June 1, 2014--League 1 Ontario--First Weekend Thoughts (by Rocket Robin)

So that's the first weekend of this new league.  I was asked more than a few 
times by coaches, league execs, game officials what I thought of the league.  
I like that enough game sheets are printed up that I can get my own personal 
copy.  The calibre was better than I  expected.  

Now all the games this weekend were played at the Ontario Soccer Centre.  
There was a good scoreboard with a 90 minute clock.  The field turf was fine 
and there were enough seating for everyone.  I don't know how each stadium 
will measure up and I'm sure there won't be so many execs at each venue when 
games take place in different cities at the same time so I'll hold back 
unreserved praise at this time.

I did see six of the ten teams this weekend and I can't say there is any 
runaway favourite team that are better than the others.  I was expecting 
Toronto FC Academy would be the best but they are using a young team 
at this time (although it is their Senior team).  They played with ten men 
for 77 minutes and held back Vaughan Azzurri which I might nickname 'TFC Academy 
Senior Seniors' or 'TFCA Grads' for the long list of former Academy and 
TFC Pro players on it.

The only thing I've been disappointed with was the early web prescence which 
has been late and incomplete.  League execs said that would improve as there 
are still some glitches in their web site.  They've got some great 
ideas planned.  I'll wait another month and update my opinion.   I thought 
there'd be more mainstream media coverage at least for the first 
weekend novelty. (I remember past coverage of a GTA area Australian Rules 
Football league, a Frisbee toss league, and a University League Harry Potter 
movie inspired game played with broomsticks)--and then these leagues were 
never covered again!  There are no plans for a highlight show on Rogers 
Community television at this time.  So there will be this stuff on their 
own website but no mainstream coverage.  Part of this may be due to the 
late start in getting this league organized.  

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

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