It’s times like this that we remember once again a comment by Gerry Gentile, an award-winning businessman and soccer coach in York Region just north of Toronto attempting to launch a coast to coast Canadian United Soccer League (CUSL) more than 20 years ago. “There’s nothing in the DNA of a Canadian that says he cannot be a great soccer player,” said Gentile to a packed audience in the downtown Toronto hotel.
Soccer talent has for many years considered to be a rich resource in Canada, both with the arrival of many young players with families from countries steeped in the beautiful game and with Canadian-born players in families with soccer as their main sport of interest. There are more registered soccer players in Canada than any other team sport.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that an additional dimension has now been added in Canada to identify special players who may have enough talent and skills to play at a high professional level, but don’t have the benefit of being seen at a showcase event.
Continental Sports & Entertainment Inc., Law Office of Igor Demitchev and Football Club Continentals, have been conducting screening sessions to assemble a strong team of young Canadian players for several weeks now for tryouts and a final selection to go before coaches and other representatives from top European clubs gathering at Antalya, Turkey during February.
Demitchev entered the formal soccer community in Ontario with FC Vorkuta (now FC Continentals ) 14 years ago with emphasis on player development and has arranged assistance from technical specialists in Canadian youth soccer, including Ilya Orlov, the head coach of the University of Toronto and Alliance United League. Denys Yanchuk, a former player in Ukraine, a GM and coach in Canada who is now an official agent for UEFA, is also one of the principals in establishing Continental Sports & Entertainment Inc.
“We believe that a ‘Wow’ Canadian youth talent team is at the final stages of selection,” said Demitchev. The final decision on the selected roster will take place following an upcoming friendly match between the assembled team and a League One team.
Players requiring a first step assessment in Toronto should email the request to fc.continentalstoronto@gmail.com. Application and screening trial fee is $10.
Stan Adamson
