MSA

Webisode V - Celebrating our best

2011-02-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

This is the fifth and final webisode for the MSA Blog.

I had the honour and privilege of speaking with six winners of awards at this year's MSA Annual Awards Banquet.

I put this piece together using their answers to some of my questions. Each of the full interviews will soon be available to check out on our MSA Facebook page!

Thanks to the winners who agreed to participate in this but recognition also needs to go out to those who won awards but were not able to be in the video. They are as follows:

Harry Harwood Outstanding Youth Male Player Award: Dylan Carreiro
Lorrie Thompson Outstanding Youth Female Player Award: Neena Young
Victor Batzel Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award: Greg Nordman
Frank Stambrook Outstanding Volunteer Award: Lynda McLeish
Mario Perrino Outstanding Referee Award: Graham Forsyth

Proposed changes...some thoughts.

2011-02-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

Change.

It’s a six-letter word that seems to strike fear into the very hearts of this city’s soccer community. Always a passionate, tight knit but fairly conservative bunch, Winnipeg’s fairly small group of passionate soccer supporters have always seemed content with the status quo.

That status quo is being threatened big time by a proposed new ruling from the Manitoba Soccer Association that would eliminate any official competition from the sport of soccer for kids under 12 by the year 2014. Instead of keeping score in league play and awarding trophies and championships, greater emphasis would be placed on actually learning the game. More time would be spent in training sessions, learning skills and getting active. Less time would be spent playing games.

Naturally, much of the soccer community is up in arms over the idea. Claiming that it will set back the development of our top prospects and no longer really be a sport.

That idea is foolish and narrow minded.

For starters, it isn’t as if competition is being removed from the sport entirely, just for young kids under the age of 12. At that age, the competition is often more between wild parents harassing each other, referees and coaches on the sidelines than the kids anyway.

One a child is a teenager and even old enough to stay home alone, they can keep score and win trophies as much as they want.

While age is a factor, the biggest thing we have to face up to as soccer fans is that the current system for soccer in this province just is not working.

Soccer fanatics who know some good players and have friends who they think could play for provincial programs etc might disagree but at its very foundation, our province is producing very, very few top level soccer players. Our men’s national team is ranked below tiny countries most of us have never even heard of.

So let’s try something new. Let’s actually have our players spend time working on getting better, working on becoming skilled and fit and then put them in competitive games. It’s just logical that they will touch the ball and improve more by being out practicing for hours than touching the ball 10 times in a one hour long game.

As MSA Chief Executive Hector Vergara said this week, this is the system used for soccer in much of the rest of the world. Spain uses a similar system and just won the World Cup. In South America you don’t see kids playing in organized leagues, but spending endless hours out with friends on the streets learning their craft.

The bottom line is this, whether you agree with it or not. This plan should be given a chance before it’s condemned as an outright failure.

Sure, we could resist change, stick with the nice little bubble world that we have as a soccer community, but what’s the point? Why not aim for more?

With any luck we might see players from Manitoba on the sports biggest stage one day, instead of just winning a community club tournament.

Stay tuned. I will be speaking with Hector and other MSA executives this week to continue taking a closer look at this story and what it means for soccer in our province.

keith

A change in philosophy?

2011-02-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Check out this article on the Free Press website today about how there could be changes in Manitoba soccer to move to more of a fun component rather than competitive.

Article

It certainly seems to have generated a lot of discussion. What do you think?

Let us know!

keith

Alliance Soccer on Shaw

2011-02-06T07:21:00.001-08:00

Just a reminder to everyone that the Winnipeg Alliance, Winnipeg's professional indoor soccer club are playing at the Gateway Recreation Centre today (Super Bowl Sunday) in a game that will be televised on Shaw.

The game can be seen in its entirety on Shaw on the following Monday night, at 7 PM

Tune in and support a major partner of the MSA!

Celebrating our best - MSA annual awards

2011-02-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

We at the MSA are excited to announce that we have finalized plans for our Annual Awards Banquet. This is a chance for us to honour or brightest players, referees coaches and volunteers for their hard work over the past year.

We are extremely excited to announce that our keynote speaker will be Karina Leblanc, the goalkeeper for Canada's senior national Women's team. She has emerged as one of the top goalkeepers in the game and will also be available to run clinics with our young players.

Stay tuned to the blog for pictures from the event as well as as full profiles on the winners.

For now, here is some key information on the banquet and how you can get tickets to support the soccer community in Manitoba.

MANITOBA SOCCER ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

SATURDAY, MARCH 12^TH, 2011

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON WINNIPEG SOUTH

MASTER OF CEREMONIES: MICHELLE LISSEL, ANCHOR OF THE FOX SOCCER REPORT

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: KARINA LEBLANC, GOALKEEPER FOR THE 2011 CANADIAN

INCONJUNCTION WITH THE ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET, THE MSA WILL ALSO BE HOSTING A GOALKEEPER CLINIC WITH SPECIAL GUEST KARINA LEBLANC ON SUNDAY, MARCH 13^TH, 2011.

FOR TICKETS TO THE BANQUET OR CLINIC PLEASE CONTACT CARLO AT 925-5614

Expanding our reach

2011-02-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

At the Manitoba Soccer Association, our goal is always to make it easier for our members to understand our initiatives and what we are striving to do in order to make their soccer experience better.

That's why we have been striving to develop an enhanced presence on Facebook.

Over the past month or so a small team us made up of myself, Chief Executive Hector Vergara and Special Events Coordinator Carlo Bruneau have come together to set up the page that provides members will all the information they could want on the MSA.

Our goal was to make the page interesting while not being bogged down in too much information. We have included everything we thought members would most want.

This includes :

- Tons of photos

- All of our key information

- Background and ahead of time notifications on our events

- News stories

- Opportunities

And much more.

The new page is something we are very proud of and is a key part of the strategy of my project. We hope that it will leave a lasting impact on the future of the organization and help educate everyone around the world on the great work that the MSA does.

Please take some time to check it out and feel free to provide any feedback!

Webisode IV - National Training Centre

2010-12-10T10:05:00.001-08:00

Facebook - The MSA moving forward

2010-12-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

Next week, myself and the MSA will be meeting to discuss ways to ramp up their social media presence even further by creating a solid Facebook page.

It is vitally important to all of us involved with the MSA to be able to communicate effectively with our members. Without this ability, we are powerless to try and improve the game in Manitoba.

New MSA president Christine O'Connor used Facebook effectively in her election campaign and has identified it as something for the organization to get involved with.

The goal is to create an advanced looking Facebook page that can be used as a means to provide our members with information on what we are doing as an organization. The page, like the blog, would be an extension of the website. It will feature news, video content and direct messages from MSA executives. The ultimate idea is to allow our members to feel more involved with the operations of the MSA so that they can help us come together to make soccer as strong as it can be here.

We are eager to here any feedback or ideas that can be provided about what should be featured on the page. Content? Design? Is it something good? Let us know!

Stay tuned for the page to be up sometime over the holidays. Also, check back on the blog tomorrow for a new webisode and all your latest MSA news.

MSA Annual Awards Banquet - Call for Nominations

2010-12-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

The annual awards are a time to reflect on the past season and recognize those who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport of soccer in Manitoba. The awards are presented by Patrons of the MSA to players, coaches, referees and volunteers who have significantly contributed and excelled in soccer.

Below, are the nomination forms for players, referees and volunteers. If you know someone you think is deserving of an award, please nominate them. It is important to the MSA to reward those who are deserving of recognition.

Player Nomination Form

Referee Nomination Form

Volunteer Nomination Form

Webisode 3

2010-11-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Here is the third of our five webisodes for the blog. This one focuses on the MSA themselves, with a particular look at the WSF Indoor Complex, where MSA offices are based.

Reminder: You can check out all the webisodes in the section on the side of the blog. Enjoy!

You Need to Know - PT I

2010-11-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

For the next little while, my goal here on the blog will be to fill readers in on some things that the MSA does that they probably don’t know about.

Let’s start with something that everyone can get excited about…free money!

Every year, the MSA, in association with Sport Manitoba, hands out a number of scholarships to people involved in soccer here in Manitoba.

This past week, Brandon University student Adam Rocan received the association’s flagship award, the Archie Nunn Scholarship. The scholarship is given to someone who has been involved in MSA sanctioned programs for three or more years and is currently involved in soccer.

The scholarship is named after Archie Nunn, who was a dedicated volunteer within a number of soccer associations for years. Nunn’s dream was to bring the sport to as many kids as he possibly could.

Rocan has long been one of the top young players in Manitoba and also won the WYSA scholarship for this year. The MSA blog has been in contact with Adam about an interview so watch for a profile on him coming soon…

While the Archie Nunn Scholarship is the MSA’s flagship award, members of the soccer community are always considered, and often win, Sport Manitoba endorsed scholarships here are a few of those scholarships available through the MSA:

• Manitoba Foundation for Sports Scholarship – Awarded to young athletes who have participated at a provincial level in amateur sport, shown high academic standing and are involved in volunteering/coaching in amateur sport. Students must be entering post-secondary education and can win between $500-1000.

• Male and Female Youth Athlete of the Year – Every year, the MSA nominates one girl and one guy for this award. This nominee will get to attend the Sport Manitoba Sports Awards night and receive a cheque for $500 dollars for their achievements.

• Coach of the Year – Soccer coaches are commonly nominated for this award, which is split into three categories. The Vince Leah Award is given to a coach working with grassroots athletes at any level. The Jack Hunt award is given to a coach working with athletes preparing to play at higher levels. An example of this would be coaches involved with the Provincial Programs. Finally, the Peter Williamson award is given to coaches working with national caliber athletes.

• Dave Eggertson Award for Community Service – This award is given to someone who takes the time out of their lives to help out in their community. This could be coaching or volunteering while maintaining a high academic level and participating actively in sport. The MSA nominate one athlete for this award and the winner will receive $500 for the North West Company.

Portrait of a President

2010-11-21T11:03:00.000-08:00

Being president of the Manitoba Soccer Association is arguably the biggest role you can have within the sport, here in our province. Despite knowing that, new president Christine O’Connor wasn’t even going to run.

“I had done every other position on the board before and I wanted to take time out to spend time with my youngest son,” she said.

It wasn’t until various members of the community asked her, that O’Connor finally decided to throw her hat into the ring.

She was clearly the perfect candidate for the job as her resume in the sport is basically unrivaled, within Manitoba.

O’Connor was a founding member of the Winnipeg Women’s Soccer League and was the manager of the inaugural Manitoba All-Star women’s team. She also acted as an administrator for the national women’s team, director of women’s soccer for the MSA, ran the provincial programs and was even the event manager for women’s soccer at the highly successful Pan Am Games.

The past few years, O’Connor has been busy running Sweat Shack, a soccer store that she has owned for thirty years. She said she was moved to return to the MSA fold because of one particular issue.

“The one thing that really ticked me off was the kids and that some players who wanted to play on provincial teams couldn’t play because their parents couldn’t afford it.”

“Sometimes the decisions came down to whether or not the parents could write a cheque,” she said, angrily.

O’Connor said she believed playing for Manitoba should be an honour open to everyone and that she was actively helping set up a fund to pay the fees for players who could not afford it.

With that as her central campaign issue, O’Connor was chosen as President at the MSA’s Annual General Meeting on Nov. 6. While she said she was bogged down in paper work right now, she will be flying out to Vancouver next week to participate in the bid process for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. She said her ultimate goal was to have Manitoba chosen as one of the host provinces.

It’s been a big couple of months for O’Connor, who was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame not long before taking this position. She struggled for words in trying to describe her honour.

“I found it very humbling, I’ve never had a feeling like that. It’s just indescribable really,” she managed.

Despite all the accolades, O’Connor is keeping her feet on the ground and is committed to helping move soccer forward.

When asked what would make her two-year term as president success, she did not mince words.

“If you go in and you don’t make any changes and you don’t make things better, then you don’t deserve to have been elected in the first place.”

For more on O’Connor and her accomplishments, check out her “Christine O’Connor for MSA President” profile on Facebook or head over to the MSA website.

A New Face at the Helm

2010-11-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

The Manitoba Soccer Association has an exciting new president.

The MSA held their Annual General Meeting this weekend and one of the main features of the meeting is to elect a president for the organization. The president is the highest ranking official in the MSA family and we could not have hoped for a better person to lead us into the future than Christine O'Connor.

O'Connor has been a leader of the soccer community in Manitoba for a long time and, as I tweeted, was recently announced as a 2010 inductee into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

Christine has been busy this week but I have arranged to meet up with her to conduct an interview with her covering everything from her soccer filled past to her ideas for the future of the MSA. Look for that post in the coming days.

To wet your appetite, here is Christine's bio as shown on the program for the 2010 Manitoba Sports HOF induction ceremony.

Born in Manchester, England, Christine O’Connor began her soccer building career in the early 1980’s with the founding of the Sweat Shack Women’s Soccer Team. Since that time she has served numerous roles provincially including MSA Director for Women’s Soccer, Provincial Teams Director, Director of Senior Soccer, and Vice- President.

Nationally she has been named Administrator for the Canadian Women’s
Team from 1986-89, organizing the team for numerous international matches and a member of the CSA’s Competitions Committee and chaired the national Club championship in 1996.

On the international scene O’Connor was heavily involved in the
1999 Pan Am games in Winnipeg. O’Connor currently resides in Winnipeg.

It's clear that the future of the MSA is in more than capable hands.

Regional Training Centre - A chance to be the best

2010-11-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, soccer in our province made a huge breakthrough when Winnipeg was awarded a Regional Training Centre as part of Canada's National Training Centre program.

The premise is simple. The Canadian Soccer Association set up a number of the regional centres across the country where the best players from that region train as a group in order to move their games forward. The best players from these centres go on to national centres in hopes of earning sports on youth national teams.

It is hoped that this program will provide the kind of breakthrough that our national teams need to step up to that elite level.

Here in Winnipeg, the centre is run by Rob Gale (for more information on Rob and his work, check out an earlier post) and has been very successful in unearthing the top young players we have.

The 48 players in the program are from a wide variety of age groups and are judged on a number of things, from their soccer skills, to their teamwork on and off the field, to their intellectual and social skills.

When the program began, Hector Vergara told Free Press soccer writer Jerrad Peters that it was "a very exciting project" and he has recently told me similar things, saying it was a massive step forward for soccer in our province.

As of now, several Manitobans are involved in National team programs, including Alison Clarke who played for Canada's winning team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup recently. The win ensured the team a spot in the World Cup.

Clearly, the program has the potential to move Manitoba to the very forefront of soccer in our country and that can only be a good thing.

The centre has been running out of Glenlawn Collegiate but is moving inside for the winter and will now be held at the WSF complex on the campus of the University of Manitoba.

Stay tuned for a webisode on the centre coming up by December. To learn more about the program now and how you can get involved, check out these links:

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/life/schooling-future-soccer-stars-87318982.html
http://www.manitobasoccer.ca/prov_programs/region_train.html

Manitoba's Finest

2010-10-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

Going to the BMO National Championships is a major honour for any soccer club. Coming back home knowing you finished as the best team from your province is even better.

That’s exactly what happened for FC Northwest’s U16 boys team as they brought back a silver earlier this month. It was Manitoba’s only medal from national competitions this year.

Jorge Carreiro is a coach with the club. He said they are happy with the result, but a bit disappointed they didn’t go one step further.

“We were happy with the silver medal but at the same time, we know we could have won the gold.”

“We didn’t go there just to say we’re happy to compete, we went there to get a gold and that’s the message I gave to the players,” he added.

The club went 15-1 during the league season, giving Carreiro a right to be bullish about his club’s performance. He said the trip to nationals was not a surprise and that they had gone to provincials expecting to win.

They did eventually take the crown, despite some spoiler style tactics from the opposition.

“Every game we played, the other team just sat back and played defensively so that made it hard to get goals but we ended up figuring out ways to beat these teams and it worked out well in the end,” said Carreiro.

Known as the Lions, Northwest went to Ontario for nationals reflecting the confidence of their coach. Carreiro said he told the Free Press that he would be disappointed with any less than a spot in the gold medal game.

The players held up their end of the bargain before falling to powerhouse Ajax, an Ontario club playing close to home, by three goals to one in the final.

Despite the tough loss, Carreiro said he was most proud of the way his team fought right to the end, even hitting the post in the final minutes of play. He said that while being the top club out of Manitoba was a massive honour, he would be happy with his kids either way.

“No matter what, I am always proud of the players. They’re a great group who never quit. They have a lot of passion for the game and they love the game.”

“Of course we’re proud to come home with the silver medal because not a lot of Manitoba teams do that so it is a great feeling,” he added.

A part of the Northwest culture his whole life, even playing for past incarnations of them when he was young, Carreiro will be leaving the club next week. He is moving to Toronto to be with his son Dylan, who is playing with Toronto FC and the national team for his age group.

Carreiro said he was leaving behind a province where the game was making great strides.

“There are some really, really good soccer people who are working with these kids at a young age and they can really do some special things.”

He said that at the end of the day, positive thinking is key.

“The big thing is that coaches have to make their players believe that they can compete against the bigger provinces. If they believe that and work hard, then good things can happen for Manitoba teams in the future.”

For now, Northwest can be happy with their title as Manitoba’s finest but with their rich history of winning, you can be sure that they won’t rest until they come home next year with a medal of a different colour.

Rob Gale - A chat with Manitoba's soccer guru

2010-10-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

Rob Gale has pretty much seen it all in his soccer career. He played professionally over in England before moving to Winnipeg, where he is now considered one of the top soccer coaches in Canada.

Four years ago, Rob took the full time position as Technical Director with the MSA. He is in charge of all on field activities and has the express goal of making soccer better in Manitoba.

This week, I chatted with Rob about the state of the sport here, and he had some pretty interesting things to say. These are some of the highlights of my interview with the man in charge of trying to take soccer to the next level in our province.

So Rob, what is your official role in the MSA? Can you describe exactly what you do?

I am responsible for all player and coaching initiatives within Manitoba. That includes running all coaching development clinics at all levels throughout Manitoba. On the player side, I run the clinics and my role is obviously to run the provincial programs and the regional training centre here as well.

Obviously, you’ve had a pretty long career in the game. Describe your journey before ending up here in Winnipeg?

I was a youth professional with Fulham Football Club. I signed there on my fourteenth birthday and after playing with them I went to Wycombe Wanderers Football Club while studying at university. Then injury forced me out for a whole season so I stopped to do my coaching licensing in the States and ended up playing in the States for a while and then eventually came here with Lucania FC.

How important are elite level programs like the provincial program and the regional training centre in terms of developing the game here?

It is vital for development here. Anytime you have a province the size of ours, no one region can provide the same level of development because you can’t have the top players playing against the best competition on a regular basis. So the provincial program brings them all together and that’s when development really occurs when you’re playing against elite competition on a regular basis. It’s all about testing yourself at the top level.

How has soccer changed in this province since you took over? Has it really moved forward?

Fortunately, we’ve been very successful. If you look at the twenty years before these past four years, Manitoba had not won any medals in provincial competition and we had only three players involved with national teams.

If you look at the last four years, we’ve won three medals in national competition, including a gold medal at the Western Canada Games in 2007. We’ve had 15 players on various national teams so we’ve really blossomed in that.

It’s funny, when I used to go around the country Manitoba was laugh of looked down upon. They used to laugh and say ‘when are you going to send us a male player?’ Now the last three squads we’ve had boys on the national teams and the way with youth now is completely different. We’re taking the major provinces right down to the wire game in game out now.

With that said, what can we do to keep things moving ahead and take soccer to the next level?

The key is the infrastructure. We have to work closely with the clubs to give their players a better technical level before they come up to the provincial level and that’s where we’ve really made good strides in the last four years is working with the clubs.

If had more money we would do a lot more. We would certainly try and take more tours and get more competition for our players. The biggest problem here is our top players just do not face the competition level that the other province’s players do, on a regular basis.

Be honest, where do you hope to see Manitoba soccer in the next few years?

If you look at where we’ve been in the last couple years, we’ve hovered around third and fourth place and I would love us to move up.

We have to be realistic. We’re never going to be Ontario and Quebec but I’d like us to be able to compete on any given day and beat those teams.

The ultimate aim for us is not the amount of medals we win, but how many players from Manitoba will go on to make a career out of the game.

We want to continue to build the recognition for the players and coaches that we do have here and take that across the country.

Webisode 2 - Provincial Program

2010-10-26T08:43:00.001-07:00

Check out the second of our five webisodes. This one centres around the MSA Provincial Program. Take a look and let us know what you think. Thanks to everyone at the tryouts who took time to help out!

Northstars look on the bright side

2010-10-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Imagine working all year for something only to find that when you get there, you aren’t able to fully experience it.

That was the sad reality this week for the WSA Northstars at the BMO National Championships

WSA is short for World Soccer Academy and the impressive name is not just for show. The club have been one of the premier women’s soccer teams in Manitoba for years are capped off a strong showing this season with a league title and provincial championship to add to the trophy cabinet.

The club is based out of a world-class soccer academy in the city and their status allows them to attract top quality players from all around. Club representative Jim Rurak said this is one of the key reasons for their success, and lead to them going into provincials full of confidence.

“I don’t want to say we were expecting to win, but we certainly went there feeling like we had a good chance. We were one of the two or three teams who really had a shot at winning,” he said.

The Northstars were able to live up to expectations as they got an extra time winner from Aliana Foderaro to beat rival Team United 1-0 in a very tight final.

The win was made all the more impressive by how the team were only able to dress 11 players for the match and, when Cathy Butler went down with an ACL injury, had to play the latter part of the game a girl down.

This was brought about by a problem that affects the club nearly every year as their attraction of top quality players acts as a double-edged sword. The club recruits players from national programs and schools in the states to fill the roster. Players join the club for the summer, but have to return to their American university or Canadian training program teams towards the end of August.

Rurak said this was something that was just part of the fabric of the club.

“We are fortunate to be associated with a number of high quality players so it is a balancing act in having those players but knowing they are eventually going to leave but if we have injuries to it can make it tough,”

“I wont say it’s not frustrating but at the same time, it’s those strong players who make us successful and so we want to keep them involved but we can’t always do that,” he added.

The decimated roster left Rurak needing to call up players as the club prepared for nationals. Strict Canadian Soccer Association rules state that you can only call up players who are younger and from a lower level of play. This left the club forced to call up a 15 and 16-year-old player before going to compete for a national championship.

The Northstars ultimately had a disappointing showing in Charlottetown as they went 0-3 in the round robin. They did bounce back well to win their consolation game and finished in seventh overall.

While Rurak admitted the situation was not ideal, he said the club was pleased with their players showing under the circumstances.

“In the final analysis, we felt that our players gave us absolutely everything they could and we were really proud of their effort.”

Rurak did say that he felt the club could have won the title had they had their full roster, but was quick to compliment the young call-ups on their play.

“The two young ones contributed both on and off the field in a big way for our team. They even scored a couple goals in our last game so they had a fantastic experience.”

In the final analysis, Rurak said some of the blame had to be placed on the system. He said there simply was not enough depth in women’s soccer here to allow their clubs to call up players and still compete.

“When the bottom half of the teams in our league simply don’t compete with the top half, and then we still can’t call of players from those teams, it makes it hard,” he said.

Rurak said the problem existed across the country and agreed that there was no simple fix but that it had to start with coaching.

“We have to get these kids at a young age and work on developing them so that we can stock our women’s teams and give them a chance to really compete at the top level.”

Alliance looking strong

2010-10-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Taking over a struggling, unorganized sports franchise is a massive undertaking, even at the best of times.

Doing it in a market where most people have no understanding of the sport? Some would call it crazy.

That’s exactly what Tony Pesce did though when he took over the fledging Winnipeg Alliance FC.

Alliance is an indoor soccer franchise started up a few years back here in Winnipeg. A mixture of poor management and lack of funding spelled doom for their initial incarnation but the club returned last year to take another kick at it.

After an initial period of uncertainty, Tony Pesce who works in the automotive repair industry by day, purchased the club with the singular goal of getting them on track and establishing the sport here in Manitoba.

He seems to be well on his way.

Admittedly, Alliance did not have the strongest season on the field last year as they finished near the bottom of the standings but that should change this year with more stability and a clear focus.

The club have found a suitable and permanent home in Seven Oaks Soccerplex and have worked hard to foster ties in the community. This summer they formed a partnership with a number of organizations in the city to help inner city kids get out of gangs and into soccer. They staged a two day camp at Canadian Mennonite University and also had a showcase event at the new pitch in Central Park downtown.

That community involvement will be the key if the Alliance is to find a place in the hearts of Winnipeggers and last in this market.

In a clear statement that they understand this basic fact, Alliance is holding open tryouts this weekend at Canlan Ice Sports on Ellice Avenue. All are welcome to come out and play and all players are guaranteed at least two sessions. There is a fee of $15.

Alliance general manager Robbin Watson said she has seen incredible interest from the community with a swell of players calling the club to signal their intentions to tryout. They expect participants from African leagues and various other divisions to attend.

The tryouts are just the first step in Alliance’s new vision to be more active in our community. You can expect them to be a major player in Winnipeg soccer and act as a key partner for the MSA moving forward.

If Tony Pesce has his way, the team can finally be something for Winnipeg soccer fans to be proud of.

For more information on Alliance FC and their plans moving forward, follow the MSA on twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/manitobasoccer

Or visit their official website at: http://www.winnipegalliance.ca/index.php

Photos taken from the Winnipeg Alliance Facebook page.

Lucania FC - A tradition of excellence

2010-09-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

When it comes to soccer in Manitoba, Lucania FC are the gold standard. With 12 provincial championships in the last 22 years, they’ve established themselves as the team to beat in this province. According to president and general manager Mike Nardiello, winning for Lucania is just a way of life.

As a club, Lucania take the pitch with a singular goal for every single season and every single match, they aim to win everything they play in. For them, anything less is just not good enough.

“We want to win nationals every year. That’s our biggest goal every year when we first start training,” said Nardiello, who went on to outline how he wants winning to be an important thing in the lives of every single player he recruits.

The assembly line of players obsessed with winning has lead to Lucania being very successful down the years. That streak continued this season as the club lost just one game all season in league play.

From there, Lucania went to provincials as one of the big favourites. Their solid play through the tournament lead to them reaching the final against archrivals Sons of Italy. The game was one fit to grace any tournament in the world and an instant classic in Manitoba soccer.

Lucania raced out to a dominating 3 nil lead, before allowing Sons of Italy to mount an incredible comeback. They scored three consecutive goals, all from set plays, to tie the game up and send it into extra time. With the crowd in a frenzy, Lucania were able to steady themselves and got a dramatic winner from striker Kenny Sacramento to take the provincial crown yet again.

Nardiello said he was proud of his team, even if it was hard to watch at times.

“We lost three starting players to injuries in that game. Particularly two players that we couldn’t afford to lose in the middle of the park and we kind of stopped playing our game. We didn’t keep the ball and they played desperate. It was great that we could pull it out though,” he said.

Though the win was a sweet cap to a great season, the provincials are not enough for Nardiello or his players. They’ve already started training for nationals, which start in early October.

Although they’ve been given a tough group against top teams from BC, Alberta and Ontario, Nardiello said the goal that has shaped Lucania forever remains in tact.

“The ultimate goal is to win. We feel we’re good enough to beat any team that comes on the pitch against us,” he said.

“When you go to nationals, you need a break here and there though, we hope some go our way,” he added.

While he is happy with his own team, Nardiello said there was room for improvement in terms of soccer in Manitoba. He said the Manitoba Major Soccer League was too watered down, as there are well over 100 teams but only 3 or 4 who legitimately contend for titles.

He said that if the sport wanted to grow here, it had to start with coaching.

“It always starts with coaching, we need better development of coaches at the youth level.”

Nardiello ended with praise for the MSA, but a cautionary word that the work was far from over.

“The MSA have done some great work over the last five or six years. We need more though, it needs to keep growing.”

For more information on Lucania FC, check out this article on the Canadian Soccer Association website:

http://www.canadasoccer.com/nationals/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=4440

You can also visit the club website at:

http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=lucaniafc

The first webisode is here

2010-09-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Here's the first of our MSA blog webisodes. As I mentioned earlier in the week, this one focuses on the Provincial Finals. The best of the best in Manitoba, head to head.

Please keep in mind that I am new at this and this is a first attempt. It's not perfect, but I hope you enjoy it! Comments are totally welcome and don't forget to check us out on Facebook and Twitter.

Welcome Aboard

2010-09-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

The outdoor soccer season may be coming to a close, but things are just getting started here on the MSA Blog.

Now that the blog is officially linked to the MSA website traffic on the blog is picking up and many of you are new followers. I just wanted to take this chance to fill you in on what’s coming up here on the MSA Blog and what we can look forward to as a soccer community moving forward.

Within the next day or so, our first video webisode will be posted. The webisode will focus on the Provincial Championships, particularly the finals which were held on August 28^th at the Soccer Complex. The event was a massive success and I hope the webisode can do justice to what a great day it was, despite the rain. It’s got some great interview footage with Hector Vergara and Braden Hidalgo Massi from the U18 champions Phoenix.

The webisodes will be coming thick and fast through the fall. Keep an eye out for a look at the Provincial Program tryouts, a sneak peek into the National Training Centre program right here in Winnipeg and also get to know how the MSA works and the opportunities they can provide you.

I’ve also lined up some great stories for you guys to check out. We’ll soon be posting a look at senior provincial champs Lucania FC as they prepare for Nationals and we’ll be showing the girls some love as we look at WSA North Stars struggles to get their team in shape after losing so many of their key players.

All that plus profiles of key soccer community members, news on MSA events and contests and more are all in store as we kick things up a notch on the MSA Blog!

Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions on what you want to see on the blog, we’re hear to serve the soccer community and provide them with what they want. Drop us a line, we’d love to hear from you.

One last thing, don’t forget to join the Manitoba Soccer Association group on Facebook.

You can also follow us on twitter at manitobasoccer.

Now get out there and play some soccer!

Soccer Central in Pictures

2010-08-15T13:34:00.001-07:00

The action was intense on the field.

But the party was on off of it!

For more information on Soccer Central and upcoming events you can check out our website or stay tuned to the blog.

Stay tuned for more information on the Provincial Championships, which wrap up at the end of this month.

Soccer Central

2010-08-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

The MSA were hard at work this summer with a number of events for young players. With the World Cup going on, there was a perfect tie in opportunity with the Prairie Invitational Tournament.

The MSA put together "Soccer Central" to give players and soccer fans alike a unique and fun opportunity to check our and play in some great local soccer, while also watching the best players in the world do their thing.

I spoke with MSA Special Events Coordinator Carlo Bruneau who had this to say on Soccer Central as an event:

Soccer Central was aimed around creating and promoting the World Cup and the MSA Prairie Invitational Tournament which was a scouting event for the Under 13 to Under 16 boys and girls Provincial Teams. The BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan Provincial Teams joined Manitoba for this fantastic opportunity to be scouted by Dave Benning, Canadian U15 Girls Head Coach, Ray Clark, Canadian U15 Boys Head Coach and Sean Fleming, Canadian U17 Boys Head Coach. Due to this incredible opportunity, four new players have been identified for the National Training Center and are in contention for the Under 15 National Teams.

Along with the Prairie Invitational Tournament, the MSA Special Events and Competitions Committee showed the World Cup Semi Finals, 3rd Place and Finals at the Winnipeg Soccer Complex. There were many great prizes provided by Royal Sports, CBC Winnipeg and Visions that were given away at the end of the World Cup Final.

Thank you South Africa

2010-07-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

Well, it was July 11th and the next day I made my way home. We said thank you South Africa for the great show and for hosting us for 44 days or so. Our experiences were great and they will be remembered for years to come.

I want to thank all of those of you who have read the blog and hopefully you found it interesting. Thank you as well for all the support throughout my experience at the World Cup. It is great to be home and see my family and friends.

Life is a bit back to normal, if there is such a thing, but the memories and accomplishments will last forever and as many friends have told me - "Be proud, NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE AWAY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" Thank you to all! It has been amazing!!!!

The World Champions celebrating after the medal and trophy presentation were completed.

Our trio enjoying the second last day in South Africa and the closing ceremonies prior to the final game. We had such a great game that we were really having a great time being in the stadium and watching the final live. Not so sure we felt that great after it but Ce La Vie!!!

2010-07-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

During the national anthem of Germany played prior to the kick off.

2010-07-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

FIFA President Blatter and dignitaries greet all the players and referees prior to the game.

Our trio and the fourth official prior to the playing of the national anthems.

The referees lead out Uruguay and Germany during the walk out prior to the game.

2010-07-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Last player equipment check before walking out for the game.

Concluding our warm up prior to the game.

During our field inspection two hours before kick off.

Home Sweet Home

2010-07-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

In the rush to get the story on the blog and post at least one photo, I did not get a chance to post additional photos so you had a better feel for the final days in South Africa. As such, here are more photos.

The net and soccer ball in the middle of the ocean in Port Elizabeth.

The view from our hotel in Port Elizabeth.

Our team prior to traveling to Port Elizabeth.

11th FIFA Tournament - The End

2010-07-10T23:20:00.000-07:00

What a game!!!! Lots of goals, lots of action, great atmosphere, rain, tears of joy, fun, pride, excitement and a great performance by our team. We committed ourselves to finishing off this World Cup on a high note and as we, Armando and I, have always done we came through in our commitment to ourselves, our families and FIFA.

Armando and I started our FIFA careers together in 1993 in Japan with the U17 FIFA World Championship and after 18 years on the FIFA list and my 11th FIFA Tournament it is only fitting that we complete our FIFA Tournament career together at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We have travelled a long journey to get to this point and although there was a moment of sadness to see it come to an end we have both accomplished things in refereeing that many in the world can only dream off and this is great satisfaction and joy to both of us. He has tied the record for most games officiated in World Cups with 8, the only referee from Mexico to have such a stellar career. I have done 14 World Cup games, the only referee/asssistant referee, to have done this in the world. In 2006, Armando and I were part of the first trio to ever do five World Cup games in a FIFA World Cup. So after all we have accomplished together and individually it was awesome to finish it together.

Our trio has truly enjoyed this game and as we promised ourselves we have done better in every game that we have had in this world cup. We have given it our all, have left it all on the field of play and we have made our ourselves, our families and friends proud. We leave happy and looking forward to seeing our families to enjoy what has been a great journey. We don't know what the future brings but what we know is that we have had beautiful experiences as FIFA World Cup officials.

One Sleep to Go

2010-07-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well it is the night before my final WC match and we have arrived in Port Elizabeth. It is a very quiet town from what we have seen and we just returned from a late dinner. We will be getting a good night's rest and make final preparations for the game in the morning. Our host have treated us really well, as has been the case in every city that we have been to for our matches.

The congratulatory e-mails keep flying in so thank you, thank you, thank you! We appreciate your support and encouragement. Tomorrow history will be made and we will do our best to finish this World Cup on a high note.

I hope you really enjoy the match. When you see the walk out please know that I am thinking of all of you who have been so supportive - my family, friends and colleagues in different walks of life - you know who you are and I appreciate that support from the bottom of my heart.

It will be a very emotional moment that, as you can imagine, we will have to cover. But please know, the emotions are also much happiness, pride and joy - those closest to me will feel it too, have fun with it because I sure will, no matter what we will have fun!!! Thanks again.

Our Final Appointment

2010-07-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today, July 8th, we were informed that our final match for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 3rd/4th Place Final between Uruguay and Germany on Saturday, July 10th. I know that most of you already knew this information based on the large number of e-mails I received with congratulations but also indicating that we should have been appointed to the finals. Since it is difficult to respond to all your e-mails, I wanted to first thank you for your wonderful e-mails of congratulations and secondly to let you know that we appreciate your comments about the final. I know that some of you may find it difficult to comprehend and you are frustrated by the decision. However, please understand that we are fully aware of the complexities that go into the decisions and that it is totally out of our hands. Our trio is very aware of how well we have done and that the rest is not up to us. We were prepared for any decision that may be taken and that is the only way to prepare for the announcement of the officials to do the last two matches. We are now prepared for the game on Saturday and we will do our best to finish the journey in style. As you well know, Armando and I have accomplished things in our 18 year FIFA careers that only a few in the world have ever done and as such we are more than satisfied and happy. You should know we are pleased and proud of what we have accomplished. Our trio thanks our supporters and the people that have stood behind us for so long. Thank you!! Enjoy the game on Saturday, as we sure will make every effort to have a lot of fun!

Last Training Session

2010-07-08T01:38:00.000-07:00

The group of referees, 10 trios, left in the tournament take one last photo at the completion of the last session with the players.

Assistant Referees going through some physical drills prior to evaluating incidents near the penalty area.

Offside drills are always part of the sessions and it is very helpful for preparing us for the games.

On Wednesday, July 7th we had our last training session with the players. The athletes that have been with us for the last month or so have been very instrumental in helping the referees in their training sessions. We have had lots of fun and made some good friends. They have worked extremely hard and all referees have appreciated the effort they have put in to be part of the program.

There will be some additional physical sessions in the next few days as referees must continue to stay sharp for the remaining games. We are almost at the end of this wonderful journey and soon we will have to depart. The referee family will always have this strong bond as a result of the last few years of sharing in the awesome experience that this hobby is for many of us. For the referees the FIFA 2010 WC will always be associated with great experiences, which we all know have had some down moments but many more exciting and successfull ones.

Now there is only a couple of games left and as I write this we don't yet know who will officiate them. No matter who gets the privilidge of finishing off the tournament we all wish the referees the best as we want to finish on a high note.

Semi Finals

2010-07-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

Today, Monday July 5th, the second set of referees were released and the semi finals were appointed. There are now only 10 trios left for the remainder of the World Cup and many of our family members had to depart today with some leaving tomorrow. As mentioned in an earlier post this is not an easy moment for any of us, but it is our reality. There is a natural sadness for a bit that eventually has to be replaced by the ones that are staying with excitement about the possibilities of being part of the final four matches.

Our trio was not appointed to the semi finals that will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday. Of course that leaves three options for us, including not being appointed to any remaining games. Even though we all have dreams of doing well and going as far as possible in the World Cup, we have been very well prepared for anything that may or may not happen. We understand the complexities of being involved in World Cups as two in our trio have experienced this stage of the World Cup in 2006. We are going to continue to enjoy the experience of the World Cup and take home many fond memories.

We anticipate that the final two games will be appointed shortly after the last semi final on Wednesday. It could be as early as Thursday or may be even Friday. In the meantime, we will continue to get ready for anything and enjoy the journey. For two of us in our trio, this may well be the very last week of a FIFA Tournament and we will continue to enjoy it. How ironic, there are 11 players on the field of play and this is my 11th FIFA World Championship/Cup. Despite all the obstacles we have overcomed much in this wonderful journey. We have not finished playing the 90 or 120 minute game and we will maintain our focus to try and finish strong no matter what the finish may be.

Wonderful experiences

2010-07-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

During our visit to the town on Sunday, we attended church in a town hall as they don't have a church, but are fundraising to build a church and classroom space. There were lots of children present and there was a lot of singing and dancing. The service lasted 3 hours and it was explained that it was very normal for church service to last as much and in some cases 4 hours. The referees and FIFA were able to donate clothing, sports equipment and other items for the members of the church.

We also visited a typical town in the Pretoria area. Here is view of some of the homes.

At the top of the mountain there was this huge fire pit where people would gather.

Here are some of the people that live in the Country Lodge in typical clothing.

We had the opportunity to visit a Country Lodge in a very large estate that had animals and also traditional South African dancers. We were able to learn a little bit about the way things were in previous generations in this great country.

Quarter Finals

2010-07-01T06:06:00.001-07:00

The appointments of the quarter finals were handed out last night and our trio (or at least two of us) was appointed as Fourth Official and Reserved Assistant to the Parguay vs Spain match on Sunday a Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The referees for the match will be Carlos Batres' trio from CONCACAF. It will be our first time in this World Cup at Ellis Park although we are familiar with it as we were there last year for the Confederation Cup.

Of course, we must continue to "wait and see" what is in store for us in the next few days. We anticipate that additional referees will be released on July 5th. There are four matches to be assigned with two semis and the third place final and the final. We are ready to accept what ever is in store. We understand that we don't control the future and we know this is part of our game particularly in competitions of this magnitud.

On another note, last night we had a dinner with all the referees and instructors and it was a great time. There was a lot of joy and fun moments. There is so much stress associated with a competition of this magnitud that having some fun at times is quite essential to the well being of the entire group.

It is inronic that great moments are always followed by difficult ones. Today, a few of our family members left for home. Unless you have been a referee at the highest level and have spent over a month and many years of training with the whole group, you probably don't understand how difficult it is to say good-by. In some cases you may never see these family members again and in other cases for a very long time. It actually hurts to have them leave, even if we understand that this is part of the process. We wish all of them a safe journey home and the best of the world for them and their families.

Well, better get to the next meetings and to lift the spirits, as there is work yet to be done!

A sad day!!!!

2010-06-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

I took this picture because I found it to be so interesting. You can see the children that have the opportunity to walk out with the players. If you look carefully you can see how small some of them are and although it may not be evident in the picture, they are so happy to be part of the big event. It is so awesome to see the joy that the World Cup brings to the children of the world. I say the world because I know that in my home town of Winnipeg there are children in many areas of the city that, althought they are not at the games like the children in the picture, are really enjoying the World Cup experience.

Here is further evidence that no matter what happens in life the friends you make in the referee world stay with you for ever. In the middle is Mr. Aquino, who was the Paraguayan referee that was at the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan and with whom I did a second round match. He was present at the game as he is now in the Paraguayan Referees Committee. Along with us is Oscar who was also at the 2002 WC. Even though we have not been in touch very often the friendship we established in 2002 was quite evident and it was great to see him again.

Our trio at the Paraguay vs Japan match.

Well, in every large FIFA competition there always comes a day when some referees are released from the tournament and others are kept a bit longer. That day arrived on Tuesday, June 29th for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It is really a bitter sweet moment for many referees and there is a lot of us that feel a bit sad, whether you are staying or leaving the feeling is the same. You must realize that for 30 days, actually even much longer than that, most of us have been a huge family. We have been together in a number of competitions for the last four years, some for 8 years, in which we have had great experiences and at times some difficult moments. We have trained together, supported each other, cheered each other on, had enjoyable times on the field of play, applauded each other's successes and learned much about many cultures of the world. Refereeing has brought us together and given all of us much joy.

Now, we must say good by to many good friends and teammates. Who knows when our paths will cross again, but we know that no matter what we have made friends for life. We now that life will carry on and that there are many family members that will be happy to see their loved ones home again. That does not take away the sad moments so easy. We also realize that even though we may be apart we will continue to support each other and pull for "team #33". Those that get to stay will continue to work hard to represent all referees that are part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to the best of their ability.

The sad moments will quickly be replaced by the encouragement provided by each referee no matter whether they are leaving or staying. The referee family will always be "a family" that works tirelessly to be the best it can be!

Above, is a photo of the CONCACAF referees that were able to attend the Paraguay vs Japan match in Pretoria. An opportunity for us to be together as a family and to move on from the news of the departure of some of our family members.

2010-06-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

We had the chance to see the sun rise while the surfers were out doing their thing in the ocean. It was a great start to the recovery day and our trip back to home base.

Here you can see the surfers early on Saturday morning having fun with the waves as the sun begins to rise. It was kind of crazy for us to go so early in the morning to the ocean when we had a late evening but it was well worth the effort.

A view of Durban from the beach near the hotel. The surfers are actually running to get in the water at 6:30 a.m.!!!

After the game was over we did our regular cool down and had the opportunity for a photo before leaving the stadium.

2010-06-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

Here is our entire crew before the game in Durban, Moi, Brent, Armando, Peter and Marvin. We really enjoyed the team work prior to, during and after the game. It was an excellent trip.

What a thrill!

2010-06-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

The Portugal vs Brazil was one of the most anticipated games in the first round for a number of reasons. We received lots of good wishes from family and friends back home before the game telling us how much everyone was so looking forward to it as well. We really wanted to enjoy the experience and we prepared ourselves to do just that. It was a difficult game but we feel we resolve the situations pretty well and we had a great time. It was a thrilling experience with lots of tension and stress but all in a good way. We managed many tough situation before and during the match and we had fun doing it. Here is a photo of our arrival at the Durban Stadium - what an awesome stadium it is!

Minus One

2010-06-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

Upon our arrival in Durban we were led to the hotel to get our rest before game day.

Our team departing the Referees Headquarters for our game on Friday in Durban. We had a short drive to the airport and a 50 minute flight to Durban.

Minus Two

2010-06-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

Two days before any match we do a specific training to get us ready for the game. Here we are training on strength and speed on Wednesday. Part of the training on this day also included technical sessions.

Our Second Game

2010-06-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

This morning (Tuesday) we participated in the -3 training sequence, which meant we had been assigned to a game on Friday. At the debriefing meeting this afternoon we were informed that our next game will be Portugal vs Brazil in Durban on Friday. We will leave on Thursday for the match and return on Saturday. From comments by fellow referees Durban is quite pleasant and not as cold as some other venues. Our game is at 4:00 p.m. local time. We are really looking forward to enjoying this match.

2010-06-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

The players that assist us on a regular basis do a cool down after the sessions are completed. They normally sing a song while they run around the field and do their cool down. Here you can see them acting out the song. The players are great and we are very thankful for their help.

Second Media Day

2010-06-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

On Monday we had a second media day and there were a number of referees being interviewed. The media was allowed to watch the referees morning training session followed by interviews.

2010-06-20T05:17:00.000-07:00

Here is our friend from Japan writing different names in Japanese. He was a very popular stop on our tour of the different cultures.

Cultural Activities

2010-06-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

During our stay we have had a chance to demonstrate a bit of our culture and background about our cities and countries. Here you see some of the referees trying out some of the African instruments. It was a good opportunity to get to know our friends a little more. Some had videos, music, documents, instruments and games from their local areas. It was fun!

Denmark vs Cameroon

2010-06-20T05:02:00.000-07:00

On June 19th we were lucky enough to go see the game between Denmark and Cameroon. It was a pretty exciting game with lots of action and the fans got right into it. It is great to see the games in person as you get a real good feel for how much the fans are having fun. As you can tell, yes it was cold, we are wearing winter jackets!!!!

Cold!!!!

2010-06-20T04:49:00.001-07:00

Firs of all, Happy Father's Day to all the fathers back home and around the world. In particular those that I know personally, I hope you have a great day and enjoy every minute with the family and the games of course! Let me get your first question out of the way! As of today, June 20th, we have not been informed of our next game. We are exercising "patience" and keeping busy with the daily activities. Most referees will likely receive two appointments in the group stage of the competition so we are hopeful that we may get one more game in this stage. If not we will deal with it as we are prepared for anything.

Yes, it is cold in South Africa. The above picture shows the frost in the early morning hours as we depart for training. It is cold in the mornings and evenings. At times there is a strong wind that makes even colder. Most referees are not used to this type of cold during tournaments so it is an adjustment for everyone.

2010-06-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

Our day off concluded with the referees attending the match in Pretoria between South Africa and Uruguay. It was a packed stadium and lots of noise been made. Here is Marvin and I having a laugh as he tries to be taller than I as he stands on the seat in the stadium. The weather was very cold. This World Cup is being held in the winter and you can really tell during the mornings and evenings. It feels so cold that it is better to be running on the field than sitting watching the games. None the less, we really enjoyed the opportunity to watch some of the matches.

During our day trip we were able to visit one of the main street in Pretoria and see all the oudoor vendors as well as take a pleasant walk.

Day off

2010-06-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

When we do games we have a cycle that starts with three days before the match and finishes two days after the match. The days before the match include all the necessary preparations for the game itself, including travel to the city of the match. There is the day of the match and then the two days after, which includes a recovery day by exercising in the pool (best for the joints and muscle recovery) and a total day off to relax and take it easy. On the day off we have an opportunity to leave the home base for a couple of hours to shop or go sightseeing. We chose to go to down town Pretoria to get to know the City a little bit. It is here that the photo of the square was taken.

2010-06-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

A number of the Assistant Referees with Zakumi, the 2010 WC Official Mascot. Zakumi is a leopard and the name stands for a composition of "ZA" for South Africa and "Kumi", which means "10" in various languages across Africa.

Some local sites

2010-06-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a view of the city of Pretoria from the Presidential Palace.

2010-06-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

At the end of our match players and referees shake hands and wish each other luck for the rest of the competition. We all know this is not always a pleasant experience. We had no complaints from any of the players or coaches and that is always a good sign that things went well.

2010-06-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Staying focused and getting ready for a Paraguay free kick late in the game. The amount of action near or in the penalty area is so much that we have to be very alert. It is for this reason that we practice incidents near and in the penalty area at our technical sessions on a daily basis.

Hector's Blog - More action shots

2010-06-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

After completing the checking of the net I wait for my colleague to finish as his end of the field of play before taking my position on my touch line.

Before the kick off we get the chance to provide each other with additional encouragement and suppport. The reason we are here is to do the best possible job and team work has a lot to do with how successful we are. We have a pretty good team and I would have to say all of the trios aim to be the best they can be.

Provincial Championships

2010-06-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

The Manitoba Provincial Championships are underway and happening every Saturday throughout the summer.

For information on fixtures and results so you can get out and see the best of what Manitoba Soccer has to offer, head to:

http://www.manitobasoccer.ca/events_comps/provincialcomps_current.html

Check back for detailed stories on the Provincials and some video footage as well!

Got the World Cup bug? Get in on the action here at home...

2010-06-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

The MSA are putting on a 3 v 3 tournament at the Winnipeg Soccer Complex. Check it out for some awesome soccer action closer than South Africa...

As always, visit our website www.manitobasoccer.ca for more details.

2010-06-15T14:58:00.001-07:00

Some of the action during the match. The teams really played most of the game in the mid third of the field of play and play was very compact. The fans were fantastic and the noise level was very loud but we were so concentrated on the game that it really did not have an impact on our team work. It was another great experience and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

2010-06-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

The weather at the time of us checking the field prior to the game was dry, although it had been raining most of the day. However, as we completed the field inspection a light rain started to come down. It continued during the walk out and the national anthems. As the game progressed the rain got stronger and it become fairly cold. The field, which I am told is from Manitoba, held up very well in the rain but it was so cool out that a slight night frost could be seen building up on the pitch. We had a good game and felt that it was a good start to the World Cup for our trio. We also know that we can do better and will be making adjustments to ensure that if we get another appointment we improve.

Our First Game Italy vs Paraguay

2010-06-15T13:42:00.001-07:00

We left for our game in Cape Town on Sunday afternoon. It was short 45 minute drive to the airport followed by a flight that was about two hours long. We were met by the LOC Referee Liaison and taken to the hotel that was only 10 minutes away and only five minutes from the Stadium. The weather was rather cool and rainy when we arrived. The rain continued all day on Monday. We spent the day in the hotel taking it easy, watching other games, evaluating the teams and planning for our match that evening. We left for the stadium about two hours before kick off.

Thank you!!!!

2010-06-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take an opportunity to thank all the people that have sent some many good wishes from across the world. At times, it is difficult to respond to everyone so by having the blog it will allow you to see and read what is happening.

You know who you are and what you have done to support my goals, as such, even though I may not have sent you a personal thank you, I am doing it in public. Your encouragement is greatly appreciated and your friendship is valued. Some days are very difficult as many different things happen that affect us and knowing that your family, friends and colleagues are behind you makes it much easier to overcome any issue that may arise. That support is invaluable and I am very glad to have you on my corner.

I hope that you continue to enjoy the blog and that when you read and see the messages you realize that part of you is here with me. Sometimes we forget to thank the people that are important to us!!!

So again, thank you for being one of my supporters!!! When I walk on the field on Monday for our first game I will take all of those great wishes with me.

2010-06-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

Action from the first match between South Africa and Mexico. You can see the action at the team benches and the media capturing the action as South Africa misses an opportunity to score.

2010-06-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

2010-06-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

Dancers during the opening ceremonies.

2010-06-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

The white section is the seating area for the world wide media that attended the opening ceremonies and first match.

2010-06-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

There are times that in addition to our regular training sessions on the field of play on a daily basis we include some upper body weight workout. These are low in intensity and also include core exercises. We have very good equipment that makes it a joy to actually work out.

2010-06-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

During our integrated exercises, we get instructions from all areas before the session starts. It is great team work from everyone with the one goal in mind to have everyone as prepared as possible for the actual games.

2010-06-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

Our trio just after we arrived at the Soccer City Stadium for the opening ceremonies and match.

2010-06-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

Marvin and I enjoying the opening ceremonies. The stadium had over 84,600 people in attendance for the first match that took place after the opening ceremonies.

It has started!!!

2010-06-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

We were not sure if it was going to be possible to attend the opening ceremony and the first game of the 2010 World Cup. Fortunately for us we were able to go. It was a long day as we set off from our headquarters at 11 am and returned at 8:30 pm, but it was well worth it. We were able to see the opening ceremonies, which some of us found to be simple but in very good taste with some exciting moments. The jets doing a "fly by" at the beginning of the ceremonies was awesome. The noise level of the crowd and the excitement of the people in the stadium and walking about was great. The opening game had its moments of excitement as well, which finished 1-1. The World Cup is finally here and we will now get more in tune with the competition as games are played daily and our referee team will be in action every day.

2010-06-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here we are this time in our training gear. The five people that have been involved in the same capacity in the last three world cups (moi, Werner, Carlos, Mitzu, Oscar).

Daily Training

2010-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

We are providing the players with a small token of appreciation for all of the assistance they provide to us and our training on a daily basis. The players work really hard and they are really a part of our team.

The players that have been so helpful during our training do their cool down as well. It is really neat as they all sing as they run around the field and do their cool down. We would not be a match for them at all. It's just great to see their smiles and enjoying the work they do for our benefit.

Time to cool down after a long 3 hour training session, which included all the areas as per our normal protocol.

2010-06-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

The FIFA Instructor giving as the details of our next training session.

Doing some team building exercises. I am trying to get away so that I don't get tagged with the ball. It was a really great drill that allowed us to have fun yet worked on skills that we can use on the field of play.

Transportation

2010-06-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

These are the buses that we use to travel to and from our training sessions.

Training Sessions

2010-06-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

In the middle of the integrated sessions, with players taking full part of our sessions. Some of the players are very good at providing difficult angles that test us.

In full sprint during the technical sessions. We are all enjoying having the sessions and continuing to work as a team to be as prepared as possible.

Listening to the instructors providing us with the details of the sessions. As normal, we are all wearing the same sports equipment as indicated on the daily program.

2010-06-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

The instructor getting ready to inform us of the drills as well as the players warming up before we do the drills.

Warming up at the beginning of our training session. We have been doing three hours a day, which have included technical, physical, energy and team building.

LOC Welcomes Referees

2010-06-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

On Monday evening the Local Organizing Committee hosted a welcome dinner for the FIFA delegation of Referees, Assistant Referees, Instructors and Committee Members. The above picture is of the five persons that have been in the last three World Cups (2002, 2006 and 2010) in the same capacity (Moi - AR, Werner - Physical Trainer, Carlos - Ref, Mitzu - Physio, Oscar - Ref).

Our crew at the LOC Welcome Dinner.

The only four officials that were in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups (Oscar - Colombia, Carlos - Guatemala, Carlos - Brazil and me).

2010-06-08T05:12:00.000-07:00

The students sang and danced for the FIFA delegation in attendance.

2010-06-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

We were very impressed with their welcome and the speeches by the school representatives.

The students lined up carrying flags of all of the participating nations in the World Cup.

2010-06-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the students with the referees prior to the actual welcome.

June 7th Welcome

2010-06-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we arrived at our training grounds to a grand welcome by the students of the High School. They created a walk way with flags on both sides to welcome us. There were speeches and we had an opportunity to meet some the students. It was an emotional moment for many in attendance.

2010-06-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

I was also interviewed, not only by television but also by radio stations.

The media arrives at the Referees' Headquarters for our first of four meetings with them. It was a busy two hours of interviews for many of the referees and assistant referees. The media was from all over the world.

2010-06-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

The official photo of the center referees for the 2010 FIFA World Cup along the official soccer ball in two colors.

The official soccer ball of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with a slight modification to its size!

Our team after the morning training session at a nearby High School. They have a number of soccer fields and they are in very good condition, which is ideal for our training.

2010-06-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

We have great support from local teams that come out to our training sessions to perform the drills that help the referees practice different game situations.

At the Official Referees' Dinner we were informed of the appointments to the first 16 matches. We were appointed to the Italy vs Paraguay match on June 14th in Cape Town.

2010-06-06T10:35:00.001-07:00

Our trio at the Referee's Official Dinner held at the Referees' Headquarters.

2010-06-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

This is my humble home for the next few weeks.

2010-06-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of the only three officials at this WC that have participated in the last three World Cups (Moi, Carlos (Brazil) and Oscar (Colombia).

Official Welcome - June 4th

2010-06-04T03:15:00.000-07:00

We have been in South Africa for a few days and have had an opportunity to go for our first training session in the SA altitude, which is a little different than running in Winnipeg. It was good to get the legs back after the 17 hour flight from the US to South Africa.

Our experiences have already included about 5 blackouts in the last three days each lasting a few minutes. Not too sure why they happenned but they have not been for long and power has been restored without much of an issue.

The official welcome from the FIFA President took place Friday morning with a strong message of support for the referee team that has been working very hard for the last four years in preparation for the biggest single sport event in the world.

The weather here is very cool in the mornings and evenings but quite comfortable during the day. It is the winter season in South Africa but their winter is not quite like the one we have back home in Winnipeg. It is cool but not freezing so we can't complain. For some of the referees the weather is rather cold and you can see them wearing a number of layers of clothing to stay warm.

Our accommodations are very good in a country estate that is secured, private, quiet, comfortable and exclusively being used by the referees, instructors, referee committee members and all the support staff.

We have started our daily meetings and getting into a routine that will be our way of life for the next few weeks. The meetings are with the different support groups, such as medical, physical, psychological, technical and energy. There are a number of FIFA staff members and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) members that are here to support us and ensure that we have everything we need to be as prepared as possible.

Everyone realizes that this will be a long time away from home and as such every effort is being made to ensure that we feel comfortable and reduce the amount of stress that is associated with the event. We all feel very well prepared and want to do our best every day.

The Time Has Arrived

2010-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well after four years of training, preparing, planning and doing everything possible to give myself the opportunity to earn a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup the time to leave for the biggest sporting event in the world has arrived.

I will attempt to use this method of communication to keep those of you who are interested in our team's experiences informed as much as possible.

As we prepare to arrive in South Africa, I want to take a moment to thank my family, close friends, the MSA, the Manitoba Referee Community and my referee colleagues who have supported me not only for the last 4 years but for the 18 years of my FIFA career.

I hope you enjoy the stories in the next few weeks.

Thanks again for your support.

Héctor