Inside the 18 (March 27, 2024)

In this issue… – 2024 Ontario Futsal Cup – Congratulations Gatorade 5v5 Champions! – OPDL Athlete Scholarship Program – AccelerateHER – Updates from CANMNT – MilkUP! Recipe – New Ontario Soccer Research Program Launching in April 2024 – 2024 Centre Circle Awards: Nominations Now Open – Canada Soccer New Female Coaching Course Announced – 2024 MilkUP Ontario Cup: Entry Form Now Available – Circle K Celebration Festival Grants – Recognizing Ontario’s Newest Quality Soccer Providers – Pair of Made in Ontario Icons Inducted into Canada Soccer Hall of Fame – Free Game Day Graphic Templates – 25 Ontario Clubs Selected for Canada Soccer’s Free Kicks Grant Program – Respect in Sport Recertification Reminder and Discount – Canada Soccer Club Licensing – QSP Applications Re-Opening – Canada Soccer C License Evaluations: Block 2 Registration Closing Soon – Changes to the Coaching Education Pathway in Ontario – 75% Off SOLARO Subscription 2024 Ontario Futsal Cup Concludes with Trio of Champions Crowned The 2024 Ontario Futsal Cup wrapped up over the weekend with the Final Rounds of the U13 Girls, U13 Boys, and U14 Girls divisions. The action unfolded at Durham College in Oshawa, where three new provincial champions were crowned on Sunday. Congratulations to First Touch FC Jaguars Yellow Brampton, who defeated Vaughan OPDL 2011 Boys 3-2 for the U13 Boys title. We would also like to congratulate LFC IA Mississauga whose squads came out on top of the U13 and U14 Girls divisions. LFC IA Mississauga Red defeated Unionville Milliken SC 3-2 in the U13 Final. For U14, LFC IA Mississauga Red beat Brampton SC GU14 2010 OPDL-Navy 4-3. Click here to see all of the championship photos from the 2024 Ontario Futsal Cup Finals. Congratulations Gatorade 5v5 Champions! Ace! We are chuffed to share that these two squads are London bound! ✈️🇬🇧 Thanks to Gatorade Canada for putting on a great event at Pickering Soccer Centre over the weekend. Congratulations to our Gatorade5v5 champions. On the girls’ side, Ottawa South United 2008 came out on top while Vaughan SC OPDL 2008 2 conquered the boys’ division on Sunday. Now they’re off to play a little footie in one of the world’s most famous cities, and the global capital of football. London awaits your incredible talent! Thanks to Gatorade Canada for putting on a great event at Pickering Soccer Centre over the weekend. We hope everyone had a great time playing 5v5, bonding with their team, and fuelling up with Gatorade’s delicious products. Until next year!

OPDL Athlete Scholarship Program Now Open for Applications Application deadline: June 7, 2024 The application window for the Ontario Player Development League (OPDL) Athlete Scholarship Program is now officially open, providing an excellent opportunity for eligible full-time players to access concentrated funding and support. This year, up to $100,000 will be distributed to OPDL families in grants ranging from $500 to $1500. The OPDL Athlete Scholarship Program is designed to assist talented players within the OPDL community who demonstrate significant potential in their playing abilities. Click here to learn more. AccelerateHER: Canada Soccer’s New Initiative for Gender Equity in Coaching Application deadline: April 21, 2024 Canada Soccer has taken a significant stride towards promoting gender equity within the coaching landscape with the introduction of AccelerateHER – a strategic initiative designed to address the glaring gender disparities in Canada Soccer’s Advanced Coaching sphere. This program will aim to provide comprehensive support to women coaches and align them with the highest coaching standards in the country. The AccelerateHER program will include 85 female coaches seeking their Coaching Diplomas at either the A, B, C Children’s, and Goalkeeper levels. Click here to learn more about the opportunity. Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Makes History with 2024 Copa América Qualification Image courtesy of Canada Soccer via social media Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team (CANMNT) secured a 2-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday in the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Play-In. With this win, the squad earned their rightful place in the 2024 Copa América – the first time Canada has ever qualified for the prestigious competition. The team is set to play Argentina – captained by Lionel Messi – on June 20 in Atlanta, Georgia. They’ll play again on June 25 against Peru, followed by a match vs. Chile on June 29. Congratulations to CANMNT on achieving this milestone for Canada, and best of luck to the squad as they embark on a historic journey in the 2024 Copa América. These easy cheesy high protein egg bites are perfect for a pre-game snack 🍳🧀! Check out @milkupontario to learn more. New Ontario Soccer Research Program Launching in April 2024 Ontario Soccer proudly announced earlier this week, an innovative research program in partnership with the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation (CCRF) and various Ontario universities that engage in sports-related studies. Launching in April 2024, the research program will be led by the newly formed Ontario Soccer Research Advisory Committee (RAC). This announcement marks a historic moment for Ontario Soccer as the organization formalizes scientific research within its day-to-day operations. The new research program will aim to support the growth, safety, and development of soccer in the province through evidence-based decision-making. Input from members of our community will be a crucial component of this initiative. We invite you to submit ideas for research studies that would directly impact the Ontario Soccer community. Learn more about the research program and how to submit your ideas by clicking here.

2024 Centre Circle Awards: Nominations Closing Soon Nomination deadline: March 31, 2024 The Centre Circle Awards, presented by Nothers, The Awards Store, are Ontario Soccer’s highest level of recognition and are presented annually to deserving soccer leaders and organizations nominated on the basis of their outstanding contributions to the development of soccer in Ontario and Canada. Ontario Soccer recognizes these leaders annually through the Centre Circle Awards and this year, the 2024 Centre Circle Awards will be presented on September 22, 2024. The deadline for submitting Centre Circle Award nominations to Ontario Soccer is March 31, 2024. To learn more about the Centre Circle Awards and how to put forward a nomination, please click here.

Canada Soccer New Female Coaching Course Announced

Registration deadline: March 31, 2024

In collaboration with Canada Soccer & FIFA, Ontario Soccer is offering a C Diploma that is available for female coaches. The Canada Soccer C Diploma is a requirement for OPDL and League1 Ontario Assistant Coaches but is open to all coaches looking to advance their careers and understanding of the game. This 75-hour course develops the coach’s capacity to meet the demands of coaching grassroots soccer and is the entry-course to the Advanced Coach Education Pathway. To learn more about the C Diploma, course structure and expectations, and how you can apply, please click here.

2024 MilkUP Ontario Cup: Entry Form Now Available

Registration deadline: April 3, 2024

The MilkUP Ontario Cup, the Provincial Soccer Championship, is the largest Club competition of its kind in Canada. One of the oldest sporting events in the country, Ontario Soccer’s Ontario Cup was first staged in 1901 and has operated continuously, with the exception of the World War II period and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020. The 2024 MilkUP Ontario Cup will mark the 108th year of the Competition. The 2024 MilkUP Ontario Cup Entry Form is now available on the Ontario Soccer website. It can be found here. For more information on the competition format, please click here.

Circle K Celebration Festival Grants: Applications Closing Soon!

Application deadline: April 5, 2024 To enhance the many year-end Grassroots Festivals that Districts and Clubs organize for their membership, Ontario Soccer, in partnership with Circle K, is pleased to offer – up to fifty (50) hosting grants to support such events during the 2024 Outdoor Season. Through an application process, Ontario Soccer and Circle K will select up to fifty (50) organizations, which are already planning to host an age-and-stage appropriate year-end event, and provide them with the following: $750 cash 12ft x 3ft Banner with Circle K branding (co-branded with your logo, as we are able) 6ft Circle K Table Cloth for registration table Circle K Swag items (TBD) to be distributed to your members (may differ by location) Click here to read more.

Recognizing Ontario’s Newest Quality Soccer Providers

Last week, Canada Soccer announced March 2024 updates to its National Youth Club Licensing Program, sharing that 71 clubs have been accredited – five of which are based in Ontario. Congratulations to the following organizations who have earned the title of Quality Soccer Provider (QSP) by providing a developmentally appropriate, safe, enjoyable, accessible, inclusive and welcoming playing environment for their participants: Force Soccer Academy Fergus Elora District Soccer Club Giovanni Caboto Soccer Club Paris FC* Ancaster Legacy Football Club (“upgrading” from 2022 provisional license) * = Provisional Club Read more by clicking here.

Pair of Made in Ontario Icons Inducted into Canada Soccer Hall of Fame

Ontario-born soccer stars Dwayne De Rosario and Robyn Gayle have received the prestigious honour of being inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.

This pair of "National Team heroes," as dubbed by Canada Soccer, will be commemorated as esteemed members of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. Their induction ceremonies will take place later this year at Men’s National Team and Women’s National Team home matches, respectively. Click here to read more about Ontario’s newest Canada Soccer Hall of Fame inductees.

Free Game Day Graphic Templates

Download these free graphic templates for the 2024 season! Ontario Soccer is proud to provide our members with FREE graphic templates to help your digital marketing efforts this Outdoor season, and beyond! Templates includes: Game Day graphic Half-Time graphic with photo Half-Time graphic without photo Full-Time graphic with photo Full-Time graphic without photo Templates available for Photoshop and PowerPoint to make it easy for anyone to use. Instructions on how to edit and export are included within the files. Check back in the months to come for on-going template support from Ontario Soccer.

25 Ontario Clubs Selected for Canada Soccer’s Free Kicks Grant Program

Congratulations to the 25 Ontario Clubs selected for Canada Soccer’s Free Kicks Grant program, funded by Sport Canada. Ontario Clubs made up more than a quarter of all organizations chosen for this opportunity. The Free Kicks program aims to break down barriers for newcomers to the country and foster inclusion within organized soccer through Club-hosted "Try It Events." See all of the Ontario grant recipients by clicking here.

Respect in Sport Recertification Reminder and Discount

Since its inception in 2016, the Respect in Sport (RiS) Activity Leader Program has played a pivotal role in fostering a safe and respectful soccer environment for soccer in Ontario. As we enter the next recertification cycle, we are reminding all Activity Leaders and Match Officials that they must complete the designated program every five years to remain eligible for participation in Ontario Soccer activities. Recertification Discount: In an effort to alleviate the financial burden on participants and organizations, Respect Group generously offers a 50% discount on recertifications for the Activity Leader and Respect in the Workplace programs. The recertification fee has been reduced from $30/user to a mere $15/user. Learn more in Bulletin A2024-02.

Canada Soccer Club Licensing – Quality Soccer Provider Applications Re-Opening

As Ontario Soccer and its membership works to meet the Club Licensing mandate from Canada Soccer, we are announcing the re-opening of the application window for the Canada Soccer Club Licensing Program in Ontario that will be executed by each respective District Association. As outlined in Information Bulletin I2021-099, Canada Soccer has mandated that all member Clubs (inclusive of not-for-profit and for-profit organizations) must hold a minimum Club Licence of “Quality Soccer Provider (QSP)”. This requirement can be found within Ontario Soccer’s Operational Procedures. There are no costs to acquire the QSP Club Licence. The application window for the “Canada Soccer Club Licensing Program” are open as of February 1, 2024 for applications at the level of QSP.

Canada Soccer C Licence Coach Evaluations: Register for Block 3 or 4

Ontario Soccer is excited to announce the opening of the registration window for coaches to apply for an evaluation in 2024. The Evaluation Process Upon fully completing the C Licence course, coaches must successfully complete an Observation of Competency to attain C Licence "Certified" status. The Observation of Competencies, or evaluations, are organized into four (4) blocks that are approximately three (3) months in duration which provides ample time for coaches to complete all required steps with their assigned Coach Evaluators. Click here to see the 2024 Evaluation Blocks and learn more about the Canada Soccer C License.

Changes to the Coaching Education Pathway in Ontario

New Canada Soccer C Diploma & Ontario Soccer Grassroots Diploma Courses Announced.

Canada Soccer has announced updates to the Advanced Coach Education Program pathway that reflect the requirements of the Concacaf Coaching Convention. The changes will see Canada Soccer align to the standards of this convention, building synergies across the whole of the continent, which are highlighted in the core coaching pathway. The Concacaf Coaching Convention is the agreement between Concacaf and its Member Associations which serves as a regulatory framework intended to standardize and raise the quality of coach education programs across the Concacaf region and its Member Associations. Once Canada Soccer is an approved member of the Concacaf Coaching Convention, any coach who possesses licensing obtained in Canada will be internationally recognized by any Concacaf Member Association. The full press release can be read on Canada Soccer’s website. Ontario Soccer supports the Canada Soccer Advanced Coach Education Program through the provincial delivery of the Canada Soccer C Diploma (formerly known as the National C Licence). Effective in 2024, the Canada Soccer C Diploma (to be renamed the Concacaf C Diploma in the future) has undergone significant development to align with the Concacaf Coaching Convention; most notably the expansion of content and contact hours (previously 32 hours to over 70 hours). Click here to keep reading.

New Ontario Soccer Partnership Supports Student-Athlete Academic Achievement

Ontario Soccer is dedicated to providing youth with a holistic approach to success, not only on the field of play, but also in the classroom. Our newest partnership with Alberta-based Castle Rock Research Corp aims to equip student-athletes with support to excel academically while pursuing their soccer dreams. Student-athletes in the Ontario Soccer community can now access a one-year subscription to Castle Rock’s digital study guide platform, SOLARO, for 75% off the retail price. SOLARO is compatible with phones, tablets and computers with online and offline access to help student-athletes balance competitions, training and travel demands with academic demands. Parents can also access SOLARO to provide targeted homework support, including refreshing their skills and accessing learning progress reports. Learn more about the special offer on our website.

ONTARIO SOCCER 7601 Martin Grove Road | Vaughan, Ontario L4L 9E4 Phone: (905) – 264-9390 | Email us | Visit our website Unsubscribe from Ontario Soccer email communications Subscribe to receive all Ontario Soccer email communications ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Ontario Soccer recognizes that our work, and the work of our membership, takes place on Indigenous territories across Ontario.