January 26, 2011 CSL Pro Soccer Returns to Windsor (from CSL news release)
CSL PRO SOCCER RETURNS TO WINDSOR .....Windsor Stars will launch in May
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Restaurateur Filip Rocca will be dishing out some attractive soccer in Windsor this coming May.
The owner of two restaurants in that city, with a passion for the world game, is launching a professional soccer franchise as a new member of the Canadian Soccer League, having made a successful bid that has been two years in the making.
Windsor Stars will kickoff mid-May with top talent from southwestern Ontario and some of the best players from adjacent Michigan in an all out effort to impress the fans and be competitive in the tough CSL – Canada’s only professional soccer league.
But Rocca, the club’s president and principal owner, is not unfamiliar with the rigours of professional soccer at the higher level, having played with the recent Border Stars professional team during the period 2004 to 2008, a time he picked up several awards including the Defender of the Year.
Rocca, with Gino Berardi, the club’s vice president, will be designing their program through to the May kickoff and the community and local soccer governance are high on the list.
“It’s important that we work closely with both the district (Essex County Soccer Association) and the grassroots community, and we will,” said Rocca, who emphasized that local soccer governance has been highly supportive in launching the new professional team.
“We are delighted to bring a higher level soccer back to Windsor and we believe the fans will enjoy CSL games once again,” he said.
The introduction of Windsor Stars is bound to renew an old rivalry with London City and games between these two clubs will be a highlight of the upcoming CSL season. Negotiations are already underway to determine if the season opener can bring together these two teams in London or Windsor.
Professional soccer has been an important part of the sports scene in Windsor going back to the early 1900s with U.S.-Canada border competition an attractive feature of the early years. The team Windsor Stars goes back to the 70s and was a consideration in naming today’s team to be in the CSL’s top division and full CSL schedule, an almost six-month long campaign through to the CSL playoffs and the championship game in October.
Media should contact Filip Rocca of Windsor Stars at 519 818-6696 info@starsprosoccer.com, or Stan Adamson at CSL Media, 905 564-2297
2011 Canadian Soccer League
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