Canadian Soccer emerges from weekend meetings with new leader

The Canadian Soccer Association emerged from their Ottawa weekend meetings with a new leader and a renewed committment to promoting the growth and development of soccer for all Canadians. Newly-appointed chairman of the board Dominic Maestracci presided over the Friday executive meeting, the Saturday board of directors meeting, and the Sunday general meeting. Dr. Maestracci and the executive also took part in a Monday partners meeting in Toronto.

Dr. Maestracci has been involved in soccer from the regional to national level for more than 40 years. He was even a national referee from 1983 to 1989 and served as a FIFA nominee in 1988 and 1989. He was the president of the Québec Soccer Federation from 2003-2006 and vice-president of the Canadian Soccer Association since 2006. Dr. Maestracci will lead the Canadian Soccer Association until May 2008 when an open vote will be conducted to select a new president at the Annual General Meeting.
Top priorities coming out of the weekend meetings are the FIFA Women’s World Cup bid presentation, the completion of the Canadian Soccer Association’s new strategic plan, and the hiring of two senior staff members – technical director and general secretary. Of note, the Canadian Soccer Association expects to complete its first draft on the new strategic plan early in the new year. The strategy includes the implementation of a new long-term player development plan called Wellness to World Cup.
As for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 bid, the Canadian Soccer Association will make their presentation next Monday 29 October in Zurich, Switzerland. Canada makes their presentation at 10.30 while Deutschland makes their presentation at 11.00. (Brasil, the lone country making a bid for the FIFA World Cup 2014, makes their presentation at 11.45). The FIFA Executive Committee will then have two meetings – one at 14.00 on Monday and another starting at 9.00 on Tuesday. The press conference to announce the host countries starts at 14.00.
The next Canadian Soccer Association meeting of the membership is scheduled for January 2008.