Marauders men's soccer player Paul Ekwueme sits down to discuss getting drafted by Hamilton's Premier League team, Forge FC
It has been over two months since fourth-year honours commerce student and Marauders soccer player Paul Ekwueme found out that Hamilton’s very own Forge FC drafted him in the U Sports draft, and he still cannot believe it. Forge FC is one of eight teams in the Canadian Premier League.
“There wasn’t a lot of information before the draft started. You don’t get much news on which teams are watching [you]. But I was super happy to get drafted,” said Ekwueme.
Ekwueme was selected in the first round, seventh overall, by his hometown team, Forge FC. In the U Sports draft, Canadian Premier League teams select university soccer players. However, they do not play for the team immediately, as they are first offered developmental contracts.
This allows a student to travel and practice with the team while maintaining their eligibility to play for their university's sports team.
“I’ve been with the team since day one, participating in practices and preseason. You’re basically on trial with the team,” said Ekwueme.
I’ve been with the team since day one, participating in practices and preseason. You’re basically on trial with the team.
Paul Ekwueme, Soccer Player
McMaster Men's Soccer
Ekwueme said there are eight more weeks of preseason before the official season starts in April 2025.
“I was one of the older, more experienced guys at McMaster. Going to Forge, I’m kind of the opposite—I’m one of the younger guys. It’s been an adjustment having to learn from other players, but it’s been a great experience for sure,” said Ekwueme.
Ekwueme has been playing soccer since the age of four. He credits the influence of his older brothers as inspiration for picking up the sport.
He has kept his schedule busy, playing for Alliance United FC in League1, a men’s semi-professional league. He has also played for the Marauders men’s soccer team for the past two years.
“Having a really good team together, with great strikers who scored a lot of goals and defenders who kept clean sheets, helped me play better and get drafted,” said Ekwueme.
The selection by Forge FC meant even more to Ekwueme because he was not drafted the year before. Going into the season, he feels hopeful that they will eventually call his name to officially play for the team.
“I’ve done a lot of hard work leading up to this point, and I know that I have to keep working,” said Ekwueme.
As for whether Ekwueme will return to play for the Marauders, it is still uncertain. He told The Silhouette that it will depend on whether Forge FC offers him a full-time contract.
“My goal is to one day play as a professional, win games and win more awards. Just seeing some of the older, more experienced players at Forge and the careers they’ve had, it’s very motivating,” said Ekwueme.
My goal is to one day play as a professional, win games and win more awards.
Paul Ekwueme, Soccer Player
McMaster Men's Soccer
The official Canadian Premier League season will begin on April 5, 2025, when Forge FC takes on Cavalry FC in their first game of the season.
Marauders' soccer team losses OUA semifinals to Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in a penalty shootout
The Marauders' men's soccer team faced the Ontario Tech University Ridgeback's at the OUA semifinals on Oct. 26. The Marauders had many opportunities to score against the Ridgebacks team that finished in the top five in their division. Despite having several opportunities to score, the Marauders could not get the job done.
Amir Shirazi, captain of the team, thought they did well against the Ridebacks, despite the missed opporrtunites.
“We did a good job against them [The Ridgebacks] throughout the game, but obviously the disappointing thing was the chances that we missed," said Shirazi
We did a good job against them [The Ridgebacks] throughout the game, but obviously the disappointing thing was the chances that we missed.
Amiri Shirazi, Captain
McMaster Soccer team
Shirazi, a fourth-year commerce student, scored a goal to put them up, but it was later deemed offside by the official.
With both teams scoreless, the game went to a shootout.
“We practiced penalties before, as we do before any playoff game. We knew what to expect going in,” said Shirazi
Both teams exchanged goals throughout the shootout. The Ridgebacks’ four straight goals and the key saves made by their keeper secured the win.
Despite the loss, Shirazi and the rest of the team were proud with the way they played.
“We knew they were a dangerous team, but me, the rest of the team and the coaches are proud of the way that we played. We stuck to our gameplan," said Shirazi.
We knew they were a dangerous team, but me, the rest of the team and the coaches are proud of the way that we played. We stuck to our gameplan.
Amiri Shirazi, captain
McMaster Soccer team
Shirazi finished the season with the most goal and assist contributions in the OUA tournament. He also finished second in goals, scoring 10 through 11 regular season games. As a whole, the Marauders were second in their division.
Shirazi told the Silhouette that the team attained their goal of at least making it to the semifinals.
“I had a great season, so when you look at it that way, there was a lot of individual success for me. But honestly, I don’t measure that the same way as playing in the finals," said Shirazi.
Although the Marauders missed a chance to play in the OUA championship, key players like Shirazi will be returning next season. For him, it will be his fifth and final year.
Having won the tournament in the 2021-2022 season, they are hoping to match this prior success next year
Amir Shirazi named athlete of the week for his outstanding performance against Brock Badgers
The men's soccer forward for McMaster University, Amir Shirazi, was selected athlete of the week following his strong performance on September 1st. Following a difficult 2 to 0 setback to the York Lions on Friday, Shirazi was a major factor in McMaster's 2 to 0 victory against the Brock Badgers on the night of Sunday Sep. 8 at 8:15pm, securing the Marauder's first victory of the season by scoring both of of the two goals.
When asked about the honor, Shirazi replied with humbleness. "It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better," said Shirazi
It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Between the two games, Shirazi played for 173 minutes, showing his stamina and determination. It can be exhausting to play back-to-back games, but Shirazi explained how he remains prepared. “Last year, I played a lot of minutes during doubleheaders, so I knew what to expect. It’s about preparing well, resting after the first game, and getting mentally ready for the next one,” said Shirazi.
While describing how he scored the first goal, Shirazi mentioned that it was a tactic he had already practiced with teammate Carlos Spiro. “Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming,” said Shirazi.
Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Shirazi received a free kick which led to his second goal. “In the game against York, I had a free kick from the same spot, but it hit the post. So, when I got the same chance against Brock and scored, it felt really good,” said Shirazi.
Although the team was frustrated by the outcome against York prior to facing the Brock Badgers, Shirazi clarified that they saw it as a teaching moment. “We made mistakes in the first half, but we created a lot of chances. We just couldn’t finish them. We took what we learned from that game and brought it into the next one, and we got the win,” said Shirazi.
In addition, Shirazi attributed his success to his colleagues. “The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort,” said Shirazi.
The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Despite his achievement this past game, Shirazi is more focused on the group's future performance than on individual awards. “Every year, we aim to win the OUAs and qualify for nationals. That’s still my goal. I just want to help the team finish in the top two and do well in the playoffs. My job as a striker is to score goals, and I’ll keep doing that to help the team win,” said Shirazi.
As the Marauder's continue their season, Shirazi will be a key player to watch as the team pushes for a strong finish in the OUA standings.
Men and women's soccer teams win Marauders honours prior to playoff games as regular season winds down
On Oct. 23, McMaster Athletics and Recreation announced the Marauder Athlete of the Week awards recognizing outstanding athletic performances for the week of Oct. 16 to 23. Emilie Calabrese and Sachin Sargeant from the women and men’s soccer team respectively were given the honours to close out the final week of the season.
Both players played crucial roles to help their teams to late-season victories.
Calabrese scored a pivotal penalty goal for the Marauders on Oct. 20 against the University of Windsor Lancers. Despite quickly finding themselves down 2-0 in the first five minutes of play, Calabrese capitalized on a foul call towards the end of the half to narrow the deficit for the team.
Despite quickly finding themselves down 2-0 in the first five minutes of play, Calabrese capitalized on a foul call towards the end of the half to narrow the deficit for the team.
The veteran midfielder would go on to chip in an assist to forward Alena Spehar at the 67:49 mark, as the Marauders eventually went on to win the game 3-2.
Despite losing their final regular season game 0-2 against the Western University Mustangs, Calabrese and the women’s team finished with an excellent record of eight wins, two losses and two ties.
For the men’s team, Sargeant nabbed his first goal of the season on Oct. 22 against the Mustangs. A late goal by midfielder Joseph Guindy helped to seal the game for the maroon and grey as they collected a win in their final bout before the Ontario University Athletics playoffs.
The match marked the seventh regular season win for the men, who tied for the third best record with the University of Guelph Gryphons in the west OUA conference.
The match marked the seventh regular season win for the men, who tied for the third best record with the University of Guelph Gryphons
The men’s team began their postseason on Oct. 25 as they won their opening round game against Wilfrid Laurier University 1-0. On Oct. 28, the women faced the Gryphons in their quarterfinal at Ron Joyce Stadium.
After encouraging efforts by both the men and women throughout the regular season, the Marauders will hope to make a deep playoff push and bring this year’s provincial championship home to Hamilton.
The Silhouette sits down with team members from the women's cross country and soccer team to hear how they are celebrating Halloween this year
Many of the Marauder teams have plans to celebrate Halloween together, including women's cross country and women's soccer teams.
The Silhouette sat down with Olivia MacAskill from the cross country team and Ravina Braich and Nikki Pourgoutzidis from the soccer team to hear more about their plans.
The Silhouette: Do you like Halloween?
MacAskill: I do really enjoy Halloween. I think it’s really fun to show some Halloween spirit around the team and at practice. I think this day also serves as a nice reminder that it doesn’t have to be so serious all the time and we can keep working on getting stronger as a team and put some good work in at practice, all while having some fun with costumes. I am also a strength and conditioning student coach at [McMaster University], and this year I’ve heard word that there will be a costume contest between the coaches and student coaches. I am definitely looking forward to that and I hope my peanut butter toast costume is received well by the judging panel.
I think it’s really fun to show some Halloween spirit around the team and at practice. I think this day also serves as a nice reminder that it doesn’t have to be so serious all the time and we can keep working on getting stronger as a team and put some good work in at practice, all while having some fun with costumes.
Olivia MacAskill, team member, Marauders cross country
Braich and Pourgoutzidis: We do, we really like to dress up and get candy.
The Silhouette: What is your Halloween costume this year?
MacAskill: At practice this year I think I will wear my peanut butter toast costume. There is a matching jam suit to go with it. [They are] a couples costume from Spirit Halloween that I usually convince a teammate to wear with me every year for practice, so hopefully someone steps up with some good Halloween spirit.
Braich and Pourgoutzidis: We are going to be Barbie and the three musketeers, from a Barbie movie, where it's Barbie and her three friends [as the musketeers].
The Silhouette: What is your favourite Halloween memory at Mac?
MacAskill: I remember in first year we had a practice on Halloween, I didn’t wear a costume and I wasn’t expecting my teammates to wear any either. When I arrived to practice, I remember seeing some of the upper year boys dressed in some fun outfits, including a cow costume! Paula, our coach, has also dressed her dog Lily up in some cute costumes over the years and even owns one of those big inflatable costumes as well, which has made an appearance before. After first year, my friends and I always made an effort to wear costumes to the practices that fell around Halloween. In my second year I took the Hawaiian theme approach. . .It seemed simple and an outfit I could easily run in. In the third and fourth year the toast costumes came out. I can’t say this costume is the easiest to run in, but it is definitely the most fun! I think that will be the plan again for this year as well.
In the third and fourth year the toast costumes came out. I can’t say this costume is the easiest to run in, but it is definitely the most fun! I think that will be the plan again for this year as well.
Olivia MacAskill, team member, Marauders cross country
What are you most excited about for your first Halloween at Mac?
Braich: I’m excited to see what everyone dresses up as and to meet new people this Halloween.
Pourgoutzidis: I’m excited for a floor trick or treating event. Our floor is going to walk around and trick or treat at people’s dorm rooms.
A quick rundown on intramural opportunities at McMaster and how students can register
On Aug. 28, McMaster Athletics and Recreation released their 2023-2024 intramural sports calendar. The calendar details the many indoor and outdoor sports taking place over both terms this year along with important information about the types of leagues offered, roster requirements, play styles and times of the week that the intramural will run.
The fall semester will include intramurals such as three-pitch softball, flag football and spikeball, kickball, touch rugby, Halloween dodgeball, seated volleyball and fantasy football and NFL picks. Registration for these fall leagues and tournaments runs from Sept. 6-18.
The fall semester will include intramurals such as three-pitch softball, flag football and spikeball, kickball, touch rugby, Halloween dodgeball, seated volleyball and fantasy football and NFL picks.
For the winter, the department will offer intramurals including ice hockey, badminton and cricket and tournaments for three-on-three March Madness basketball, table tennis and wheelchair European handball. Registration for these winter leagues and tournaments will run from Nov. 13-26.
Students are able to join up to one gendered men’s or women’s league as well as an open league with no gender-based roster requirements or a Corec league with sport-specific gender-based roster requirements.
Different intramural styles are also present for students of varying experience levels and desires for competitive play. PlayFun leagues offer an opportunity for both beginners and veterans to participate in intramurals without overly aggressive play. On the other hand, PlayComp leagues are geared towards players who wish for a more intensive and quicker intramural style.
To sign up, students must create an account through the IMLeagues website and select McMaster University as their school. Once students are registered, they can find and join an intramural league by creating a team as a captain and sending invite requests or emails for other members to join.
Once students are registered, they can find and join an intramural league by creating a team as a captain and sending invite requests or emails for other members to join
Students can also sign up as a free agent within a league and division of their choice for members on the site to add to their team. Remaining free agents will be assigned to teams once all of their members are confirmed at the end of the fall and winter registration period.
More information about intramurals can be found through Instagram @macintramurals or on the intramural sports page on the McMaster Athletics and Recreation website.
In the coming school year, the HPA is going to allow more McMaster teams to use its space, free of charge
Created in 2021, the McMaster University High Performance Area was built to give varsity athletes a space to be coached for sport-specific workouts. The space houses an array of equipment including squat racks, Keiser units and a turf field.
The facility is a world-class space, bringing prestige to the university and, most importantly, helping the student athletes that attend McMaster to reach their full potential.
While the HPA has been up and running for the past two years, only teams within the U SPORTS league—including sports such as, swimming, wrestling, soccer and women’s rugby—were allowed to make use of the space without payment.
While the HPA has been up and running for the past two years, only teams within the U SPORTS league—including sports such as, swimming, wrestling, soccer and women’s rugby—were allowed to make use of the space without payment.
This set up left teams that participate in the Ontario University Athletics league, such as the baseball, fencing and golf teams, without a space to weightlift, train and be coached in the strength and conditioning field.
In the past, the only way for these teams to access the HPA was to pay out of pocket. Compounded with other payments these athletes need to make for their sport, such transportation and equipment fees, these costs have often not been reasonable for them to pay.
“Last year what we did was [OUA sports teams] paid per coach, so they only paid for the coach’s time. But really the students had to pay for a building in their own facility,” said manager of HPA and High Performance Programs Ben Bahrami.
This year, Bahrami opted to change this set up. As of this semester, OUA teams will be allowed to train in the HPA free of charge during specified open hours.
“I’ve proposed removing the team-specific training for any essentially teams that aren’t U SPORTS level and anyone that’s OUA, and some of our U Sports teams that just have a lot of class conflicts with their team times. Anyone in that category essentially comes in during open hours. This way they can have access more than the one or two hours they’re scheduled in,” said Bahrami.
The goal is to allow more athletes to use the space, help to maintain their health throughout the season and the offseason, and help them reach their goals.
“We want to provide a high enough product for students who came to McMaster to then go to the professional ranks or to play for a national team, so you have to provide that high level but also provide a basic program for someone that just wants to stay healthy and play sports for a few years,” said Bahrami.
“We want to provide a high enough product for students who came to McMaster to then go to the professional ranks or to play for a national team, so you have to provide that high level but also provide a basic program for someone that just wants to stay healthy and play sports for a few years,”
Ben Bahrami, HPA and High Performance Programs Manager
This change could bring some drawbacks, with the HPA space being a limited 3700 square feet and containing only 10 racks, which can lend itself to overcrowding.
“That's kind of the biggest challenge is balancing out the resources versus everything you want to do and everyone that wants to do X, Y and Z for their own development,” said Bahrami.
Ultimately though, this change will hopefully be a great step for McMaster sports moving forward as allowing more athletes to access high performance spaces will improve the student athlete experience and help teams and athletes reach their goals.
As we begin the new school year, women's volleyball, men's soccer, wrestling, cross country and men's volleyball are the teams to keep a close eye on
The 2022-2023 year of sports at McMaster University was one to remember. With championship wins, great individual performances and numerous events packed with fans, there is plenty to be proud of. As we look ahead to the upcoming year, here are teams you should be sure to keep your eye on.
Women’s Volleyball
The 2022-2023 season for McMaster’s women volleyball team ended prematurely with close loss to York University in the Ontario University Athletics quarterfinals.
Next season, the team will look to turn things around. A number of returning OUA all-star veterans will look to lead the team to greater heights. Notable players include Sullie Sundara, who hopes to continue a run of great form after a second commanding season, and Hayley Brooks, the team’s defensive minded libero.
With newly appointed head coach Nathan Janzen leading the squad, this Marauders team will be one to look out for. Janzen leads the Canadian youth national volleyball team and has previously served as an assistant for the Marauders women’s volleyball team. He will likely have his sights set on capturing a national title, especially with the Marauders hosting this year's U Sports national tournament.
Men’s Soccer
Last season saw the men’s soccer team capture a historic OUA title. After this previous success for the team, they will be looking to continue their impressive form this coming year.
Next year’s roster will miss Miles Green, who led the team in total goals scored, and Ahmad Mansour, the team’s dominant centre-back. However, quality remains in the squad, with key returning players such as Gianluca Spadafora, the team’s captain and OUA second-team all-star, and Ethan Cagalj, an OUA second-team all-star goalkeeper.
Another change to the team’s head coach will be another challenge for the Marauders this season though. Interim head coach Tristan Joyce will be looking to prove himself in the coming season. Joyce is a former Marauder men’s soccer player who graduated from the program in 2021.
Wrestling
Both the men and women’s wrestling teams continually impress and the Marauders consistently found themselves on top of the podium in the 2022-2023 season.
Serena Di Benedetto on the women’s team had a phenomenal first season where she went undefeated, medaled gold in the OUA finals and finished in second at U Sports Nationals. As she goes into her second year, she will be one to watch closely.
On the men’s side, first-year Karanveer Mahil also showed well in his rookie season. Mahil topped the podium numerous times throughout the year and medalled silver in the OUA finals. At U Sports Nationals, Mahil earned himself gold to cap off an impressive first season.
After an impressive regular season for the team, four Marauder wrestlers and head coach Ahmed Shamiya went on to represent Canada at the Pan Am Games. At the event, Mahil and Di Benedetto both earned medals and they will certainly be looking to continue to their successes this coming winter.
Cross Country
This team had plenty to be proud of in the 2022-2023 season. On the men’s side, Max Turek, Andrew Davies and Alex Drover helped in creating a historic year for their team. Turek won gold at both the OUA finals and the U Sports Nationals, with Davies and Drover finishing just behind him in both competitions.
The women’s team came up with impressive results throughout the year as well. Second-year Rosalyn Barrett placed third in OUA Championships and thirtieth at U Sports nationals. Hannah Goodjohn, a fourth-year, placed eleventh in the OUAs after a consistent season for the Marauders.
Head coach Paula Schnurr also earned her own accolade throughout the season by winning OUA coach of the year. As she heads into the new season, she will look to fill the holes left by her graduated runners, including Turek and Davies.
Men's Volleyball
After a dominant past season which saw the team capture the provincial banner, the men’s volleyball team is consistently one of McMaster’s top teams.
Sam Cooper dominated with 47 kills over the last season. His departure to the Polish professional league will leave a hole in the team, one hopefully that a younger player may fill.
Maxime Gratton also dominated the year with 109 kills. He will be looking to improve upon his past season and combine with veteran Peter Rugosi after two years of experience.
Last year’s heartbreaking loss in the U Sports semifinals will have the team hungry for more, with new head coach Brad Douwes looking to fill the gaps and step into the massive shoes left by former head coach Dave Preston.
Forge partners with Volkswagen to support speqtrum Hamilton through proceeds from Pride match featuring the Pacific Football Club
The Forge Football Club hosted a Pride soccer match sponsored by Volkswagen with proceeds going to support speqtrum, a 2SLGBTQIA+ program through the Young Women’s Christian Association of Canada’s Hamilton chapter.
Focusing on community building and development, speqtrum provides services, events and skill workshops to assist queer and trans young people in Hamilton. speqtrum also offers programs such as weekly check-ins, peer support with staff to chat and provide services over online platforms.
On June 1, the team announced on Instagram post that their June 10 home game at Tim Hortons Field would be held in celebration of Pride month.
"I think it’s important for us to host [the Pride match] for a number of reasons, but the least of all just visibility and going the extra mile to prove that Tim Hortons Field is an inclusive space,” said Shannon Connolly, manager of community partnerships for Forge FC.
I think it’s important for us to host [the Pride match] for a number of reasons, but the least of all just visibility and going the extra mile to prove that Tim Hortons Field is an inclusive space.
Shannon Connolly, manager of community partnerships, Forge Football Club
The team also announced multiple promotional and merchandise opportunities through which fans could donate to the program. These include a “#BeTheChange Pride Package’’ which contained a ticket to the game, a commemorative pride Forge FC shirt, a charitable $10 donation to speqtrum and a $10 matching donation made by Volkswagen.
In addition to the package, $5 proceeds from the team’s Pride collection sales will also be donated to speqtrum for the remainder of the merchandise’s supply.
"Our mandate in our community department is always to focus on healthy, active and empowered youth . . . We immediately thought of speqtrum when we were looking for a partner for this match because they work really closely with youth and families,” said Connolly.
Our mandate in our community department is always to focus on healthy, active and empowered youth . . . We immediately thought of speqtrum when we were looking for a partner for this match because they work really closely with youth and families.
Shannon Connolly, manager of community partnerships, Forge Football Club.
The first 3,000 fans who attended the game were given a Pride Forge FC bandana as part of the team’s giveaway. Unique visual elements were present at the match, including custom corner flags as well as a rainbow-coloured armband for Kyle Bekker, the team captain for the Forge.
Per Connolly, approximately 200 tickets were donated to speqtrum on behalf of Forge and Volkswagen and given to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth from across Hamilton to attend the match.
Per Connolly, approximately 200 tickets were donated to speqtrum on behalf of Forge and Volkswagen and given to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth from across Hamilton to attend the match.
Playing against the Pacific Football Club, the Forge lost 0-1 after a late game goal by forward Djenairo Daniels. Both teams played a tightly contested game all throughout the match. After a scoreless first half, a misplay by Forge players Dom Samuel and Triston Henry allowed Pacific FC forward Daniels to notch a wide-open goal in the 85th minute of play.
Despite a 56.4 per cent possession rate for the Forge, the Pacific’s 16 shots and relentless offense managed to overpower the hometown Hammers and bring the visitors to victory. After the game, the Forge sit in third place in the Canadian Premier League standings with four wins, four draws and two losses.
The Forge continue to make donations to speqtrum with merchandise purchases from their 2023 Pride Collection along with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
After a full three years of serving as the group's president, the McMaster professor steps down following an array of controversies
The past few years have been some of the best for Canadian soccer to date. In 2021, the women's national team achieved a spectacular achievement, winning the gold medal at the Olympics in Japan. This remarkable milestone was the first golden medal any Canadian soccer team won on the global stage, which has shown that there is significant potential within the country's soccer program.
Just a year later, the men's team has done something that hasn’t been done since 1986 — they qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The success that Canadian soccer was picking up over the last two years period has been remarkable and has shown signs of improvement in both sections after a very long time.
All this success occurred under the recent president of Canada Soccer Association, and McMaster University professor, Nick Bontis. Bontis became the president of Canadian Soccer in Nov. 2020, after being selected by the board members in a successful run. However, on Feb. 27, he stepped down amid a letter from territorial and provincial soccer federations requesting he resigned due to the vast labor dispute between the women's and men's senior national teams.
What exactly happened to the Canadian Soccer federation as of late?
It all began with the She Believes Cup, a women's soccer tournament between four different countries, including Canada. Prior to the start of the tournament, CSA released a funding statement that outlined expenses for both men's and women's soccer teams where women's funding was significantly below their counterparts. Additionally, the team was informed that due to budget cuts, their time at the camp and the number of players invited has been reduced.
This information sparked outrage and soon enough the women’s soccer team started a strike right before the cup took place, to which Canada Soccer sharply responded.
“Headed into the February window, CANWNT was set to participate in the tournament with the likes of USA, Brazil and Japan. Just as they arrived, they’ve been informed that due to the budgeting issues they will have to spend less time on camp and not have as many players invited. The players decided to strike and not play the SBC, to which CSA threatened to sue the group,” said Mariam Kourabi, founder of “She Scores Bangers”, a popular podcast that focuses on women's soccer in Canada and around the world.
Although there has been a significant dispute between the association and women's players, men’s players in the likes of Alistair Johnson have also stepped up to support the team in their actions.
After weeks of negotiations, Nick Bontis had decided to step down as president of the CSA, citing that “change is needed”. Although the change has been welcomed by many fans and analysts, it’s still not perfect according to Kourabi.
“It’s the first step in the right direction, he had treated the WNT as an afterthought with no vision in the program. The current acting president, Chermaine Crooks, has been the vice president until now and has been a part of his team throughout which is worrying,” explained Kourabi.
Not only has Crooks been a part of Bontis’ team until her presidency, but the players have also made it clear that they don’t have confidence in her as the acting president.
Although recent years have been some of the best for Canada Soccer, there are still these huge underlying issue to be resolved. The funding for both teams has not been equal and had not reflected the success of the women’s team, especially after the Olympics gold medal. After all the success, we are yet to see real change in the structure of the Canadian Soccer Association.
