of Fields: 4 Rental Fees: $65 to $160/hr Type of Turf: Sprint Turf and Field Turf Leagues: Sportstown runs a variety of indoor soccer leagues for adults. Whether you’re interested in a men’s competitive league, a recreational co-ed league, or anything else, we have a league that fits your team. With a full indoor soccer arena, complete with artificial turf, Sportstown is your destination for indoor soccer. • Adult Co-ed – Recreational and Competitive • Men’s – Recreational and Competitive Tournaments: • Christmas Power Tournaments
Emails for other departments can be found on the Subway Soccer Centre’s website. Website: www.subwaysoccercentre.com Hours of Operation: Administration Office: 9am – 5pm Monday through Friday. Field rentals can run from 8am – midnight Saturday through Sunday. Number of Fields: Four indoor artificial turf fields and one outdoor field. The Subway Soccer Centre has two new projects to expand field availability – three outdoor artificial turf rectangular playing fields and a new Annex building with four indoor artificial turf rectangular playing fields. Rental Fees: Non-Prime Time (before 5pm weekdays): $131.25/hour (includes GST) Prime Time (after 5pm weekdays and all day weekends): $178.08/hour (includes GST) Rental rates and updates can be found at http://www.subwaysoccercentre.com/book.html Type of Turf: Artificial Indoor Turf Leagues: • Calgary Minor Soccer Association (www.calgaryminorsoccer.com) • Calgary Women’s Soccer Association (www.womensoccer.ab.ca) • Calgary United Soccer Association (www.cusa.ab.ca) • Indoor Co-Ed Rec Soccer (www.calgarycoedsoccer.com) • Calgary District Lacrosse Association (www.calgarylacrosse.com) Tournaments: • Various tournaments are held by the sports leagues each year. As well, the SSC is home to a variety of events. Clinics/Special Events: • Birthday parties • Team Wind-ups • Corporate team building • Corporate parties Additional Information/Other Sports: • The SUBWAY® Soccer Centres facilities can accommodate a variety of sports and training activities. Book a field today for your league, practices, special events or tournaments.
Name of Facility: Subway Soccer Centre Address: 7000 – 48 Street S.E. City: Calgary Province: Alberta Postal Code: T2C 4E1 Contact/Operation Manager: Perry Logan Phone: (403) 279-8445 Fax: (403) 279-8796 Email: gm@subwaysoccercentre.com
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NORTH AMERICAN
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NORTH AMERICAN TITLE NOV. 29th, 2014 FEATURING: MEXICAN AMERICAN CANADIAN CHAMPIONS
TICKET SALES info@calgaryminorsoccer.com www.calgaryminorsoccer.com
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Stampede Corral - Saddledome Rise SE, Calgary, Alberta In partnership
development begins Additional Information/Other Sports: • Club and Academy Training • Birthday Parties • Athletic Fitness • Much more available • Elite Soccer Development Programs • Private and Semi-private lessons
Name of Facility: Summer 365 Indoor Sports Centre Address: 1140 Ringwell Drive City: Newmarket Province: Ontario Postal Code: L3Y8V9 Contact/Operation Manager: Colin Berenhaut Phone: 905.898.1350 Email: info@summer365.ca Website: www.summer365.ca Hours of Operation: 10am-12am Number of Fields: 1 Rental Fees: Please inquire Type of Turf: FIFA rated synthetic turf with infill system Leagues: 3v3 (no GK) 4v4 with GK Tournaments: March Break - Christmas Cash 3v3 Tournament History: • New facility in Newmarket just opened in July, 2012 • Grand opening celebration September 30, 2012 Additional Information/Other Sports: • Indoor batting cages & baseball development complex • 3 batting cages, Probatter Virtual Pitcher – the only one in Eastern Canada • Lounge365 private players/parents lounge • House Sports Rehabilitation Centre
Name of Facility: Terrasport Address: 149 Rowntree Dairy Road City: Woodbridge Province: Ontario Postal Code: L4L 6E1 Contact/Operation Manager: Frank Iaizzo & Peppe Mattace Raso Phone: 1-905-264-9733 Website: www.terrasport.ca Hours of Operation: N/A Number of Fields: 2 (5 v 5) Type of Turf: Artificial Grass Clinics/Special Events: • Christmas Camps • March Break Camps • Summer Camps History: • Established Fall 2009 • Terrasport is the indoor soccer centre where your child’s
Name of Facility: The Hanger Address: Downsview Park Sports Centre 75 Carl Hall Road, Downsview Park City: Toronto Province: Ontario Postal Code: M3K 2B9 Contact/Operation Manager: Matt Treacy Phone: 416-954-6087 Email: hangar@downsviewpark.ca Website: www.downsviewpark.ca Number of Fields: 4 Indoor Fields and 3 Outdoors Fields (1 domed in the winter) Leagues: • Indoor Soccer • Volleyball • Ball Hockey Additional Information/Other Sports: All of Downsview Park’s sports leagues are housed in The Hangar, a facility of the Downsview Park Sports Centre. A yearround roster of activities at The Hangar attracts sports fans of all ages and interests. The Hangar offers indoor fields, outdoor fields, indoor beach volleyball courts and an indoor ball hockey arena for sports leagues and tournaments organized by Downsview Park. The Hangar is also home to The Hangar Grill restaurant.
Name of Facility: The Soccer Centre Address: 7601 Martin Grove Road City: Vaughan Province: Ontario Postal Code: L4L 9E4 Contact/Operation Manager: David Boccia Phone: 1-905-264-9390 x 224 Fax: 1-905-264-9445 Email: bookings@soccer.on.ca Website: www.ontariosoccer.net
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Number of Fields: • One Full Size field or 3 indoor soccer fields in a 25,000sq/ft bubble • 2 International size outdoor grass fields • 1 International size outdoor artificial turf field Rental Fees: Indoor Fieldhouse • Primetime: Monday - Friday 6pm to midnight, Saturday and Sunday - 8am to 11pm • Single Field (Indoor) - $190/hr plus HST • Full Field (Indoor) - $570/hr plus HST • Non Prime Time: Monday - Thursday before 6pm, Friday before 6pm and after midnight, Saturday and Sunday after 11pm • Single Field (Indoor) - $90/hr plus HST • Full Field (Indoor) - $270/hr plus HST Type of Turf: Artificial Grass Leagues: For my information on leagues visit: www.ontariosoccer.net/Competitions/Leagues History: • The Soccer Centre is Canada’s leading competition, training, education, and exposition soccer facility. The site is like no other in Canada • The facility features a 130,000 square foot field house that can accommodate three indoor soccer fields or one full size 11-a-side game • In the winter months, a 25,000 sq ft bubble encompasses 1/3 of the outdoor FieldTurf field, creating additional training space • The Soccer Centre has two international size outdoor grass fields, one international size outdoor artificial turf field, a sports therapy clinic, a restaurant and lounge, and is located on a 25 acre parcel of land that is easily accessible from Ontario’s major highways Additional Information/Other Sports: • Tenants include The Ontario Soccer Association, The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum, and all of Ontario’s Provincial Leagues • The Soccer Centre is ideal for leagues, tournaments, and clinics • There are meeting rooms that can accommodate as many as 100 people, and a restaurant and lounge that can be made available for special events
Name of Facility: Toronto City Sports Centre Address: 32 Curity Avenue City: Toronto Province: Ontario Postal Code: M4B 0A2 Contact/Operation Manager: Lou Kitevski Phone: (416) 751-9800 Email: info@torontocitysportscentre.ca Website: www.torontocitysportscentre.ca Rental Fees: $150/hour Clinics/Special Events: • From birthday parties to corporate team building events to family reunions and fundraisers, an event at TCSC is bound to be a success. Full use of the field, equipment and clubhouse are available along with our friendly, knowledgable staff and coaching team. History: • Since opening our doors in 2009 we have welcomed an average of 4000 visitors per week. Toronto City Sport Centre is owned and operated by Toronto City Church. Additional Information/Other Sports: • Toronto City Sports Centre is a 23,000 sq. ft. air supported sports facility in the heart of Toronto. Located in East York we are easily accessible by both TTC and car. • State-of-the-art indoor training facility. An air-supported dome covering a 118 x 200-foot artificial-turf playing field that serves as a venue for a wide range of recreational programs with a fully equipped, adjoining clubhouse.
Name of Facility: Toronto SoccerPlex Address: 101 Railside Road City: Toronto Province: Ontario Postal Code: M3A 1B2 Phone: 416 441-4000 Fax: 416-441-4014 Email: info@torontosoccerplex.com Website: www.torontosoccerplex.com
THE THE2013/14 2014 INDOOR INDOORFACILITY FACILTYGUIDE GUIDE
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Hours of Operation: Please visit website as the hours are seasonal Number of Fields: 4 Rental Fees: Please visit website as the hours are seasonal Leagues: • Men’s League • Youth League (Competitive) • Co-Ed League • Adult Women’s League History: Opened in 2006. Founded by a need for a centrally located soccer specific facility the owners redeveloped Canada’s largest curling facility with the very best indoor turf available. Additional Information/Other Sports: The Toronto SoccerPlex has quickly become known as central Toronto’s premier indoor soccer facility. Combined with its central location and the very latest generation indoor turf, players of all skill levels have realized why we have become Toronto’s Best Indoor Soccer Experience. Four officially sized indoor soccer fields that can be overlooked by a large viewing lounge featuring our in house Bar & Grill.
Name of Facility: Trio Sportsplex Address: 601 Cityview BLVD City: Vaughan Province: Ontario Postal Code: L4H 0T1 Contact/Operation Manager: Rick DiGironimo Phone: 1-905-417-3700 Fax: 1-905-417-8854 Email: info@triosportsplex.com Website: www.triosportsplex.com, www.vssoccerleague.com Hours of Operation: Mon – Fri: 2pm – 12am, Sat: 8am – 10pm, Sun: 8am – 12am Number of Fields: 5 and 1 Arena Rental Fees: $155/Hour Plus HST Leagues: • Adult • Kids • 9v9 U11 and U12 • 7v7 U9 and U10 • Men’s Indoor Soccer League – Divisions 2, 3 and 4 • 9v9 Men’s open and Reserve U18 – U20 Tournaments: • Money Tournaments • Midnight Tournaments Clinics/Special Events: • To book your next event please contact the office
Name of Facility: Players Paradise Sports Complex Inc. Address: 565 Seaman Street City: Stoney Creek Province: Ontario Postal Code: L8E 5Z5 Contact/Operation Manager: Tasha Mazza-Kelton Phone: 905-643-3200 Fax: 905-643-3228 Email: tasha@playersparadisesoccer.com Website: www.playersparadisesoccer.com Hours of Operation: 8am – 11pm, 7 days a week Number of Fields: TThe fields consist of a FIFA-approved (200ft × 360ft) field that can be broken out into 4 playing fields (90ft × 200ft). Each field is separated by a state-of-the-art mechanical mesh screen system (which just happens to be the largest of its kind in North America!) Rental Fees: $75-$200 (varies by season) Type of Turf: Premium Synthetic Turf System using TruBounce technology for superior performance and safety. Tournaments: Tournament Details are as follows: • 4th Annual New Years Kick off Classic and March Break Paradise Cup • OSA Sanctioned, LTPD Compliant Tournaments • 7v7, 9v9 & 11v11 formats • U9 -U18 divisions offered, U13- U18 are open to North American Teams - $275-450 per team ** These Tournaments Sell out each year!** Dates are: New Years Kick Off Classic - Dec 27 - Jan 4, 2015 March BreakParadise Cup - March 16-21, 2015 Additional Information/Other Sports: • There are 11 comfortable change rooms with showers and washrooms in each.
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Indoor Youth Soccer Tournaments U9–U18 GIRLS AND BOYS (3 GAMES GUARANTEED)
TOURNAMENT WEEKS NEW YEARS KICKOFF (DEC 27-JAN 4, 2015)
MARCH BREAK PARADISE CUP (MARCH 16-21, 2015)
TEAM FEE
U9/U10 (7V7) $275 U11/U12 (9V9) $385 U13-U18 (11V11) $450
OSA SANCTIONED tournaments@playersparadisesoccer.com
905-643-3200
565 Seaman St., Stoney Creek, ON
PLAYERSPARADISESOCCER.COM
CANADIAN MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
PROGRESSING ...FINALLY BY ARMEN BEDAKIAN
Photography courtesy of the Canadian Soccer Association
Canada got their insurance goal in the 73rd minute when Tosaint Ricketts made it 3-1
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The Canadian men’s national team finally found its first win under new manager Benito Floro in an exciting and dramatic 3-1 victory over Jamaica. Goals scored by Tosaint Ricketts, David Edgar and Marcel De Jong secured the team’s first win in two years, a winless run going back 16 games. Coincidentally, this was also Floro’s first game on home soil. “It’s amazing. His first home game, it really meant a lot for him,” Ricketts said. “Not only for him, but it was good for the fans to show them we’re progressing and moving forward as a team and as a country.” That progress has been measured, in part, by the team’s efficiency in free kicks and set pieces. That facet of the team’s attacking style was on full display against Jamaica when defender
David Edgar got on the end of a corner kick sent well outside the box. Edgar cracked a shot towards goal, a blistering rocket that bounced past a sea of players in the box and beat goalkeeper Andre Blake in the low corner. “That’s all Benito, man; he’s showing all these new things for us and we’re really buying into it,” Ricketts said. “Edgar’s goal was amazing!” “The main thing is the team performance,” Edgar said, in response. “Coming from a goal behind, it shows great character and belief in what we’re doing here.” While a team cannot rely solely on set pieces, Edgar says it is a “major part of the manager’s philosophy,” adding that Floro is “big on set pieces” and that their training sessions have left them happy and
confident because they’ve seen how well it’s working. But what is the secret to a successful set piece? There are only a handful of clubs and international teams in the world that can claim to have mastered the dead ball situation. Fewer, still, have versatility in their starting XI such that they can capitalize on all sorts of set pieces. There is a tremendous difference in taking a free kick outside the box or taking a corner kick. “It’s tactics — tactical corners, tactical throw-ins — everything is just tactics, which we’ve been lacking in the past,” Ricketts said. “I think that’s going to be what takes us forward.” Floro, despite being pleased with the result, says there’s still plenty of work to be done. A 3-1 win wasn’t enough for his side to escape from his constructive criticism. In particular, Floro addressed one area that Team Canada still has to work on, in an effort to not concede goals in the first place. “The problem was we lost three throwins,” Floro said. “Throw-ins, I explain to my players always, is the most dangerous play in the game both offensively and defensively. We lost three throw-ins and the consequence, Jamaica developed three counterattacks.” Since taking over in August of last year, Floro has had to do exactly what he told reporters – outline areas of weaknesses, address them tactically to his team, and work on improving them. He cites throwins now, but says there are still other areas on which the team can improve. In fact, Floro says he’s not even half-way through his work with the country. “I don’t like to speak in percentages,” Floro said. “But, my idea, we are now 40 percent [progress] so we need to increase a lot the pressing, throw-ins, and we need the forward wingers to look for the opponent’s back often. In front of the opponent’s defence, it’s very difficult to create a move. So, there are three offensive moves we need to improve.” Those lessons will come with shared experiences, as the team continues to build chemistry in friendlies and competitive matches. With a Gold Cup just around the corner and World Cup qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia coming up fast, Canada has plenty of opportunities to learn, grow and test out new methods in order to find success.
Marcel de Jong swung in a left-footed free kick in the 68th minute to give Canada a 2-1 lead
“It takes time,” Edgar said. “Any new manager comes in with his own philosophies and strategies, and we need to adapt. It’s taken time but we did a lot of the stuff we’ve been working on behind closed doors; set pieces – two today – and a goal from open play. We’re building something special here, so we need to stay patient; but we’re doing well.” Canada continues to produce players at an unprecedented rate. Even now, there are many young footballers who have the capacity of breaking into the team. Looking beyond the likes of Doneil Henry and Kyle Bekker, both of whom showed exemplary skill against Jamaica, Canada has players like Jordan Hamilton, Manny Aparicio, Karl Ouimette, Tesho Akindele, Cyle Larin and Anthony Jackson-Hamel to look forward to. This comes hand in hand with the three Canadian MLS club’s continued commitment to improving the local game, too. Toronto FC continues to invest in its academy system, and just recently graduated its 10th homegrown player to the senior roster, Chris Mannella.
The Montreal Impact announced a USL-PRO farm team called FC Montreal, which will give young players a chance at much-needed playing time, too. The Vancouver Whitecaps, led by Carl Robinson, are also looking at this option, and there are plans for a USL-PRO team of its own come 2015. As professional soccer continues to grow at home, the level of quality at the national team level grows with it. It’s no secret that Canada has talented young players. Some even grow to become full members of World Cup playing teams, like Jonathan de Guzman for Holland and Asmir Begovic for Bosnia. Keeping talent requires a national team program that helps these kinds of players grow. Having a tactically-sound manager like Floro, with his wealth of experience, is a key piece to that puzzle. So with a win under its belt at long last, Team Canada kicks off the next generation of football, with one eye on Russia for a coveted World Cup spot. Can they do it? You can bet they’ll try!
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COACH DAVE: MY CORNER
FIT FACTS
WHAT I LEARNED FROM
THE WORLD CUP BY DAVE KENNY
I, like many soccer fans in Canada, watched as many games of the World Cup as I could. Unfortunately, a little thing called work often interfered with my watching pleasure and in addition, we experienced a household switch to satellite TV that just happened to be installed during game time. As a result, I missed more games than I would have liked. Yes, I could have watched the replays later at night, but I have always had difficulty watching a sporting event of which I already know the result. All the pre-tournament hype about local protests and riots had me concerned for the safety of players and spectators alike. The “unfinished” stadia caused even more concern when I saw the flooding that was taking place in regions where a stadium should never had been built in the first place. I was concerned that the cries of corruption surrounding the 2022 World Cup would be a distraction that would have non soccer fans telling me why they don’t watch the game. Instead, I heard very little from the detractors and actually sat with a few, discussing the games, at my favourite watering hole. Who am I to doubt FIFA decisions and its ability to put questions of corruption behind it? 40 FALL 2014
When Germany finally raised the trophy and Brazilian fans were left with Futbol withdrawal, I have to believe that this may have been the best tournament of my lifetime. Of the 32 teams, only South Korea and Honduras were really out of their realm. That means 30 teams WERE competitive with, at least, a slim shot of being crowned champions. I do not remember another tournament where so many teams had a shot of success. It may not have been the greatest teams each country had produced, but teams were balanced. In the past, the World Cup had numerous teams that had no realistic chance of winning. In fact, I normally prefer to watch the Euro tournament as all teams are usually competitive and within reach of the championship. The development and improvement of the game in countries or regions that were once well behind has shown that improvement IS achievable and gives me hope that perhaps Canada will someday
return to the world stage and qualify for the finals. Watching as many games as I did, also taught me a few other things. First, I like the tournament a lot more when it is played in my time zone. I enjoyed the afternoon matches that kept my personal time clock in normal mode. When the 2002 games were played in the Far East, my poor dog was confused as to why I was kicking him off the couch at two o’clock in the morning. On other nights, I was going to bed at six, set the alarm for 1am and then left to go TO a bar at 1:30 in the morning. My body was accustomed to leaving a bar at 1:30am, not arriving there. These days, I am happy if I can stay awake long enough to see the nightly news, so the schedule in Brazil was ideal for me. I also learned that I should stay away from predictions. Before the tournament began I, like many others, picked Brazil to win. Host countries normally do well in the tournament but I did not expect Brazilian players to pick up their balls and go home like they did. The defeat at the hands of Germany was a total shocker. My pre-tournament bracket had Brazil to beat Germany. Neymar had been playing well but I don’t think he was carrying the team on his back. When his back gave out it should not have shattered the dreams of the team and the nation. I expected more from Brazil, especially in the third
place game; a match the Dutch didn’t even want to play. My worst prediction was Uruguay making the final by defeating Argentina in the other semi final game. I told anybody who would listen, that Luis Suarez would score a brace against England, but I never expected him to take a bite out of the Italians! Suarez was the best player in England last season and this was his opportunity to leave his checkered past behind and excel in the brightest spotlight. Apparently, Suarez bit off more than he could chew and folded under the pressure. Suarez, who was originally my pick for the Golden Boot Award, sat the remainder of the tournament and will be absent for the first few months of the upcoming season with his new team, Barcelona. Seemingly, there is no truth to the rumours that Barcelona has insisted that Suarez have his front teeth removed, as part of his contract. The performance of the U.S.A., Mexico and Costa Rica was very pleasing and somewhat surprising. Michael Bradley proved he is worth the attention he is getting at Toronto FC. He is a workhorse who deserves the accolades he is receiving. Clint Dempsey stepped up to lead the Americans and with a bit of luck, they could have progressed further. Costa Rica was the “Little Engine That Could,” upsetting England, Italy and Uruguay to win its division and was just penalties away from a remarkable semifinal berth. Mexico was a mess in final CONCACAF qualifying and needed an extra round to make it to Brazil. A late coaching change seemed to work as the Mexicans looked like the teams of old. The biggest disappointment was the play of Honduras. Not only were they outclassed in talent, but it seemed at times they were disinterested. As a group, the CONCACAF teams showed well. The region is improving and proving that players in MLS are gaining the playing experience needed to produce quality national teams. While it was created to help the U.S. team, MLS is assisting in the development of many CONCACAF players from many different countries. The future is bright and Canada will need to make sure it does not get left behind.
I believe the officiating at the World Cup was very good. There was the occasional controversy, but for the most part, the officiating did not decide the results. What I did not like was the holding going on during free kicks or corners. Players were being tackled, “American Football” style, with no call. It is no wonder players dive to try to get calls. If legitimate fouls are not being seen, players might as well try to beg for a call. I also learned that I prefer my football boots to be of matching colour, to each other! The pink and blue sets, worn by many in Brazil, just did not excite me. Boots are supposed to be BLACK! I began playing when the only shoes you could get in Canada were made by adidas and had a hard toe cap. As technology changed, so did the shoes I wore, but they were always black. I was about twelve when I switched to Puma and then about sixteen when I switched to the Patrick Golds, made with kangaroo leather. Even the “Golds” were actually black. I managed to tolerate the red shoes of the 1990s, (I think it was Belgian Enzo Scifo who introduced those), but I never had the urge to wear them. Even today, my shoes are black. I do not understand wearing two different colours on your feet. Would you walk down the street with one blue shoe and the other one red? Maybe if you’re a professional clown or some surfer dude in California, I guess. (No disrespect intended toward clowns). If you wouldn’t wear them on the street, you should not wear them on the soccer pitch. The pink and blue worn in Brazil drove me nuts! I felt my attention was taken away from the game and often I found myself counting how many players should be punished for bringing the game into “ill”repute. And even worse...what’s with the little zip up booties being worn over the shoes? No further comment on those is required! On a more serious note, I have written in the past that it is important for a coach to continually learn from listening and watching others. Any coaching session I sit through, at any level, I still come away learning something. I often find myself looking for something technical to learn from each game I watch. I like to see the strategy each team is employing; I like to
see how each team attacks. Do they go down the wings or through the middle? I also like to watch how a team shuts down the other team’s superstar. Can a team shut down a Messi, Ronaldo or Robben? I look for something that I can take back to my coaching sessions and my team. The one simple yet very useful “A-HA” moment for me during the World Cup was following a comment made by Canadian Women’s coach John Herdman. Herdman was conducting the first half review and analysis of one of the games and made the comment that when a certain midfielder turned and headed upfield, that was the cue to the other players that they were going on the attack. Players then made runs into the offensive zone looking for a through pass.
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I have been working hard with my new 12 year old team. I have been teaching them to play the ball wide to fullbacks and mid-fielders in an attempt to play “possession football” and build from the back. (Under the LTDP, all teams are encouraged to do so and the rules require opposing teams to “retreat” to the halfway line on goal kicks to allow players the time to keep possession). My team is still trying to grasp this concept. Our outside players still want to run down the wing and wait for the big thump down the field. I have been stressing patience and the need to ‘keep the ball.’ On occasion, a quick counter attack can be useful, but we are not yet accurate enough to pinpoint twenty yard passes, never mind forty yarders. I stress to my
wingers, the last thing our fullback wants to see is “your jersey number running away from him.” After listening to Herdman’s comment, I realized I could use his insight in my training. We are now working on “holding” our wingers until both inside midfielders have turned up field and one of them is in possession of the ball. By doing so, we are providing an extra passing option and cutting down on the long “hope” ball. Is it working? Yes, but not always. We ARE getting better. We still make bad passes or bad decisions. We do lose possession in our own end and we do give up goals. We have also put together 10 or 12 passes in a row and taken the ball to the other team’s penalty area. The successes are emphasized and the
mistakes are put behind us. Remember, positive reinforcement works better than negative. This is a very important year for my players. This is the last season that stats are not recorded and scores do not matter. It is also important for me to remember this. My job, as the coach at this age group, is to develop the skills to take the team to the next level. My personal coaching goal is player development, not winning games on a mini field where the final score will be reported on the game sheet as 0-0 anyway.
DRILL OF THE MONTH: “THE WALL” As a coach, (or parent), how many times have you heard, “I’ve got nobody to play with”? Wall Pass is a training drill that your potential superstar can use to develop his or her skill without any other player required. Many years ago, a coach once told me that a wall was the “best training partner in the world.” I have never forgotten that and urge all my players to train with a wall. If you give the wall a good pass, it will give you a good pass back. If you give the wall a poor pass, it will return a poor pass.
SET UP • The Wall is the easiest drill to set up. • One ball or more • One wall (side of a school gym, house, factory etc... • No coach required • Can be one or more players
OBJECT • Player decides the game. Many options are possible! Suggestions: • One touch against the wall- play the ball to the wall and when it bounces back play the ball back to the wall on the first touch. Try to repeat as often as possible • Two-touch- play the ball back with one 42 FALL 2014
touch to control the ball and one touch to pass it. • Heading- Standing a few feet from the wall, throw the ball against the wall and when it bounces back use your head to play the ball back to the wall. Try to see how many “headers” you can get in a row. • Control- play the ball against the wall and try to control the rebound with the thigh, chest or head. • Accuracy practice- use tape or chalk to mark an area on the wall (remove after practice). Pass or shoot the ball at the target to improve accuracy. Be sure to control the rebound as in “Control” above.
COACHING POINTS • No need to get involved. Prepare the player by teaching proper techniques of passing, receiving, shooting etc and then leave them alone.
VARIATIONS • This training can be adapted to include a number of players of various fitness and skill level. It is generally a”hands off” drill that requires no supervision. Let the players use their imagination to create games and challenge themselves.
• I have had goalkeepers improve their kicking by taking them to baseball diamonds and had them kick into the screen. Learn to use what facilities are available.
COACHING POINTS • Encourage players to make quick decisions • Encourage players to use both feet to shoot • Encourage players to shoot without “overthinking” • Teach players to shoot, even as they tire • Encourage goalkeepers to regain positioning quickly to make the “next” save • Encourage shooters not to “admire” his shot, but rather sprint to round the pylon
WHY THIS WORKS • Players have the opportunity to train on their own or with friends. Players also learn to improve control and touch without realizing they are actually “practicing.” Players learn to use imagination to create games on their own.
CELEBRATE the achievements of Canadian Soccer
Annual Induction Banquet November 9, 2014 Chateau Le Jardin Vaughan, Ontario $150 per ticket Purchase tickets online: http://2014shof.bpt.me
ATTENDANCE MYSTERYAND LA BY BOB KOEP
Photo by Christian Bertrand/Shutterstock.com
Have you ever wondered how they come to a detailed, to the last digit attendance figure at soccer games? Or any other game for that matter? Were there really exactly the announced number of people inside the stadium? Camp Nou Stadium 2009 in Barcelona, Spain.
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Nobody knows, but to me there is no way anyone can accurately tell the number of people in the stands, or seats, with so many variables possible in a large arena. The number of tickets given out is easy to count, but the actual attendance is something else. Number of tickets in circulation? No problem. But exact total attendance? Take, for instance, the largest soccer crowd ever assembled in North America. Only recently (August 2) the University of Michigan Stadium at Ann Arbor, Mich. gained this honor when Real Madrid played Manchester United before a reported 109,318 onlookers It so happens that the Ann Arbor stadium is the largest arena in the western World. There are only two stadiums larger than that on this entire planet, the Rungrado May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea with a capacity of 150,000, and the 120,000 Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) India. There are seven more stadiums in the U.S. with a capacity of over 100,000, all
used for college football. But if we stay with the home of the Michigan Wolverines, the capacity varies regarding to whom you listen. On Sept. 7, 2013, the Wolverines played a college football game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before a reported 115,109 Both these above numbers were reported sell outs and one wonders what the real capacity is. (it is listed as 109,901) But still one also wonders how they tally the total. Of course most of the people in the arena have numbered tickets. But are people included who had a ticket and didn’t show up, are people included such as security personnel, ushers, hot dog sellers, media people, caterers, medical attendants, club officials, invited VIPs and so on. Sometimes, kids even sneak under the turnstiles. There is no doubt the arenas were packed and there were easily some 110,000 watching in Ann Arbor, but there are so many variables in a large crowd that I believe an accurate count is nigh impossible. When you follow local sports in Toronto, you will find more and more
RGE CROWDS media people use the term “announced crowd” when they report attendance figures, particularly when the numbers seem exaggerated. I remember when I covered the Toronto Blizzard of the old NASL for the Toronto Star they were regularly rolling the dice to announce attendance figures at Varsity Stadium. At the halfway mark of a given game, the team’s PR guy would ask members of the press: “what is today’s attendance?” At one time I would answer back: it seems like 8,347 to me. “OK, that is a good number,” the PR guy answered; took the microphone and announced: “today’s attendance is 8,347. The Blizzard thanks you for your support”. Everybody knew there were hardly 5,000 in the stands, but the club liked to butter up the numbers a bit to make things look better than they really were. In those NASL games in the 1970s only the top teams like the New York Cosmos drew a full house, while others had not much drawing power to speak of. Going back to the Michigan Stadium, you might ask: isn’t there any stadium in the traditional soccer world bigger than one in a remote rural town in Michigan? The answer is no. What about such reputed clubs like Real Madrid or FC Barcelona? Well both of them have huge arenas, the Bernabéu in Madrid and the Nou Camp in Barcelona. Both used to accommodate more than 120,000 but have reduced capacity now that they are virtually all
seating stadiums. At a time when lots of standing room was available, both clubs often recorded stratospheric numbers but that is a thing of the past, now that FIFA has strict rules about overcrowding and the resulting fear of injuries or even deaths in standing sections. In all, the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City can still give anyone a run for the money when it comes to capacity, currently 104,000, and that is down from 120,000 who watched a 1968 game between Mexico and Brazil. But the largest crowd ever to see a soccer games was at the 1950 World Cup final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium, where an estimated 205,000 people watched hosts Brazil lose the deciding game 2-1 to Uruguay. The official attendance of that game is listed as 199,854 which is a complete joke. Vast sections of the then still unfinished Maracanã were standing room and thousands of fans got into the arena by climbing fences and just crushing into the stands without a ticket. People were jammed in like sardines. And who counted them? In any case it still is the largest crowd ever to watch any kind of game. Today, the Maracanã has a listed capacity of 78,838 (all seating). And that 1950 number will not likely ever be surpassed. Following the Hillsborough disaster in Sheffield, England, on April 5, 1980 where a human crush in the standing section killed 96 people, FIFA has introduced much tighter rules and now there are no soccer
arenas left with a capacity of 100,000. (Azteca excepted) Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland, once recorded 149,418 onlookers at a Scotland vs. England game in 1937. How they came to that number with counting by hand in those days also remains a mystery. The same arena now holds but 81,000. The Nou Camp in Barcelona, Spain had a recorded attendance of 121,749 for the World Cup opener in 1982. Today it holds 99,000. Bernabéu has 85,000 seats. All in all, this game with numbers is OK for statisticians or numbers freaks but doesn’t mean much to the average guy.
InsideSOCCER 45
EFFICIENT
BY LES JONES, Covershots Inc.
Germany’s Lena Peterman
GERMANS DO IT AGAIN! Photos by Les Jones & Doug Boufford, Covershots Inc.
“Football is a simple game; 22 players chase a ball for 90 minutes and then, in the end, Germany wins.”Gary Lineker Germany was not the best team at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup tournament – Nigeria and France both played better soccer - but it did what German teams are noted for; they did what they had to do and won the event. This was their third consecutive appearance in the final and followed the success of the German men’s team at the 2014 World Cup. In the final, Nigeria created most
of the opportunities, at least until extra time when the Germans’ superior fitness changed the momentum. Nigeria had skill, composure, teamwork, penetration, vision, and the expected speed, power and athleticism. Even arrogance. Germany was outplayed for long stretches but stayed in the game and did not concede. They survived two huge misses when, with the goalkeeper beaten, Tournament Golden Ball (MVP) and Golden Boot
Nigeria’s Chinwendu Idezuo (#19) and Germany’s Keike Kaemper (# 1) 46 FALL 2014
winner Asisat Oshoala contrived to miss the open net. (At the final whistle the dejected Nigerian #4 slumped to the ground by the far touchline for at least 5 minutes, well away from her despairing teammates). Germany also survived an offside ‘goal,’ five minutes from the end of regulation time, that likely would have counted if another player hadn’t unnecessarily helped the ball over the line through sheer exuberance.
In the end Lena Petermann followed up her semi-final winner with a 98th minute goal to settle an eventful match that was an excellent advertisement for women’s soccer, and gave Germany the trophy again. Despite there being only a disappointing 15,000+ fans, there was a lively and noisy atmosphere, the cheering magnified in Montreal’s cavernous Olympic Stadium. Canada was involved
in the award ceremony. They won the Fair Play Award, after conceding just 35 fouls and receiving only 3 yellow cards in their four matches. And the Canadian officiating team of referee Carol Anne Chenard, assistant referees Suzanne Morisset and Marie-Josée Charbonneau and fourth official, Michelle Pye, adeptly handled the final. Germany did not deserve to be in the final. It should have been France. France,
It is probable that several of the team will appear in next year’s Women’s World Cup, and France definitely has a chance at the gold medal. North Korea as a nation promulgates equality and eschews individualism. Such is their U-20 soccer team. The players not only look the same – a similar build, similar height, identical bob cuts – but on the pitch appear interchangeable. Their systematic style of play, crisp passing, maintaining possession and always providing support, combined with their energy and athleticism, is both impressive and effective. It won them the 2006 FIFA U-20 World Cup and a runnersup medal in 2008. In 2014, Korea eliminated a surprisingly mundane US team and was seen as a gold medal contender. They were competent, composed and controlled but lacked flair, the element of surprise, and that individual that can make a difference – attributes that are anathema to the Germany’s head Coach Maren Meinert and captain Lina Magull 5 February/March 2012
who boasted the player of the semi-final in Griedge Mbock Bathy was unlucky as they played sparkling football against Germany. However, as with their senior team in the 2012 Olympics bronze-medal match against Canada, they couldn’t find the net and a late goal did them in. France did take the bronze medal this time, though, beating North Korea 3-2 after going behind, with all the goals coming in an entertaining second half.
autocratic regime. They outplayed Canada but could not score. They outplayed the US but went through only after benefitting from a harsh penalty kick award to equalize. Then their keeper saved the first three shots – a quite remarkable feat – in the penalty shoot-out. In these two games, Korea had just nine shots on goal. If Korea had qualified for next year’s Women’s World Cup some of their U-20 players are good enough to have made the team. However, Korea was banned from the tournament after several players failed drug tests at the 2011 World Cup: Five players tested positive for steroids, which team officials then blamed on traditional musk deer gland Chinese medicine. It takes away one of the potential favourites and makes it even easier for Germany to win again!
InsideSOCCER 47
THE SOCCER HALL OF FAME
2014 INDUCTEES the Wanderers. In 1902, Nanaimo would form an all-star team to compete for the senior Challenge Cup. Eventually Nanaimo triumphed and Manson and his teammates became the first indigenous players to win a B.C. provincial championship.
TEAM OF DISTINCTION 2000 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – CONCACAF GOLD CUP WINNERS Canada chalked up one of its most notable international triumphs in 2000 by winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in California. Canada opened the competition by holding Costa Rica to a 2-2 tie at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. A second tie this time against South Korea followed in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Back in San Diego for the third game, Canada upset Mexico 2-1 on a golden goal by Richard Hastings. The win assured Canada of a semi-final game against Trinidad and Tobago with Mark Watson scoring the winning goal in the 68th minute of that game. Canada would meet Colombia in the final with the Canucks once again prevailing against the odds and winning 2-0 on goals from Jason deVos and Carlo Corazzin. The win qualified Canada for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Korea/Japan in 2001. PIONEER HARRY MANSON (XUL-SI-MALT) The story of First Nation’s soccer player Harry Manson (Xul-si-malt) and his team, 48 FALL 2014
the Nanaimo Indian Wanderers, begins in the early 1890s at a time when interest in soccer was rapidly growing in the coalproducing region around the town of Nanaimo on eastern Vancouver Island. The most outstanding of the indigenous players was Xul-si-malt (One-who-leaves-his mark), born in 1879, who was compelled at an early age to assume the English name “Harry Manson.” At the age of 18, he made his competitive debut in a heated rivalry between the Nanaimo Thistles and Snuneymuxw. The Nanaimo Thistles recruited Manson full-time into their line-up and reached the final of the British Columbia Intermediate Challenge Cup against Victoria YMCA. Two years later, Manson was convinced that they had the necessary talent to compete against the best intermediate teams in B.C. and formally organized the Nanaimo Indian Wanderers AFC. Manson’s athletic abilities and his leadership qualities on the pitch earned him the captaincy of
PLAYERS ISABELLE MORNEAU Isabelle Morneau played 87 times for Canada, making her debut in 1995 against France. She was a member of the women’s national team at the 1999 and the 2003 FIFA World Cups in the United States, and played in all five games at the 2000 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup. She also played for Canada in the 2006 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. Her career includes participation in numerous tournaments such as the Algarve Cup and the Nike Cup. She played college soccer at the University of Nebraska from 1996 to 1999 and she was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Second Team All-America as a defender in 1998 and 1999. She played pro soccer in the W-League for Ottawa Fury in 2003, Montreal Xtreme in 2004 and Laval Comets in 2006 and 2007. GERI DONNELLY Geri Donnelly made her international debut at 31 years-old for Canada against the United States in 1996 in Blaine, Minn. and scored twice in Canada’s 2-1 win the first goals ever scored by Canada’s women’s national team. She went on to score three times against the USSR in 1990 and against Jamaica in 1994. At the 1995 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, Donnelly
scored twice, once against England and once against Nigeria. She got another goal in 1999 against Australia and also played in the 1999 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Donnelly began playing when women’s soccer and the national team were in their infancy. She began her club career with Vancouver Angels in the Women’s Premier Soccer League and remained with the club when they moved to the W-League and were amalgamated with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Over the course of her playing career she played for Coquitlam Strikers when they won the national championship in 1990 and 1994 and again with Surrey United when they won in 2006. She ended her playing career in 2009 after guiding Surrey United to six consecutive provincial titles. Geri Donnelly was the Canadian Women’s Player of the Year in 1996 and 1999 and named to Canada’s all-time women’s team in 2012. CARMINE MARCANTONIO Carmine first attracted national attention as a member of the famed Toronto Metros-Croatia team that won the NASL championship in 1976. He appeared in 23 games that year. However, he missed the 1977 NASL season before signing for Washington Diplomats in 1978. Following three outstanding years in Washington he moved on to play for the Montreal Manic from 1981 to 1983 and when that franchise folded, played the 1984 season for the New York Cosmos. He played a total of 173 regular season games in the NASL and scored six goals. He also played in 18 playoff games. Upon retirement, he became a soccer TV analyst commenting on the Italian league games televised on Sunday mornings in Toronto.
Canadian Olympic and World Cup teams between 1973 and 1977. He had six international caps and four Olympic appearances during that time. He made 31 appearances in the original NASL, playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders and Memphis Rogues. His playing days over, he turned to coaching and was the assistant coach of the Canadian national U-17 team in 1989, Canadian national U-20 team from 1993 to 1997, the interim assistant coach of the Men’s World Cup team in 1988, the assistant coach of the Pan American Games team in 1999, the assistant coach of the Men’s Olympic team from 1998-2000, and Head Coach of the national U-15 team in 19992000. In 1996, as the assistant coach with the national U-20 team, he won the Gold Medal at the CONCACAF finals in Mexico. In 2007 he was head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps Women’s team that was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame as champions of the North American Women’s League. HECTOR VERGARA Hector Vergara played soccer competitively for 10 years and recreationally for 30 years before turning his focus
on the game to officiating. Vergara began as an official in 1983 and was rewarded for his efforts by being an assistant referee at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In addition he was an assistant referee at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Hector spent 19 years on the FIFA referees list and was involved in 11 FIFA competitions. He claimed the record for most World Cup games as a referee/ assistant referee with 14 when he took the field July 10, 2010. Vergara is currently the Executive Director of the Manitoba Soccer Association. ORGANIZATION OF DISTINCTION EDMONTON ANGELS One of the most outstanding women’s soccer organization in Canadian soccer history, the Edmonton Angels won the national women’s championship the Jubilee Shield - an incredible nine times, including six out of the first seven played. The Angels won the firstever championship by beating London Concorde 4-0 in Etobicoke, in 1982. Wins over top competition followed, including: continued on next page...
BUILDERS CHRIS BENNETT Chris Bennett was a member of the InsideSOCCER 49
Halifax Econocolor 6-0 in 1983, James Bay 1-0 in 1984, Richmond Kornerkicks 1-0 in 1985 and the Kornerkicks again 3-2 in 1986. Coquitlam United were next with a 2-1 win in 1988, before the seventh title was won against Victoria Gorge United by beating them 5-1 in 1995. More titles followed in 1999 and 2000 against U.B.C. Alumni. Many outstanding players formed the Angels line up over these years, including: Tracy David, Joan McEachern, Susan Brand, Janet Lemieux, Shona Schleppe, Janine Holland and Shannon Rosenow. Additionally, Angels Coach Stuart Brown was inducted into The Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. THE ROBBIE TOURNAMENT The Robbie International Youth Tournament has been played in Scarborough, ON every year since 1967, and has involved both male and female teams from all over Canada, the world and in every age group. The tournament was started by the Scarborough Soccer Association and they have run it every year for over
40 years. Ten teams participated in the first tournament. The Robbie has hosted well over 6,000 teams and over 100,000 players and has raised over $1 million that has been donated to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The tournament has helped produced national team players like Dwayne De Rosario, Diana Matheson and Jonelle Foligno. THE BRIAN BUDD AWARD OF DISTINCTION MARC RIZZARDO The Brian Budd Award recognizes 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. Rizzardo has been selected for his outstanding achievements both in soccer and as a highly regarded physiotherapist in Canadian sport. During his playing career Rizzardo was a member of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds who won the coveted Canadian National Championship in 1974. After his university soccer career was done, he then played for the North Shore Pegasus who competed against such teams as the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Seattle
Sounders. Throughout the years, he coached soccer at youth levels, as well as college and university teams. During his four decades in Canadian soccer, he has participated at all national levels. He has acted as lead and chief therapist with many of the Canadian Medical Teams including: the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games, as well as being a member of the CSA Medical Committee. Rizzardo’s involvement in Canadian sport does not stop with soccer. He is the current Integrated Sport Team lead for Badminton Canada, was the therapist for the 2001 Fencing World Championships and acts as a National Examiner for Sport Physio Canada. Throughout his remarkable career Rizzardo has provided outstanding professional service to the Canadian sporting community, and exemplifies the characteristics of The Brian Budd Award - character, professionalism and dedication.
AN EVENING OF
SOCCER EXCELLENCE
Join us in welcoming the Induction Class of 2014 into The Soccer Hall of Fame!
Join us in welcoming the Induction Class of 2014 into The Soccer Hall of Fame. This year, we will be honouring seven extraordinary Canadians, two soccer organizations and one Team of Distinction that have made an impact on the sport of soccer in our country. The 2014 Induction Banquet will take place November 9th at Le Jardin Banquet Hall in Vaughan, ON. For further information and on-line ticket sales, please visit The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum’s website at... 50 FALL 2014
www.thesoccerhalloffame.ca
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