La Contessa Ballroom
Winners at the CSL Awards Banquet held Sunday November 4th, 2007 at La Contessa Banquet Hall in North York at 2:00pm.
The banquet once again this year was hosted by the North York Astros.
Attendance was about thirteen tables of ten chairs each but a lot of empty places so I’d say only about ninety people were here. I was at one of the worst attended tables—I think it was singled out for The Media and I was one of three people so it was sort of quiet but easy to spring from and take all the award winners’ pictures.
CSL Executive Director Stan Adamson was the MC for the afternoon. After the main course of the meal he introduced Vincent Ursini, Financial Director of the CSA, who was a past commissioner of this league; John Knox, president of the OSA and formal executive with Toronto Italia, Guy Bradbury the CEO of the OSA. He said that Ontario has 440,000 registered players and with referees and officials counted too it would be 500,000; Bruce Henderson from the OSA; Dick Howard, TV analyst and FIFA and CONCACAF technical director; Dominic M????? from Monte Carlo Hotels; Rich Chenniali (who wasn’t there) from City of Toronto Parks & Recreation who oversaw having playing space and times available; and league sponsors Cosmo Sports (who had good attendance at their table).
Adamson said it was time to honour the winners: [my comments are in brackets. Some can’t be argued like a team finishing in 1st automatically wins…some are more subjective]. The trophies were laid out on a table before the ceremony. Winners’ names weren’t taped over so the element of surprise was gone. I could understand they’d tip the winners to show up but for an outsider it spoiled the suspense.
Rookie of the Year: Tihomir Maletic from Toronto Croatia who had nine goals. He is 24 and played second division soccer in Croatia before coming over to Canada.
(Nine goals make him a tie for 9th in scoring). [Well he was the only rookie scorer on the Top 10 list so I’d agree with this. I saw him score some crucial goals in the final few games].
Defender of the Year: presented by Guy Bradbury…Domagoj Sain from Toronto Croatia. The award was accepted by teammate Robert Grnja. Sain was also mentioned as the MVP in the world tournament that Toronto Croatia played against other Croatian heritage teams from USA, Austria, Germany, France, and Australia. [Another rock solid year for Sain. His performance helped the team give up a league low 16 goals in 22 league games].
Goalkeeper of the Year: presented by Dick Howard…Claudio Perri from St Catharines Wolves. One of the reasons for the reemergence of the team as National Division champions. [While Toronto Croatia and Italia Shooters had slightly lower team goals against averages, their goalies were platooned so no goalie was more important that Perri…Great choice].
Coach of the Year: presented by Dick Howard…James McGilivary from St Catharines Wolves. He is ‘A’ carded in Canada. This is his first year coaching the Wolves and earned them the National Division title. [Like a lot of leagues, best coach usually goes to most improvement in the standings].
Dick Howard gave a speech. He wanted to mention/thank four things/people. 1. He heard ‘Chelsea’ had signed a deal with the CSL which turned into a joke that a woman named Chelsea had joined the front office. This led him to a toast of the ladies. 2. He commended the match officials and the new Fair Play Award. 3. He thanked Rocket Robin [hey that’s me!] for dedication coming out and reporting games saying I was always there when The Star and The Sun were not. 4. He also sited the long service of Harry Gauss from London City who has serious health problems.
Outstanding game official: presented by Walter Kirchner Director of Officials…He said they were strongly considering three officials before deciding on one. Sylviu Petrescu for his work in the FIFA U-20 tourney in Canada and World Army Games in India was sited but also Steve DiPiero and Joe Fletcher for their work at the U-20s. Also Kim Babb who was in attendance. The committee finally decided that the Outstanding Official this year was Joe Fletcher who has never turned down a game assignment. [A great choice as he is given some of the important games. He personally came over to me earlier in the afternoon to congratulate me for Dick Howard mentioning my name in his thank-you’s].
John Knox said he’s impressed by the high caliber of soccer played in the league and salutes the CSL execs for their work.
Top Goalscorer and MVP of the league (two awards) presented by League Commissioner Cary Kaplan to Nick Lesage of Trois-Rivieres Attak. He led the league with 20 goals this year. He was not here tonight. [Well can’t argue with leading scorer with those stats. I watched him score some key goals this year. Only reason he might not play next year if he gets called up to their parent team USL Montreal Impact].
Kaplan also saluted the players of the league for their caliber of play which he said drew praise from some Toronto FC fans.
Fair Play Award presented by Stan Adamson to Trois-Rivieres Attak.
National Division championship presented by Stan Adamson to St Catharines Wolves who only lost four league games this year.
International Division championship presented by Stan Adamson to Serbian White Eagles (second year in a row). They finished first overall with 45 points and had their leading scorer Gabriel Pop score 18 goals.
Vincent Ursini said he had great memories of the hard working owners and it was a pleasure to come back today.
Championship Trophy presented by Cary Kaplan to Toronto Croatia. Their long undefeated streak was mentioned…only losing one game all year. They went undefeated in the Croatian heritage tournament against teams from five other countries ending it by winning on June 30th. Kaplan said they were so humble because one of their execs reminded him they had lost a preseason (their preseason in May) game to MLS Toronto FC.
Medals were given out to each player from division winners St Catharines Wolves and Serbian White Eagles and little trophies were given out to each player on championship winners Toronto Croatia.
Cary Kaplan salutes CSL office officials Stan Adamson and Janet Leonard. He said there would be not league without the early work of Harry Gauss of London City. This was the first year Gauss was not here because of suffering from a brain tumor. He announced the renaming of an award for best club executive which has been called the President’s Award and Commissioner’s Award over the years. It will now be called the Harry Paul Gauss Award. The first winner would be actual co-winners Harry Paul Gauss of London City and Bruno Ierullo of North York Astros. Ierullo was really moved by this award and had said Gauss should have had this one all to himself. However he did outline his 35 years in Canada since arriving from Argentina. He joined the NSL with North York Argentina. He accepted the award on behalf of Gauss.
That was it for awards and it was about 4:45pm and people fled to the exits. I found there was a bit too long between courses and that seemed to drag the afternoon out.
I had brought my micro recorder as I was offered internet radio space on The Canuck Report but I just wasn’t in the mood. I had overeaten and was feeling blue because my mother had died on Monday morning. I had missed the second game of the Championship Final on Sunday while at my mother’s deathbed at Sunnybrook Hospital after a short illness. I was asking around about that game. A 0-0 draw with lots of time wasting as Croatia had a 4-1 game from the first game. Steve DiPiero was the referee. Anyway I was at 43 games in this league between league, Open Canada Cup, playoffs, and even an exhibition game between Astros and the Under 20 Mexican team.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
La Contessa Ballroom
Awards table
Rookie of the Year is Tihomir Maletic of Toronto Croatia
Dick Howard presents Goaltender of the Year award to Claudio Perri of St Catharines Wolves
Dick Howard presents Coach of the Year award to James McGilivary of St Catharines Wolves
Walter Kirchner presents Game Official of the Year award to Joe Fletcher
National Division winners St Catharines Wolves
International Division winners Serbian White Eagles
League Champions Toronto Croatia
Harry Paul Gauss Award co-winner Bruno Ierullo from North York Astros with league commissioner Cary Kaplan
Bruno Ierullo surrounded by North York Astros and sponsers from Locus
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................