CSL
CARLO RIVAS JR PAVES WAY FOR ACADEMY GROUP
York Region Shooters plan UK visit this summer
TORONTO – Wednesday, March 5 – Carlo Rivas Jr keeps the best of company and it’s not all in the family.
Carlo is the son of Carlos Rivas, one of the best midfielders to come out of South America and known for his outstanding play when Chile qualified for the 1982 World Cup finals. Today he operates the longstanding, highly successful Carlos Rivas Soccer School in southern Ontario.
Canadian-born Carlo, also a midfielder who started his career with Cruz Azul in Mexico followed by a several seasons in the Chilean first division and has in more recent times played for York Region Shooters in the CSL, is also the grandson of Adan Godoy, the goalkeeper for Chile in the 1966 World Cup in England. Carlo’s full name includes Godoy – it’s on his mother’s side.
Outside of the family, Carlo Rivas Jr met recently with Manuel Pellegrini, manager of English Premier League side Manchester City who played for Chile alongside Carlos Rivas, and from that meeting a visit to Manchester by York Region Shooters’ academy group of players is in the works for this coming summer.
Such visits provides exposure for the academy players to be seen by local coaches in a different soccer environment and the notable successes of about 100 Canadians playing in Europe at any given time over the years gives testimony to what exposure can achieve, either by an arranged trial or a scouting mission while players are at a young age.
One of the most notable examples would be Atiba Hutchinson who played for the Shooters and went on to represent Canada, was twice chosen Canada’s Player of the Year – in 2010 and 2012 – and has played for several top level clubs in Europe.
Keep an eye open for further details coming from York Region Shooters in the weeks ahead.
APS AND CSL AGREE TO A WORKING RELATIONSHIP
PHILADELPHIA, PA – December 17, 2013 – American Professional Soccer (APS) has reached an agreement to forge a working relationship with the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). The historic agreement provides many opportunities for growth and development on both sides of the border, allowing the beautiful game to prosper in a suitable environment. The desire to launch APS was driven by the fact that the U.S. needs to develop a deeper professional soccer system to accommodate the increasing number of young, talented players. The lack of an adequate professional soccer structure relative to the number of players throughout the U.S. was expressed.
CSL CLUBS INVITE PLAYERS……Toronto Croatia move to Hershey Centre
Toronto Croatia, the most decorated club in the CSL with championship victories 1970 through 73, 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2012, will be playing out of the Hershey Centre in Mississauga while Etobicoke’s Centennial Stadium undergoes renovation for the Pan American games. The First Division team’s home opener will be on Saturday, May 24.
While the Toronto Croatia first team was notably absent from the championship final following a third-place league finish, the reserve squad made an outstanding return to competition to finish on top of the Second Division, to then reach the final of the Second Division Championship. Igor Beram, the second squad GM credited with putting together the winning combination in 2013, is opening the door to players looking for a first entry step into professional soccer. Players are invited to send a curriculum vitae to torontocroatiareserves@live.ca and those who qualify will be invited to a trial at the Hershey Dome Field, Mississauga, on Friday, March 21 from 9 – 11 pm.
Similarly, North York Astros are inviting players to make application for a trial through the club’s website at www.northyorkastros.ca. The team’s home opener will be played on May 25 at Esther Shiner Stadium.
The Canadian Soccer League continues to encourage players considering entry into semi-professional soccer to contact their nearest CSL club.
Partnership with American Soccer League a Historic Occasion
Ten teams will kickoff a new First Division season and launch a new era in the Canadian Soccer League mid-May, a six-month schedule supplemented by cross-border games against teams in the soon-to-be launched American Soccer League playing out of the northeastern United States.
It will be a historic venture for the semi-professional CSL, which was originally launched as the National Soccer League in 1926 and re-branded through the years to become the CSL as we know it today. Now operating as a private league – which the league has elected to do on more than one occasion in its history – the CSL will have a working relationship with its U.S. counterpart to also include youth player development and marketing.
The ten teams to kickoff the CSL top division in the new season are Brampton City Utd, Burlington SC, London City, Kingston FC, Niagara United, North York Astros, SC Waterloo, Serbian White Eagles, Toronto Croatia and York Region Shooters. Teams for the CSL Second Division will be announced March 31.
SC Waterloo, which provides a much-needed professional soccer presence in the densely-populated youth soccer region that exists in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo and the regional soccer community that reaches out to out as far as Cambridge, Guelph and Stratford, are the current CSL champions following a 3-1 victory over Kingston FC in the Championship Final November 3. The southwestern Ontario club also captured the Second Division title when their second string defeated Toronto Croatia Reserves on the same day, the first time a CSL club has taken both titles in the same season.
“It certainly was a great season when all of the hard work paid off and we want to build on our success and do even more to provide attractive soccer and help in player development throughout the region, all while the Canadian Soccer League continues to grow as a strong member of the Canadian soccer community,” said Tony Kocis, president of SC Waterloo.
SC Waterloo are scheduled for their opening home game at Warrior Field in Waterloo on Sunday, May 25, a day set by several clubs for their home opener. Serbian White Eagles will have Lamport Stadium in Toronto’s west-end as their home ground in 2014 and have scheduled their home opener for Saturday, May 31.
The complete 2014 CSL schedule will be released early April.
KINGSTON PRESS CONFERENCE LAUNCHES 2014
Kingston FC were quick off the mark to jump into a lead last season and judging by the early press conference on January 28 while surrounded by the worst winter weather seen in the region for many years, the First Division title winner looks well positioned again to bid for even more honours in the Canadian Soccer League.
Kingston attracted plenty of attention in 2013 with a well-earned large fan support and the team responded again to be the finalist in the CSL Championship, losing 3-1 to SC Waterloo, another recent team in Canada’s top professional league.
“This time around, we’d like to repeat the top division win and add the championship trophy as well,” said Lorne Abugov, the club chairman, at the gathering at Queen’s University, the world-renowned teaching institution which has reinforced a successful partnership struck with their local pro soccer club in 2013. Abugov does not rule out the possibility of a strengthened reserve team winning the CSL Second Division.
On January 24 Kingston FC coaches and management took a close look at 30 players invited to bid for place on one of the teams and the club expects to sign six or seven during February. Kingston aims to retain the core of last year’s player pool for the coming season, including French striker Guillaume Surot, the CSL top scorer. While the roster is expected to be finalized by mid-March, there will be one more opportunity for some local players to tryout for any spots still available, and this will lead to the club’s training camp opening on April 24.
The club sports a new-look logo and new minority shareholders were announced as Shawn Geary (McCoy Bus Service & Tours), Catherine MacLeod (Physiotherapy Kingston), and Belleville businessman Jim Allore.
Abugov explained the present position of the CSL which is operating as a private league similar to MLB, the NBA and the NHL while in membership with the new Soccer Federation of Canada.
But what struck a chord most with the media was an announcement that Queen’s Varsity Men’s captain Joe Zupo will be on trial with Exeter City FC in England’s League Two and that Mike Smith and Hugo Delmaire were attending the USL Pro Combine in Florida in January, and that Edgar Soglo, Guillaume Surot, and Jason Massie trialed with Ottawa Fury FC, the newest Canadian member in the U.S.-based North American Soccer League with 11 teams, two of which, Ottawa and Edmonton are Canadian.
The Kingston FC season opener will be during the May 24 weekend and the home opener May 31.
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PREMIERE OF TORONTO CROATIA DOCUMENTARY…
A number of the 400 tickets are still available for the premiere showing of Toronto Croatia – a Great Croatian (and Canadian) documentary which will be preceded on January 17 with a press conference, further details of which will be announced in the coming days.
‘Toronto Croatia – Great Croatian Story’
Meadowvale Theatre, 6315 Montevideo Road, Mississauga, Ont.
905-821-7732
Tickets now available: $25 (CIF and taxes included)
Call: 905 458-0900 or 905 564-2297
TORONTO CROATIA – A GREAT CROATIAN (AND CANADIAN) STORY…. Premiere showing of documentary Jan 17
When Joe Pavicic became president of Toronto Croatia of the Canadian Soccer League in 2006, he did so with the knowledge that it would be necessary to uphold the reputation of a club with a proud and storied history after having celebrated 50 years in Canadian professional soccer.
The club was and continues to be high profile by virtue of an impressive chronology of championship victories in Canada and in recent years, internationally. The first sign of success came with consecutive title wins as a member of the National Soccer League during the years 1970 – 73 and this was followed by the memorable North American Championship victory as Toronto Metros-Croatia in 1976.
The Canadian International Soccer League (Puma League) titles followed in 1995 and 1996, then multiple wins in the Croatian National Soccer Federation of Canada and the United States tournament, to be followed by an unbeaten record in the more recent Croatian World Club Championship.
Toronto Croatia and Championships have become synonymous in Canadian soccer and the Mississauga-based club is now firmly entrenched in Canadian soccer history, to be shown in a documentary film produced by Pavicic with its premiere screening on January 17.
“It is true we have won a lot of trophies in the Canadian Soccer League over the years and have a great record overseas, but the one I am most proud of is the North American title as Metros-Croatia in ’76. I recognize it for two reasons, firstly it was really something to win the North American Championship in the 70s, but most importantly it demonstrated how two groups from different parts of the world involved in this great game can come together to achieve a high level of success,” said Pavicic.
A lot of great players have worn the distinctive Croatia mark on the jersey, with Portuguese legend, the late Eusebio, top scorer in the 1966 World Cup, topping the list. While playing two seasons for Toronto Croatia in 1975/76, Eusebio, who is often rated with Pele and Diego Maradona in world soccer, scored 18 goals in 25 games.
Others who played for Toronto Metros-Croatia to became prominent in the North American Soccer League were Bob Iarusci, Carmen Marcantonio, Bruno Pilas, Ivair Ferreira, Damir Sutevski, Ted Polak, Mladen Cukon, Zeljko Bilecki and Peter Roe, to name just a few.
Several players have crossed the Atlantic from Europe to play for Toronto Croatia, including Ivan Simic (from Gosk Jug Dubrovnik), Goran Pavlic (Iskra Bugojono), Josip Lukacevic (Osijek), Robert Rupcic (Rijeka) and Mate Stanic (Vinkovci) and in recent times a number of local players who have excelled for the club include Domagoj Sain, George Azcurra, Peter Curic, Leo Laurito, Edin Kalic, Leo Marasovic, Ivan Grnja, Marijan Bradvic, Drago Vabec, Ivan Lukacevic, Tom Granic, Josip Keran, Tihomir Maletic and Velimir Crljen. Crljen has also made his mark as player-coach and is currently head coach.
TAKE A JOURNEY OVER CHRISTMAS WHILE STAYING AT HOME
Soccer: Canada’s National Sport will get you there
I’m setting out on a journey this Christmas, while staying at home. I know where I’m going and how far I will get. I have a good idea who I will see on the way. There are special individuals I need to salute en route. I expect to finish the journey by the weekend.
I’m going to read a book. It’s not just a book, but a treasure trove of people, many of whom have spent their lives following, playing, coaching, administering or officiating the game of soccer in Canada going back to 1861 Canadian soccer is well recorded by stories, experiences and tidbits of information, while much is conveyed with wonderful images. It’s titled SOCCER: CANADA’S NATIONAL SPORT – 150 years of the memorable, unexpected and controversial. It’s written by Les Jones
It’s new, historical, educational, comprehensive and pictorial – more than 250 pages profusely laden with great pictures, many never seen before. At times, it’s hilarious. It’s loaded with candor.
I learned while glancing through the pages that long-time coach and founder of the highly successful Carlos Rivas Soccer School in Vaughan, Ontario, was rated the third best midfielder of all time in Chile ……….that there are now 180 Canadians playing every week with pro teams around the world……that more than 20 players born in Canada have played internationally for another country…..that Detroit FC was once declared champions of Canada………that 16 year old Toronto FC academy goalkeeper Quillan Roberts made FIFA history by scoring in the 2011 under-17 World Cup in Mexico, the first goal scored by a goalkeeper in any FIFA 11-a-side competition.
The author is candid in his description of match fixing activity in Canada and that disrupting a visiting international side here to play Canada can be as prevalent as the gamesmanship that sometimes takes place when Canada visits other countries.
It’s a superb publication of interest to young and old, anyone who has played or played a part in Canadian soccer or has any affinity at all for the world game. A great last-minute gift offering an opportunity to take a very entertaining journey over the holidays.
You can order your copy of Soccer: Canada’s National Sport by email to: lesjones.covershots@gmail.com Tel: 416-691-1555
Introductory price is $39.95 – List price $59.95
Stan Adamson
CSL AND AMERICAN PRO SOCCER (APS) REACH AGREEMENT
The Canadian Soccer League embarked upon a new path on November 18 in what was described as the beginning of an era and just two weeks later announce a first major step in its new direction by reaching agreement to forge a working relationship with American Professional Soccer (APS), a newly-formed league with teams in the northeastern United States.
APS, which is at an early stage of development with plans to kickoff in 2014, is driven in part by a longstanding position that the U.S. needs to develop a deeper professional soccer system to accommodate the increasing number of young , talented players. The lack of an adequate professional soccer structure relative to the number of players throughout the U.S. was expressed by FIFA president Sepp Blatter in 2011.
Blatter made a similar comment when visiting Canada in 2001, saying “Canada needs to do more with its professional soccer,” while explaining a country’s strength on the world stage is related to its domestic professional soccer structure.
Agreement was reached at a meeting in Toronto for the CSL and APS to strike a close working relationship in areas of competition and business. “We can derive considerable benefit by working closely with APS, a new league which has aspirations and a vision for soccer on this continent similar to that of our league,” said CSL chairman Vincent Ursini in making the announcement.
Matthew Driver, APS chief executive officer and Michael Wheeler, legal counsel, attended the Toronto meeting which included owners of CSL teams.
Talks were wide-ranging and covered the extent to which both leagues can enter into an arrangement for games to be played both sides of the border. A cross-border women’s semi-professional league and youth academy competition will be explored. Marketing ideas, with emphasis placed on member teams being profitable – elusive for most professional clubs in North America – was also discussed.
“We look forward to working with the Canadian Soccer League to develop synergies that will help both of our leagues to improve performance on and off the field,” said Driver, a native of Scotland with high level coaching experience including New England Revolution in Major League Soccer, together with a strong marketing background in corporate business and team ownership.
