Nicholas Lindsay
It’s unlikely York Region Shooters will repeat their perfect season of 2014, a campaign that topped all of the exceptional achievements recorded in the annuls of the CSL and its forerunner leagues over many decades since the original National Soccer League launched in 1926. Winning 13 with five draws in the 18-game schedule before going through to the playoffs and winning the championship was an achievement that re-wrote the record book.
The Shooters finished third in the standings in 2015, and will kickoff this new season with a visit to Lions Park in Brantford for a game with the Galaxy on Sunday night, a 7 pm kickoff. It’s the second game for Brantford Galaxy following their scoreless tie against Toronto Atomic on May 21.
Team owner and head coach Tony De Thomasis continues to strengthen his side on and off the field of play with the support of former Chilean international Carlos Rivas, long-standing GM John Pacione and Argyrios Tsoulos returning as the club’s head fitness coach following a spell in Greece.
Rivas has the highly successful Carlos Rivas Soccer School in the GTA and is still considered a hero in South America following his play for Chile leading up to the 1982 World Cup, while Tsoulos has an outstanding background as an international track and field athlete and is now a qualified trainer having worked with over 100 professional soccer players.
The Shooters have added Nicholas Lindsay and Evan Beutler to their first team roster. Lindsay, 23, a speedy forward, was one of the most promising young Canadians while moving from youth soccer in Brampton to Toronto FC Academy, the Ontario Provincial team, the Canadian U-20 team and Toronto FC before suffering a severe knee injury which kept him out the entire 2011 season. He signed for Burlington SC in 2013 and now returns to the CSL with the Shooters.
Beutler, also 23, has played indoor soccer professionally following a strong academic career which includes a three-time state championship for Enterprise Wings in his home state of Alabama. Beutler was eventually transferred to the University of Alabama where he completed a BSc in Psychology with a minor in Physical Education, and while playing there made the NCAA Division II All American team. He holds dual Canadian-American citizenship.
Serbian White Eagles had a banner year in 2015, leading the CSL First Division most of the five-month long season and finishing on top with a four-point margin over Toronto Croatia in second place. White Eagles will visit Birchmount Stadium for the 8 pm opener against Scarborough SC on Saturday night and will be guided by coaches Mirko Medic and Uros Stamatovic.
But the weekend will kickoff on Friday night with Milton SC at home to Hamilton City, the season opener for both teams at the Jean Vanier Field in Milton, a 7.30 start. Milton made a good start to First Division soccer in 2015, finishing in seventh spot in the standings and making the playoffs following their 2014 season in Division Two. Hamilton City start their inaugural year and reports suggest the team is ready for a strong beginning following several weeks of preparation.
