May 9, 2007 Toronto Lynx, Toronto Lady Lynx press conference (by Rocket Robin)

Details of the joint Toronto Lynx and Toronto Lady Lynx press conference held Wednesday May 9th, 2007 at 11:30am at the Travelodge Hotel (Toronto Airport) on Dixon Road.

Lynx head coach Duncan Wilde was the MC and called the meeting to order at 11:40AM. This is his fourth year with the Lynx.

He said there were few players here today because many are away at school and he got a phone call that four of the Lynx were changing a tire on the 401 after their car broke down. He turned that into a joke by reminding us that at last year's conference he had some players delayed at the airport.

The Men's team has dropped from the USL (United Soccer League First Division) to the PDL (Premier Development League). The Lady Lynx stay in the USL W-League. The Lynx were in the USL League for ten years but the new MLS Toronto FC team has had a big impact on deciding to drop two divisions.

The Lynx will be a Toronto-area player based team for the first time. There will not be any overseas or US players this year. This year's team will be composed of players from three kinds of backgrounds. Some will be from the Lynx former pro-team, some will be quality NCAA players that originate from the Toronto area and some will be 18 and 19 years old that were groomed through the Lynx youth program.

Billy Steele will be the assistant coach--like Wilde, also in his fourth year with the team. Glen McNamara will be the goalkeeping coach for the PDL team and the whole academy. Dr Robert Gringmuth will the medic for both the Lynx and Lady Lynx. The Lady Lynx will have Danny Stewart as their head coach.

For returning players, defender Aaron Steele will be a co-captain. He's the son of assistant coach Billy Steele. His season may be over already as he blew out his knee last night in a scrimmage game. Goaltender Chris Baker will now be their regular goalie instead of just a backup. Cameron Medwin (defender/midfielder) and Sergio DeLuca (midfield who played for the Lynx in 2002) are back as well.

The other co-captain is central midfielder Tristan Murray and leads the crop of NCAA players with the team.

League rules limit to three U-19 players and they are Dane Roberts, Luke Stedman, and Fab somebody who even officials weren't sure what his surname was. There have been only three days to have the team prepare together and that's another reason given for being a Toronto area based team. Everyone should be here in time for this weekend's two home games against Western Michigan.

Lady Lynx head coach Danny Stewart took over the microphone to talk about the team. He said his team has many National Training Centre players who are 16 to 18 and away at school so he had only two players here today (Daniela Schwarz and Katie Qually). His co-coach is Paul Diablo and Joe Nucifora is an assistant and the goalkeeping coach. They have only thirteen players signed right now. Five players are returning from last year. Justine Bernier (goalie), Lexi Marton (defender), Allysha Chapman (defender), Britney Harrison (forward) and Vonya Beckles (defender/midfielder). This won't be just a Toronto based team because midfielder Clair Ramsdale from Birmingham UK and Britney Bisnott who played in the W-League last year for Hamilton Avalanche were announced as on the roster. Stewart said the team has lost a lot of experienced players to the US as they've decided to stay down there between college teams for the summer and play for local teams.

Their first game this Saturday at 1:00pm has been turned into an exhibition game against Rochester Raging Rhinos after the Sudbury Canadians had their franchise pulled by the league. Stewart said it will give his team more time to play together before the regular season starts.

Duncan Wilde came back to talk about the Lynx academy program. The team now has an U-15 and U-16 teams that will push players to the Lady Lynx. There are now eleven players on the Men's team that can list Lynx Jr team experience. There are 160 players in their programs.

The meeting was all wrapped up in half an hour. The media interest was limited. I only recognized TV crews from CBC Toronto (yep...saw myself on the 6:00pm newscast) and FP-TV (interviews in non-English), and The Fan590 radio (probably some underling from their soccer show). Print media guys, I wasn't sure.

I cleared up with Wilde later that the Lynx no longer have a relationship with the Canadian Soccer League Oakville Blue Devils. That team has gone back to Scarborough as the Canadian Lions and will be an all amateur team. After players go through the PDL and have usually graduated school and are by then 23, they hopefully move on to be claimed in the MLS Superdraft or the USL draft.

Before the press conference started I clarified with Lynx Director of Operations Rob Irwin who made it clear the PDL and W-League teams can't pay any players but they can have professional players. Both pro and amateur players can make money working at their Lynx soccer camps.

Toronto Lynx roster (from press kit)

Robert Caviccio (goalkeeper)--Toronto--Syracuse University.
Nikola 'Niki' Miodrag (forward)--Brampton--played for Hamilton Serbians in 2006.
Taylor McNamara (midfielder)--Mississauga--U of Albany--Lynx Jr grad.
Erik DiLorenzo (defender)--Bolton--U of Albany--2006 Ottawa Fury PDL.
Frank Jonke (forward)--Pickering--U of Louisville--Lynx Jr grad. (older brother)
John Jonke (defender)--Pickering--U of Louisville--Lynx Jr grad. (younger brother)
Elton Fernandes (midfielder)--Etobicoke--Western Illinois University--2006 Ottawa Fury PDL.
Chris DeAbreu (defender/midfielder)--Pickering--Saint Peter's College NJ--Lynx Jr grad.
Oswald Adu (forward)--Brampton--U of Hartford.
Kayin Jeffers (defender)--Oakville--James Madison University.
Kevin Omokhua (forward)--Brampton--St Bonaventure University Buffalo--2006 Ottawa Fury PDL mvp.
Tristan Murray (midfielder)--Brampton--James Madison University.
Murphy Wiredu (forward)--Brampton--Saint Peter's College NJ--2006 Ottawa Fury PDL.
Alex Ruhe Lischke (midfielder/defender)--Kitchener--SUNY/Albany--grad of Lynx Jr program.
Aaron Steele (defender)--Burlington--2005 CPSL champs Oakville Blue Devils.
Chris Baker (goalkeeper)--Waterdown--Lynx Jr grad.
Dominic Chapman (midfielder/defender)--Ajax--University of Vermont--Lynx Jr grad.  (brother of Canadian WNT 
player Candace Chapman).
Jean Tshimpaka (forward)--Toronto--James Madison University.
Scott Rietze (defender)--Bowmanville--New Jersey Ins of Tech--Lynx Jr grad.
Daniel Revivo (forward)--Richmond Hill--Winthrop University--Lynx Jr grad.
Sergio DeLuca (midfielder)--Woodbridge--2005 CPSL Oakville Blue Devils, returns to Lynx from Torgelow SV Greif 
of German Oberliga.
Cameron Medwin (defender/midfielder)--Toronto--CPSL Vaughan Shooters last three years.
Jamie Fairweather (defender)--Morriston--just graduated U of Guelph--2005 CPSL champs Oakville Blue Devils.

Toronto Lady Lynx roster (from press kit)

Justine Bernier #1 (goalkeeper)--Oakville--high school--W-League Goalkeeper of The Year.
Lexi Marton #2 (defender)--Aurora--high school--NTC Ontario player.
Allysha Chapman #11 (defender)--Courtice--high school--NTC Ontario player.
Brittany Harrison #12 (forward)--Burlington--high school--NTC Ontario player.
Vonya Beckles #16 (defender/midfielder)--Scarborough--high school--NTC Ontario player.
Tina Romagnuolo (defender/midfielder)--Stouffville--high school--NTC Ontario player.
Brittany Bisnott (forward)--Brampton--Niagara University--played for Hamilton Avalanche in 2006.
Daniela Schwarz (midfielder/defender)--Seuzbach Switzerland--played for Indiana of WPSL in 2006. 
Danielle Blair (defender)--Scarborough--U of Alabama/Birmingham. 
Lisa Melander (defender)--Oakville--Mercyhurst College in Erie PA, rejoins Lady Lynx after one year absence.

First weekend coming up is Saturday May 12th at Etobicoke Centennial Stadium with the Lady Lynx vs Rochester in an exhibition game at 1:00pm then at 4:00pm the Lynx play Western Michigan Edge. Sunday afternoon the Lynx play Western Michigan again. On Saturday, from the morning, the Lynx Junior teams are in action.

The two Lynx teams have for the most part avoided direct scheduling conflicts with the MLS Toronto FC. Only Saturday's games should I miss and the Lady Lynx game on June 2nd. Lynx play eight home games and the Lady Lynx play seven (six league games). Playoffs start the weekend of July 27th to 20th and the Championship will be the weekend of August 3rd to 5th. The league knows that almost all of the rosters will have their players back at college after that so that's why the season is so short.

Duncan Wilde, Nikola Miodrag, Sergio DeLuca, Cameron Medwin , Chris Baker, Tristan Murray, The Lynxster.

Katie Qually, Joe Nucifora, Danny Stewart, Duncan Wilde, and Daniela Schwarz.

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