Academy or club, take your pick

When I look at Canada’s collective woes on the on the international stage, one wonders why soccer in Canada just can't seem to get over the hump. I wonder perhaps if it starts with our youth system. Not exactly a ground breaking theory on my part, as it inevitably is the grassroots level of any sport that drives future success but what I’ve noticed as a former youth player, and soccer enthusiast, is a divide at the youth level of development. I grew up playing soccer in clubs in southern Ontario. At the time, club soccer was the most competitive level for youth soccer. High school soccer was not as competitive as the OYSL, The Ontario Youth Soccer League, and academies in my time functioned more as extra training sessions than anything else. So club soccer it was. The soccer was competitive and it gave me an opportunity to play at the University level. The best youth players, who weren’t professionally gifted and already snatched up, played in the OYSL. This inherently made each of us better by playing against the best possible competition in our region. What I’m noticing in youth soccer today is growth in developmental outlets but these outlets don't have any unity to allow the best to play each other. While clubs still operate as they once did, academies are popping up all over the Greater Toronto Area and essentially watering down the talent pool in any and all leagues including their own. When Toronto FC of Major League Soccer was born in 2007, it created with it an academy for youth development. With a junior and senior level academy system, TFC takes another 40 players or so out of the OYSL, watering down talent pools yet again. Now I’m not arguing for one or the other. I’ve been a part of both club and academy, as a player and a coach, and I know there are a lot great soccer minds in Canada, but it seems that academies and clubs are moving in opposite directions. The point here is not for me to pick a preference, but rather hypothesize about why Canada perennially underperforms on the soccer stage. I do believe that growth of leagues and the implementation of more sophisticated systems is the key to youth development, but it can’t work unless this growth is done together. There are a lot of great soccer minds in Canada, but we need to bring these ideas together and think more about the sport, rather than how our own ideas are better than others, and find a Canadian soccer identity together. So for that parent out there trying to figure out what’s the best avenue for their child, I would simply say this: your child will thrive in an environment he/she feels most comfortable in. So meet coaches, go to try-outs, get a feel for the team and make a decision based on your situation and what works for best for your child and I’m sure they will be happier in the sport because of it and lets hope that one day our systems of development find some unity so that Canadian soccer can thrive as it should.

Soccer development: a hypothesis

Exploration and Adrenaline

Haiti Devastated

The island of Haiti was devastated by the strongest earthquake to hit Haiti in two decades on Tuesday. The capital city of Port-au-Prince was stunned when a 7.0 magnitude quake struck just west of the capital city, which was quickly followed by two aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude.

Haitian President Rene Preval has said thousands of people are feared dead. Fires blaze, while bloodied bodies lay helpless in the street. A choking dust simmers in the air, a result of toppled buildings, one of which, The Presidential Palace. Images of the destruction are hard to view. Videos of people running through the streets, crying and screaming in a heart-wrenching episode of mother nature's wrath. The head of the UN mission in Haiti and his deputy were among more than 100 staff missing and The Red Cross has stated that more than 3,000 000 people are affected.

Born of a slave uprising, Haiti became the world's first black-led republic and the first independent Caribbean state. Adding to a history of slavery and inhumanity, Haiti has seen its share of natural disasters, too many in fact. Haiti was hit by two tropical storms in August and September of 2008 and two hurricanes that left some 800 people dead. With heavy hearts, the world looks on, while Haitians await swift and prompt aid. Many thoughts will remain with those affected by this tragic event.

This is Our House

The Not So Beautiful Game?

Football, or soccer as it is known in North America, is a symbol unity. It embodies both athleticism and grace. A full throtle chess game where not only do your out-smart, but you must out-paly your opponent. Played in every corner of the world, it trancends borders, cultures and religion. It is a culture and a religion of its own. It is football. So when an incident happens like the one yesterday in Luanda, Angola, one cannot help but be saddened about the world in which we live in. The Togo National Soccer Team was headed by bus to DR Congo where its training grounds are located, just days before competing in the CAF African Nation's Cup held biannually with 16 teams competing for the award of African's top footballing nation. The bus was attacked by armed robbers, who spent a quarter of an hour punishing the bus with machine guns. The players and staff spent 20 fear-ridden minutes under the bus seats before the shooting stopped. Contrasting reports state minor injuries to several, to atleast one being dead, reports stating possibly the bus driver. Players of note, in fact all are of note, but most recognizable names were Manchester United's Adebayor who was shaken but escaped unharmed as well as Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou was also unhurt. Togo, who were slated to play Ghana, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast in their group matches are uncertain as to whether or not thay will compete in the tournament still. Midfielder Alaixys Romao told RMC Togo were now likely to pull out of the 16-nation tournament.

"No-one wants to play," he said. "We're not capable of it.

"We're thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground."

All this on the heels of the World Cup, a 32 team tournament with nations from all over the globe set to compete on African soil as well, this time in South Africa.The incident raises more than just a few questions, most of which are not soccer-related. Who were these armed bandits? Where did they get the machine guns? What was the shooting trying to prove?

Concerns were raised when South Africa was chosen to hold the 2010 competition and this act of violence certainly will not help. Albeit that Angola and South Africa are two different countries, but unfortunately "Africa" the continent generally gets unrightfully meshed into one large, unstable country in the eyes of the international community. Lets hope for the sake of peace, that this 2010 tournament can change that perspective and that the 32 nations competing can bring unity to the world, if only for the 2 week period the tournament is held.

It's Not An Easy Road

Grammy nominated Jamaican singer Buju Banton faces a maximun sentence of 20 years in prison after his December 10th 2009 arrest in Florida. According to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit, Banton and two others traveled to Sarasota, Florida last week to purchase a large amount of cocaine from an undercover law enforcement officer. The DEA was tipped off by a confidential informant who agreed to wear a recording device during the drug negotiation session. Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. His lawyer Herbert E. Walker III, has said Banton is "completely innocent" of the charges and is confident he will be exonerated. A bail hearing was set for Wednesday, December 16 in Miami federal court. Details still to come for the husky-voiced reggae star. This is not Banton's first run in with the law, however. In 2004, Jamaican officials found two marijuana plants growing in Banton's studio. He was charged for the offense and not allowed to enter the U.S for 12 months. His career in the U.S has diminished over the years as certain lyrical content has angered members of the gay community. So much that his lastest Grammy nomination for his 9th album "Rasta Got Soul" has been petitioned online by The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Buju Banton, no matter what his fate may be, will be forever remembered for hits such as Wanna Be Loved, Champion and Untold Stories. Walk like a champion Buju.

For the Cockney's

Quickly down the apples and pears,
and hop into the jam jar.
Heading down the frog and toad,
into the rub da dub dub,
for a cheaky little pig's ear.
One too many later and I need a gypsy's kiss,
but can't drive now or I'll be brown bread.
Better call for an itch in me cracksy.
I flag one down in the field of wheat,
but not before one more Malcolm in the Middle in the alley.

The twist and twirl I met comes back for a quiet one,
but before I can offer her a missin' link,
shes got her dicky dirt off,
and soon after the steve mcqueen's are gone too.
I take a jimmy cliff of her hair,
And gaze into her dots and dyes.
I know I've got a frank skinner,
shes everything I've ever wanted, if only for the title fight.
Our bodies merge, and bend and I think I see odd bod.

I wake in the morning and scratch my loaf of bread,
was it all a custard cream?
I realize I'm in Barney Rubble, even though she was a fox
The bloody tart stole my innocence,
As well as my gucci 'n rocks!

Stand Up

A Peace Coalition

This document states and embodies the idea that war must be terminated in order for peace and humanity to be reached on a global scale. The nation-states united and adjoined to this act choose not to participate in any acts of war, domestically or abroad. In order to abolish war, we must unite against it. Only Nations that do not participate currently in war and would like to take the first step in abolishing war and promoting peace may join. No Homers allowed.