With but one week to go before next week’s 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship opener at BMO Field, Toronto FC has unveiled its new man in charge. Chris Cummins, who was already at the helm for the two most recent matches, was officially named TFC’s interim head coach.
“We are pleased to announce that Chris has accepted the role of interim head coach,” said manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston. “After speaking with the coaching staff, we felt this was the best decision for the team moving forward. I want to thank all our coaches as it’s been a tough few days for all of us, however we’ve got a great group here and we’ll continue towards our goal of making the playoffs.”
Canada’s women’s national team has announced it will play a two-game series against the world’s number-one ranked USA this July. The two sides will meet Sunday 19 July in Rochester, NY and Wednesday 22 July in Charleston, SC. This marks the 17th-straight year that the two women’s sides have met in international competition.
L’équipe nationale canadienne féminine senior a annoncé la tenue d’une série de deux matchs l’opposant aux États-Unis en juillet. Les États-Unis sont en tête du classement mondial. Les deux sélections nationales féminines s’affronteront le dimanche 19 juillet prochain à Rochester (état de New York), avant de se retrouver trois jours plus tard, le 22 juillet, à Charleston (Caroline du Sud). C’est la 17ème année consécutive que les deux équipes féminines s’affrontent en compétition internationale.
Canada’s technical director Stephen Hart and women’s national coach Carolina Morace highlighted the Ontario Soccer Association’s 2009 Play Soccer Conference in Ottawa, ON. Both coaches delivered on-field sessions at the weekend event which coincided with the OSA’s 109th annual general meeting.
“Both sessions were excellent,” said Peter Menyasz, Director of Coach Development at the Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association. “The sessions provided the coaches with high-quality technical information they can apply to their players.”
The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that technical director Stephen Hart will assume, on an interim basis, the head coaching responsibilities for the men’s senior national team for the duration of the 2009 season. Mr. Hart will lead Canada at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer, starting with the international friendly match in Larnaca against Cyprus on 30 May.
“We are very happy to have Mr. Hart in this role for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup,” said Canadian Soccer Association President Dr. Dominic Maestracci.
The Saskatchewan Soccer Association has released the first edition of its new online newsletter, The Onion Bag. The April 2009 first edition was distributed to Sask Soccer members at the beginning of the month. The 32-page document highlights the beautiful game at the provincial, national and international level.
The April 2009 edition features numerous SSA Staff Reports, including referee development, awards and recognition and the Saskatchewan Premier Soccer League. There is also a Sask Soccer Club Profile featuring the WMG Prairie Canucks.
Soccer won three prizes at the annual Sport Prince Edward Island Banquet. Assistant referee Justine Lewis was named PEI Mutual Official of the Year, Avondale Islanders forward Paul Craig was named Paperflow Intercollegiate Male Athlete of the Year, and the national bronze medalist Avondale Islanders won Island Petroleum Team of the Year.
Lewis was nominated this year for the National Assistant Referee List. She is a former PEI Soccer Association Senior Official of the Year, having won the soccer-specific prize in 2006.
Canada will open the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup against Jamaica this 3 July at the Home Depot Center. Canada was drawn into Group A along with Jamaica, Costa Rica and El Salvador. The quartet will play in Los Angeles, CA on 3 July, Columbus, OH on 7 July, and Miami, FL on 10 July.
Canada faces Jamaica on 3 July at The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. The match kicks off at 17.00 local (20.00 ET). The group then travels to Columbus where Canada will face El Salvador at the Crew Stadium on 7 July (19.00 ET kickoff). The final match is three days later on 10 July at the Florida International University Stadium in Miami. Canada faces Costa Rica in the early match at 19.00 ET while the other two teams (El Salvador and Jamaica) close out the group at 22.00 ET.
The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Sportsnet will broadcast the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship live and coast-to-coast across Canada, featuring the Impact de Montréal, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The live broadcast schedule features the 6 May match in Toronto, the 27 May and 2 June matches in Vancouver, and the final game on 18 June in Montréal.
“The Canadian Soccer Association is pleased to announce that Canadian soccer fans from coast-to-coast will be able to follow the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship live on Sportsnet,” said CSA General Secretary Peter Montopoli. “Sportsnet is a committed partner in promoting the sport of soccer in Canada and a natural home for the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The soccer expertise provided by Sportsnet will further enhance the Nutrilite Canadian Championship property.”