June 28, 2023...Family Affair: Dom Zator's Canada Debut A Thrilling Moment For Grassroots Football (from York United FC website)

FAMILY AFFAIR: DOM ZATOR'S CANADA DEBUT A THRILLING MOMENT FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL

The former York United defender enjoyed a special moment at BMO Field on Tuesday night.

It spoke volumes that when the OneSoccer cameras found Dominick Zator's family in the stands at BMO Field on Tuesday night to document the moment, there was plenty of emotion on show.

He'd waited patiently for a senior debut for his country. He'd navigated a complicated path, that long and winding road of professional soccer in Canada. And now, finally - not in a far-flung, unfamiliar spot but rather a space and a city he knew pretty well - and in front of his nearest and dearest too, he entered the fray against Guadeloupe in the 2023 Gold Cup. Just a few minutes of playing time. But a couple of decades in the making.

The 28-year-old has been a consistent presence in John Herdman's squad since first being included back in March and its been a whirlwind six months for the former Nine Stripes skipper who rolled the dice and moved to Poland in December, signing for Korona Kielce who - at the time - were mired in relegation trouble.

He'd spent two seasons with York United, continuing to establish himself as a standout Canadian Premier League player after a pair of excellent campaigns with Cavalry FC. A dominant centre-back with pace, power and an astuteness for the game, Zator had long marked himself out as ready for the next level. When his defensive partner at the Cavs, Joel Waterman, got a move to Major League Soccer side CF Montreal in early 2020, many believed it could just as easily have been Zator.

But, he knew a thing or two about having to wait.

At Vancouver, he was simmering nicely at Whitecaps FC 2 in the United Soccer League and he'd signed a professional deal. But just seven months later, the club disbanded and Zator was scrambling, even contemplating utilizing the accounting degree he'd earned at the University of Calgary. But amidst the uncertainty, he kept the drive and determination. The hunger was there, the fire still burning. He returned to the Calgary Foothills and won the 2018 PDL title under Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Then, the CPL came along. And Zator has never looked back.

"Zats has an incredible work ethic and has consistently improved each year in the CPL," says Martin Nash, who was an assistant to Wheeldon Jr before taking the York United FC Head Coach role in late-2021. In Zator's four years in the league, Nash worked with him daily for three of them.

That work ethic is a crucial ingredient in Zator's DNA and he pursued anything he felt provided him with an extra edge. When the start of the 2021 CPL season was delayed because of the lingering shadow of Covid-19, Zator wanted to retain his sharpness and match fitness and be ready to hit the ground running for his York United debut later that summer. So, he pushed for a loan move and eventually headed for Sweden and signed a short-term deal with Vasalunds IF in the second-tier, playing five games for the club before returning to York. The plan worked to perfection: he made 27 appearances in all competitions, wearing the captain's armband on a litany of occasions.

The following season, he blossomed even more and took his leadership to a higher level. A deeply-respected member of the locker room, Zator carried himself impeccably, constantly setting the tone and the standard. He would've played every single second of The Nine Stripes' season but for extreme calf cramps that forced him off for the final 14 minutes of a 3-1 away win over Pacific FC. That day stands out for a few reasons, not just because of a vital victory. Decimated by injury, Zator had to fill in as an emergency left-back and inevitably delivered a Herculean performance. Not only that, he assisted on Mo Babouli's equalizing goal with an exquisite cross and later hit the woodwork twice.

Nash is in no doubt about the impact and influence the CPL had in fuelling Zator's career trajectory.

"Zats constantly made progress in the league and that is such a reflection of him as a player and a person," he says.

"It earned him both a move to the Polish top flight and his international debut, no question."

Zator backed himself to move to Europe and make a difference. But it was a huge decision. He had just got married and so was leaving a crucial support network. It was a step into the unknown but at the heart of it was an unwavering belief in himself and his ability. He wanted to push himself, to become a conversation topic for John Herdman and his staff. And that's exactly how it turned out.

Eight wins and two draws (and six clean sheets) from Zator's 17 appearances - the majority of those playing at right-back - was enough to see the club climb up the table and finish well above the drop zone. Zator quickly became a hero, that status confirmed during a crucial home clash with Jagiellonia, late in the season. After 79 minutes, he levelled affairs with a header and then, in the fifth minute of injury time, he cropped up with an assist for an incredible game-winner.

It said a lot that Zator joined a team seemingly destined for the drop, rolled his sleeves up and played such a role in a dramatic turnaround. After all, talent can get you far in football. But add in resilience, sacrifice, character, spirit and fight and you can reach the top. Zator, after such a committed journey in the game, has made it to a pretty interesting vantage point. But don't bet against him scaling dizzy heights in the near future.

"I’m absolute delighted for Dom," says Angus McNab, President/CEO & GM of York United FC.

"His family has been there every step of the way for him. I know they’ve been in Toronto a few times, Las Vegas, and even went Curaçao - and seeing pics of him with Megan and the entire group on Tuesday was really special."

"I said it when he first got called into the squad: the Canadian Premier League has these players capable of making the national team right now. I’m sure Vic (Loturi) will get a chance soon as well and we must remember the substantial role the league has played for the likes of Joel Waterman, Sean Rea and Jonathan Sirois in making their breakthroughs too."

Those tears on Tuesday made a lot of sense. And while Dominick Zator's family are so undoubtedly proud of his achievements, many within the Canadian football landscape are too. In many ways he represents a domestic template of sorts, a true inspiration for all those chasing dreams and attempting to navigate their way to the top.

Eoin O'Callaghan

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