BEHIND THE PLAY #30

A different and much shorter newsletter this week.

Got a question? I might have the answer

I’d like this newsletter to be three things: entertaining, informative and helpful. The game has been a driving force in my life for over 50 years and my full time vocation for 21 years and I’m in a position with that experience and this newsletter to help others with information.

Fifteen of those years were as a club Technical Director and the last six have been as an Executive Director (same club).

I’ve had the chance to watch the game at a professional level on five continents, play competitive games in ten countries as well as play at the highest levels here in Canada (national team, semi-professionally in the CSL, university, as well as the highest level of men’s amateur).

I’ve coached every level of player from the youngest through to adult and taken or played on teams that have gone to provincial, national and international championships and tournaments.

I’ve made it a point to volunteer in some capacity every year that I’ve worked professionally at the club level. That has seen me fill almost every club role at some point and be elected to District Boards for five years where I served as Chair for just over two of those years. I’ve also been on many committees at the club, league, District and Provincial governing body (BC Soccer) levels and even two civic government ones related to the game.

So I’ve accrued some knowledge and experience in both on-field and off-field issues and I’m happy to share that information.

If you have a question, or several, you’d like answered on this newsletter, I’ve set up a Google form you can submit questions on. You can do it anonymously or provide a name and/or email address. Entirely up to you. Depending on demand, I’ll intersperse answers to questions into future newsletters.

Please remember there are no dumb questions. It’s safe to assume that if you don’t know the answer to something there are likely many others in the same boat.

Click here for the question form.

Kitted out

The Canadian Soccer League (CSL) was in existence from 1987 to 1992. I played for four of those six seasons. 1988 with the Edmonton Brickmen and then 1989 with the Vancouver 86ers on loan for the first month of the season before being traded to Calgary Strikers. I took the 1990 season off to go travelling and then finished up with two seasons with the Vancouver 86ers, the league’s most dominant team.

There wasn’t a ton of money to be made in the CSL but there really were some quality players that played in it. Almost all the national team players of the day played in it for starters including many who had played for Canada in the 1986 World Cup.

Whatever lack of pay there was though was definitely offset by the quantity and quality of kit that players got. That included my time in Edmonton and Calgary. This is what I have left having given some away to collectors and some to the Sally Ann along with a load of other old clothes about four years ago. Pretty sure all of these were from the 1991 and 1992 seasons.

No, they’re not for sale.