The OSA News Bulletin  

Soccer is currently the most popular organized team sport in Canada with over 865,000 registered players. Ontario comprises almost 50% of this total. Currently, one out of three children in Ontario play organized Soccer, two out of five players are female and over a million parents and other family members play supporting roles.

The Ontario Soccer Association was founded in 1901 and is the largest provincial Sport organization in Canada with over 650 Clubs servicing some 24,000 Teams with 500,000 registered Players, 70,000 Coaches and Managers, 10,000 Referees and countless Volunteers, Parents and Supporters comprising a direct, multi-cultural community reach of over 1,000,000 citizens.

The Association develops, supports and delivers Programs and Services throughout Ontario in partnership with grassroots Communities, District Associations, Municipal, Provincial and National Governments, University, College, School and Professional Soccer organizations.

An overall goal of The Ontario Soccer Association is to assist with the development of Soccer for the benefit of its members and stakeholders while promoting Soccer as a healthy lifestyle choice which encourages community involvement at all levels.

To this end, the top strategic initiatives include:

• Play Soccer (promoting Soccer as a lifestyle)
• Facilities Development (increasing capacity)
• Grass-roots Coach Preparation & Certification (involving community volunteers)
• Grass-roots Referee Preparation & Certification (promoting community interaction)
• Regional Training Centres (facilitating excellence)

The OSA works in affiliation with key International, National and Multi-jurisdictional partners:

• Toronto FC
• The Canadian Soccer Association
• The National Coaching Certification Program

The OSA works in partnership with key provincial agencies:

• The Province of Ontario, Ministry of Health Promotion
• The Province of Ontario Trillium Foundation

The OSA works in partnership with major Corporate Sponsors:

• BMO — Bank of Montreal
• Farley Group — Air Supported Structures
• Field Turf — a Tarkett Sports Company
• Play Soccer presented by Rogers
• Sports Injury Rehabilitation Centres
• Umbro Canada
• Via Rail

The OSA comprises 2 Corporate Divisions:

• The Soccer Centre (Ontario)
• The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum (Ontario)

The OSA operates a state-of-the-art training, competition and events facility:

• The Ontario Soccer Association manages and operates the Ontario Soccer Centre facility as a high-performance training venue for our Provincial Boys and Girls U-14, U-15 and U-16 Teams and Ontario’s U-17 Canada Games squad. It is also the National Training Centre (NTCO) for Ontario’s talented Team Canada prospects.

• The Ontario Soccer Centre provides opportunities to play, coach, officiate and experience Soccer for more than 700,000 participants every year. The Staff’s expertise and extensive experience in Facility Management and Event Promotion combined with its understanding of the Soccer Community as a whole support the continuing development of Soccer at all levels in Ontario.

The OSA operates the Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum:

The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum is a showcase for Soccer heritage in Canada.

The OSA Members

District Associations

1. Durham Region S.A.
2. East Central Ontario S.A.
3. Eastern Ontario District S.A.
4. Elgin Middlesex S.A.
5. Essex County S.A.
6. Hamilton & District S.A.
7. Huronia District S.A.
8. Lambton Kent S.A.
9. Niagara S.A.
10. North York S.A.
11. Peel Halton S.A.
12. Sault Amateur S.A.
13. Scarborough S.A.
14. Soccer North District Association
15. Soccer Northeastern Ontario
16. Soccer Northwest Ontario
17. Southeast Ontario S.A.
18. South-West Regional S.A.
19. Sudbury Regional S.A.
20. Toronto S.A.
21. York Region S.A.

Associate Members

1. Canadian S.L.
2. Central Girls S.L.
3. Central S.L.
4. East Region S.L.
5. North Region S.L.
6. Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
7. Ontario S.L.
8. Provincial Indoor S.L.
9. Soccer Academy Alliance Canada
10. Ontario Soccer Referees’ Association
11. Ontario University Athletics
12. Ontario Women’s S.L.
13. Ontario Youth S.L.
14. South Region S.L.
15. Western Ontario Youth S.L.

Whitecaps & TFC Draw In Championship Opener

VANCOUVER, BC — An added-time equaliser by Eric Hassli was the highlight of the opening leg of the 2012 Amway Canadian Championship final series. With the visitor Toronto FC up 1-0 after 90 minutes, home side Vancouver Whitecaps FC evened the score in the 91st minute to the delight of 14,878 fans at BC Place. The Hassli goal was a beauty, a well-timed bending volley after a picture-perfect cross from Alain Rochat.

"I just wanted to stay focused on goal and stay on my toes," said goal-scoring hero Hassli.

Following the 1:1 draw in Vancouver, both teams will complete the two-leg series next Wednesday 23 May at BMO Field in Toronto. Ryan Johnson had scored the opening goal in the 66th minute before Hassli scored the equaliser in the 91st minute.

#canChamp Highlights: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1 – 1 Toronto FC

With both sides trading their share of opportunities, Vancouver created the best chance of the first half in the final minute as Sébastien Le Toux broke into the box down the right side. Le Toux’s quick shot was stopped by goalkeeper Milos Kočić and then cleared by the defence.

Midway through the second half, Toronto FC scored the opening goal on a Johnson header. With Toronto on the attack and the ball coming back to the top of the box, Julian de Guzman sent a perfect cross into the middle for a jumping Johnson.

With the 1-0 lead, Toronto continued to press forward in search of a second goal. Johnson nearly turned provider in the 85th minute after he sent a low cross to the feet of Nick Soolsma. As good as the cross, Joe Cannon’s save was better as he stopped Soolsma point blank from inside the box. Toronto FC did win a pair of ensuing corner kicks, but could not add to its lead.

Finally in the first of four minutes of added time, Hassli got the equaliser with his highlight-reel goal. Davide Chiumento played it to Rochat on the run who then crossed it to the awaiting Hassli.

In the opening leg, Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s starting XI featured Joe Cannon in goal, Young Pyo Lee at right back, Alain Rochat and Jay DeMerit at centre back, Martín Bonjour at left back, Jun Marques Davidson, Matt Watson and John Thorrington in the midfield, and Camilo Sanvezzo, Sébastien Le Toux and Étienne Barbara up front.

In the second half, coach Martin Rennie’s three substitutions were Barbara off for Eric Hassli (56′), Watson off for Davide Chiumiento (69′), and Thorrington off for Darren Mattocks (86′).

Toronto FC’s starting XI, meanwhile, featured Milos Kočić in goal, Jeremy Hall at right back, Adrian Cann and Doneil Henry at centre back, Ashton Morgan at left back, Terry Dunfield, Julian de Guzman (captain) and Eric Avila in the midfield, and Ryan Johnson, Reggie Lambe and Joao Plata up front.

In the second half, coach Aron Winter’s three substitutions were Avila off for Danny Koevermans (65′), Lambe off for Nick Soolsma (71′), and Plata off for Luis Silva (80′).

The second leg of the Championship final is set for 23 May 2012 at 20.00 ET / 17.00 PT. The match will be played at BMO Field in Toronto and broadcast live on Sportsnet. Fans can also follow the match live on Twitter at @CanadaSoccerEN, read the post-match coverage at canadasoccer.com/championship; find photos at flickr.com/canadasoccer; and watch video via CanadaSoccerTV.

The winner of the 2012 Amway Canadian Championship will not only lift the Voyageurs Cup, but will also clinch a spot in 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League. The 24-team championship will feature teams from across North America, including four each from USA and Mexico, three from the Caribbean, three from El Salvador, two each from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama, and one from Nicaragua. The winner of 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League will qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2013.

About the Amway Canadian Championship

The 2012 Amway Canadian Championship features a four-team format with teams taking part in a two-legged home-and-away semi-final before repeating the same process in the final. The winning club will lift the Voyageurs Cup and earn the right to represent Canada in 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League.

Follow the 2012 Amway Canadian Championship on Twitter by using #canChamp.

About the Canadian Soccer Association

The Canadian Soccer Association, in partnership with its membership and its partners, provides leadership in the pursuit of excellence in soccer, both at the national and international levels. The Canadian Soccer Association not only strives to lead Canada to victory, but also encourages Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer. For more details on the Canadian Soccer Association, visit www.CanadaSoccer.com .

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Filed under: Competitions & Special Events, Pro Soccer, The OSA News