CMISL News Article Thread

[Shootmaster_44]

I figured since there is no CMISL section on here I will post the articles I discover about the league. I'm afraid some of these early articles may not be in chronological order. These are the only articles I could still find by using Google, so unfortunately the first games are missing.

Here are the league links:
Official League Site - http://www.cmisl.com
Calgary United FC Official Site - http://www.calgaryunitedfc.ca/
Edmonton Drillers Official Site - http://www.edmontondrillers.ca/
Saskatoon Accelerators Official Site - http://www.cmisl.com/saskatoon/
Winnipeg Alliance FC Official Site - http://alliancefc.net/index.html

[Shootmaster_44]

Sat, March 31, 2007
Alliance to feed off fans
Indoor soccer squad out to impress in home debut

By JIM BENDER, SUN MEDIA




The game has been referred to as "hockey without ice," or without sticks, for that matter, and Winnipeg's own indoor soccer side will make its home debut this afternoon.

The Alliance will play host to the Edmonton Drillers in the final doubleheader of the fledgling Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League's "showcase season" at MTS Centre at 2 p.m.

"We will be competitive," vowed Alliance co-coach Chic Devenney. "The adrenaline, the excitement from the fans, we're going to feed off that ... The players are ready, we've just got to do a few little things in the game.

"One is being aggressive, which is being fast to the ball. The second is, we want to have a controlled buildup. I want to make sure we have composure in front of the net so we can out the ball in there. That's what we want to do -- score and score often."

It seems they've already scored with the fans as more than 5,000 have bought tickets to the match and more are available at the door.

EXPERIENCE

The players are determined to make amends for dropping both sides of a doubleheader to the Accelerators in Saskatoon last week.

"The players from Saskatoon had a little bit more experience than we had, so we had to calm down the (younger) players and help them out," said striker Wolde Harris. "We played some good football in spurts. I look forward to playing better this weekend.

"Now, we know exactly what the game's about at this level and they're really excited and looking forward to it, especially playing in front of a home crowd ... I always want to play in front of a lot of people ... and I'm happy for the younger guys where they're playing on a stage where they're being seen and being exposed to a high level of play."

An Alliance press release dubbed Harris 'the Golden Boy.'

"That's the first I've heard that one, but, you know, I have a lot of gold in my mouth so I guess that one can stick," he said smiling.

"When we reflect on the (Saskatoon) game, we matched them in most of the game -- skill-wise and technically," said midfielder Rob Gale. "We fell down on set pieces.

"It's new to us as a franchise and new to our coaches ... and they really picked us apart there, which is something we've been working on in training.

"But apart from that, it was a great atmosphere. It was really fast-paced and really enjoyable for the fans and the players alike. The younger players should benefit from that experience and can take that into the new game so we can really put on a show at home."

THROW-INS: Owners and/or GMs, including Alliance owner Bill Stewart will meet before the game to discuss an official schedule that could start as soon as this November ... Both G Jeff Seney (toe) and M Vinny Ferlaino (charleyhorse) will miss the match with injuries suffered against Saskatoon last week.

---

ON THE BALL

CMISL Rules:

- Game played on regulation-sized hockey rink covered with artificial turf.

- Each goal seven feet high and 14 feet wide.

- Six per side, including goalkeeper. Players can change on the fly.

- Two games of four 10-minute quarters -- first and second running time, third and fourth stop time.

- If doubleheader split, winner decided by shootout where each shooter has five seconds to score and can play the rebound.

- Goals scored within the three-point line are worth one point; outside, three.

- In some situations, a penalized team may have to play a man short.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/03/31/3879134-sun.html

[Shootmaster_44]

Fri, March 30, 2007
Indoor footy finds fans
Future for league looks good, says owner

By JIM BENDER, SUN MEDIA



A meeting of the indoor soccer minds at the MTS Centre on Sunday will likely result in the official formation of the fledgling league.

Owners and/or general managers from the four teams that now comprise the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League will discuss kicking off a real season before the final doubleheader of its "showcase season" between the Winnipeg Alliance and Edmonton Drillers that starts at 2 p.m.

The decision will be announced either Sunday or Monday, Alliance owner Bill Stewart said yesterday.

Stewart was thrilled that more than 5,000 tickets have already been sold for Sunday's match and seemed unperturbed that both Saskatoon and Calgary barely drew 2,000 to each of their doubleheaders. In fact, he is getting good vibes from the other three cities.

"The owner in Edmonton is very excited; he wants to move forward," said Stewart, a Manitoba native. "Saskatoon wants to move forward. Calgary wants to move forward. We all have our problems because we just entered into one-game leases so, we need to go back into the market and get new leases. We need to work out some things but they're real supportive. All of us are trying to move the league forward."

The Drilllers lured 3,500 to their match.

Should the owners decide to go ahead, the league would likely start this November and play a 10-12-week winter schedule, followed by a two-week playoff ending by late February or early March, Stewart said.

"We all need to get into the same room and work that out," he said, adding that his side could easily co-exist with the Manitoba Moose by playing weekend matinees but must still work out an agreement. "I anticipate that we'll be able to work out our lease here in Winnipeg."

Calgary, however, needs to find a new venue and Saskatoon must be able to average 3,000 fans, Stewart said.

"We're going to add one or two more cities," he added. "We've had interest from Eastern Canada and a couple of cities in the West."

CMISL founder Mel Kowalchuk has been handling those discussions and Stewart did not know their identity. But he is thrilled with the local reaction.

"My goal's always been 4-5,000 and we've exceeded the 5,000 so this model works," he said. "If we get 6-7,000 here, I definitely want to continue. What I've noticed and what we really went after was we wanted to see the local soccer community support this showcase game and they really stepped up."

Stewart, who declined to divulge how much he has invested thus far, figures each club will need a 22 or 24-man roster that will be governed by a salary cap and teams will fly to different cities, playing only on weekends.

"Sunday, we should be able to disclose a lot more about what we'd do about a salary cap," he said.

Everyone involved figures the indoor game will capture the imagination of local fans.

"It's like hockey without the ice," said Stewart.

"It's a very fast game," added Wolde Harris, a pro striker that Stewart signed before the Alliance played in Saskatoon last Friday. "It was my first time playing indoor in an organized fashion. So, it was very fast-paced, very physical and I was very impressed with that."
http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/03/30/3870089-sun.html

[Shootmaster_44]

Sun, April 1, 2007
Alliance ready to take field

By SUN MEDIA




The Winnipeg Alliance indoor soccer squad will make their home debut this afternoon at the MTS Centre.

After dropping both ends of a doubleheader against the Accelerators in Saskatoon last weekend, the Alliance host the Edmonton Drillers in another two-game set at 2 p.m.

More than 5,000 tickets have been sold for the match, part of the fledgling Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League's "showcase season."

After getting their feet wet last weekend, co-coach Chic Devenney promises a competitive contest today and expects his side to play an aggressive style of game.

If the teams split the games, a shootout will determine the winner.

Alliance owner Bill Stewart said previously league owners and/or GMs will meet prior to the game to discuss an official schedule which could begin as early as November.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/04/01/3887519-sun.html

[Shootmaster_44]

Mon, April 2, 2007
Season in the works

By JIM BENDER, SUN MEDIA




They are planning to push this ball forward cautiously.

Spurred by the 7,000-plus that showed up for the Winnipeg Alliance-Edmonton Drillers "showcase" match at the MTS Centre yesterday, the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League has decided to go ahead with plans for a real season.

"The Winnipeg Alliance is probably the reason we are moving forward a little quicker than we wanted because (Alliance owner) Bill Stewart and his group and the fans here in Winnipeg showed us what they can draw if we work real hard at it," CMISL president Mel Kowalchuk said after the owners and/or GMs of the four current franchises met before the doubleheader.

"We expected crowds Iike this in years three and four but not the first year. So Bill's certainly set the trend for all of us and we're very pleased."

Before they can go ahead, each club must secure a lease with their respective venues and another meeting is planned for Calgary later this month.

"The thing is, everybody else wants to do it but we don't want to do it to the point where we push it too far," said Stewart. "So we're probably looking at an abbreviated season.

"But there's a lot of work that we have to do as owners to ensure that we can move forward. The MTS Centre's been great to work with, but the bottom line is we need to sit down with them now and try to enter a lease that makes sense."

Yesterday's crowd prompted Stewart to push his partners.

"I'm absolutely impressed, absolutely blown away," he said. "I am absolutely convinced that this is a viable market. Being the last game here gave us an extra three weeks to get out there and sell and penetrate the soccer community. That really helped us."

On the other hand, both Calgary and Saskatoon drew 2,000, Edmonton about 3,500.

"We did discuss expansion a little bit," Kowalchuk said. "We do have teams that are interested but we're not sure we're going to permit them to play in our league with a full schedule or a modified schedule. We're thinking a new team coming in will have to showcase it because each one of us learned a lot (from showcase games).

"We might go with as many as five or six teams, but right now it's looking like it might be four."

Kowalchuk said interest has been expressed by six Eastern teams and two in the West, but did not identify them.

"This gives the kids something to look forward to," said the Alliance's Jordan Goetting. "When I grew up, we had the Winnipeg Fury, then nothing for the longest time ... So, it will be inspiring for a lot of the young kids."
http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/04/02/3896178-sun.html

[Shootmaster_44]

Mon, April 2, 2007
Fans flock indoors
New soccer league proving popular

By JIM BENDER, SUN MEDIA



They lost the doubleheader but won the hearts of local supporters.

The Winnipeg Alliance dropped both ends of the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League's showcase match to the Edmonton Drillers before a mind-boggling 7,727 spectators at MTS Centre yesterday.

And that was no April Fool's joke. Nor was the total spiked by thousands of giveaways, Alliance owner Bill Stewart insisted.

PHYSICAL BATTLES

"It was awesome," said Jordan Goetting, the Winnipeg defender/midfielder who scored his side's only two goals. "We expected 4,000 and to have this ... The kids are always going to be phenomenal but the support from other people was tremendous. And we don't get that in Manitoba.

"It's so nice to finally see that they're going to be supportive of the whole organization."

The Drillers, who had left their best player at home, won the first match 6-1 and the second 2-1 in a pair of fast-paced, physical battles.

"I'm really enjoying this, it's very aggressive," said Angelo Manfredi, a fan and friend of some Alliance players. "They're all really into it and I'm liking it. I really liked Tom Foderaro's hit. I know they (Drillers) weren't too pleased about that but Tom's a good guy, so it's all good."

Foderaro received a charging penalty for drilling a Driller into the boards.

"It's a pretty fast-paced game and it's getting pretty physical," said Katie Parker, wearing an Alliance jersey. "I've got a lot of friends on the team, they're doing well and I'm cheering them on.

"I would definitely pay to watch the guys over a whole season. I just want to support the guys and hopefully, they'll start a women's team up."

Not all fans were thrilled with the indoor game, though.

"I don't like the boards," said Colleen Dacosta. "I don't like it when they use the boards because some of their goals were scored just using the boards. Outdoors, you don't use the boards."

Although she and her partner, Salam Palani, had free tickets, Dacosca said she would pay to support the squad over a whole season. And Stewart et al are making plans for a real season that could start in November.

Todd Rattee, Eddy Sidra, Phil Pavacic, John Konye, Oliver Brkin and Mark Spiller scored for Edmonton in the first game while Spiller and Pavacic scored in the second. Goetting was the only Alliance who could solve Edmonton goalkeeping.

"I don't score a lot of goals, so,it was kind of nice. Too bad it's not a regular thing." said Goetting, who also scored in a shootout exhibition.

Winnipeg goalkeeper Dylan O'Connor did not allow a goal after being inserted for the last quarter.

"It was nerve-wracking when I first got out there. but when I got out on to the field it was way better and I settled down and had a lot of fun," he said.

"Both the games were entertaining, we just have to learn how to put the ball in the net," said Alliance co-coach Chic Devenney. "I am disappointed but I'm looking upon this as the future. Our future is just beginning. We're beginning to establish a team, a rhythm, a philosophy for the game."
http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/04/02/3896176-sun.html

[Shootmaster_44]

First soccer showcase shows drawing power
Winnipeg Alliance loses two before strong crowd

Mon Apr 2 2007

By Allan Besson

MARC GALLANT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

MARQUEE midfielder Nikola Vignjevic stayed home to be best man at a friend's wedding. It didn't matter, though, as his Edmonton Drillers took the Winnipeg Alliance FC to the cleaners 6-1 in the first of two Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League showcase games played at MTS Centre Sunday. The Drillers also won the second game 2-1.

The 7,727 fans who almost filled the lower bowl didn't mind, however, as they cheered the Alliance and lined five-deep to get autographs following the games.

Also wearing smiles were Alliance owner Bill Stewart and the three other league owners, who had gathered this weekend to decide the league's future. Calgary and Saskatoon are the other two teams in the league. Between games, they announced they will meet later this month to discuss strategy for moving toward regular season play next year.

Lauren Zarrillo and her father Bruno took in the show, and liked what they saw. "I play soccer for East St. Paul," said 10-year-old Lauren. "I'm having fun, and I think it's good. I hope (we'll go again if the league stays), if my mom and dad buy tickets.

"I think it was excellent," said her father. "At field level, it was a lot more physical than I thought, and it was entertaining. It was good family entertainment."

Zarrillo said he would support the team next year, "as long as they do it at the Goldeyes level, where it's affordable for the whole family."

"We want to pursue a full league schedule for next year," said Mel Kowalchuk, president of the CMISL. "Now a full league schedule might be a modified version. For example, six home and six away games, but the first thing we all have to do is have secure leases in each building."

Kowalchuk said Winnipeg's success was the catalyst to move forward a little more quickly than planned. "Bill Stewart, his group, and the fans here in Winnipeg showed us what they can draw if we worked hard at it. We had expected crowds like this in years three and four, but not in the first year."

Stewart dispelled the rumour that of the total tickets sold, close to 3,000 were giveaways. "Go poll Ticketmaster," he retorted. "They have the numbers. We have been absolutely blown away by the response. We did a lot better than we thought we would. We just need to pick it up on the field now."

The possibility of expansion was also discussed. "We have teams that are interested, and we will discuss it when we meet in Calgary," said Kowalchuk. "We're not sure if we're going to permit them to play in our league with a full or modified schedule next year. We're thinking that for a new team to come in they have to showcase it first."

Goal getters

Game 1

Edmonton 6 Winnipeg 1

First quarter

1. Edmonton, Todd Rattee; 2. Edmonton, Eddy Sidra; 3. Edmonton, Phil Pavacic.

Second quarter

No scoring.

Third quarter

4. Winnipeg, Jordan Goetting; 5. Edmonton, John Konye; 6. Edmonton, Oliver Brkin.

Fourth quarter

7. Edmonton, Mark Spiller.

Game 2

Edmonton 2 Winnipeg 1

First quarter

No scoring.

Second quarter

1. Edmonton, Spiller

Third quarter

2. Edmonton, Pavacic

Fourth quarter

3. Winnipeg, Goetting.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/soccer/story/3930536p-4542155c.html

[Shootmaster_44]

Soccer league wants to run full schedule soon
Kevin Mitchell, The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, April 05, 2007

The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League can't count its success in dollar-signs -- the Saskatoon Accelerators lost a small bundle a few weeks ago -- but the loop wants to kick its game up several notches in November.

The fledgling league, which recently completed a so-called showcase schedule that featured one doubleheader in each of its four cities, is talking about running a full schedule several months down the road.

"It's our intent to go ahead," says league president Mel Kowalchuk, who also owns the Saskatoon franchise.

"I wouldn't say it's 100 per cent, but I'm confident it's going to happen."

Saskatoon's heard that from all kinds of pro leagues in the past, only to have things go horribly wrong.

But Kowalchuk insists he's different He says the brief showcases allowed his league to flash its wares to fans, sponsors and media while helping team owners figure out what works and what doesn't.

The league, which also includes teams in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary, had originally planned to run another showcase series early next year before launching a full schedule in 2008-09.

But the league's other owners pushed for a quicker start-date, and the 7,727 fans who witnessed last weekend's doubleheader in Winnipeg fueled their determination.

Saskatoon drew an announced crowd of 2,102 -- approximately 1,500 actually paid -- for a March 23 sweep of Winnipeg. Those games were poorly marketed and relied on a large walk-up -- mistakes Kowalchuk says won't happen again.

"We all learned something (from the showcase experience)," said Kowalchuk, who blames his absentee-owner status -- he lives in Edmonton -- for the promotional shortfall.

Kowalchuk continues to look for Saskatoon-based franchise partners.

The commissioner sees teams playing 12 doubleheaders apiece next season, with six at home and six on the road.

"Each one of us owners has different things we want to see or do," said Kowalchuk, who hopes to have the league's plans spelled out after an April 21 meeting in Calgary. "We all agreed we have to get down to details before we're 100 per cent certain we're going to go this route. Right now, we are certain, but there's some roadblocks to clear."

Those roadblocks, he says, include what kind of lease deals the teams can negotiate with their respective arenas. He also says they'll have to decide whether expanding by a couple of teams is a good or bad idea heading into a first full season.

Asked if Saskatoon will field a team whether he finds a partner or not, Kowalchuk responds "in all probability, yes."

He said he also plans to sit down with Regina-based coach Kevin Holness and talk about bringing him back for next season. Holness coached the Accelerators to 5-2 and 3-2 wins over Winnipeg.

kmitchell@sp.canwest.com


© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=dde76d64-4414-4566-a97c-f23d80d1b026

[Shootmaster_44]

Soccer coach reprimanded

for accelerated comments

THE Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League has reprimanded Saskatoon Accelerators head coach Kevin Holness for comments made while wearing a wireless microphone during the side's tryout camp earlier this month.

As per CMISL policy, details of the reprimand will not be disclosed.

"Upon further investigation as to whether Kevin stated he wanted to 'humiliate' the Winnipeg Alliance FC when the team played in Saskatoon March 23, even though Kevin did not use the word humiliate, I have determined he did make a statement which could be interpreted as disrespectful," said CMISL president Mel Kowalchuk.

"Kevin was wearing a microphone on the day in question and his choice of words warranted a reprimand.

"In Kevin's defence, I am convinced beyond all doubt what he said was nothing more than a tactic coaches sometimes use to build intensity and determination in their players."

Winnipeg will be playing Edmonton Drillers Sunday in the final Showcase exhibition match for this year, beginning at 2 p.m. at the MTS Centre.

-- Staff
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:YOIS0VPdvhIJ:www.winnipegfreepress. com/subscriber/sports/other/story/3925053p-4536798c.html+%22saskatoon+accelerators%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=36&gl=ca&client=firefox-a

[Shootmaster_44]

Footy faithful cheer kickoff
Nearly 2,000 watch United, Drillers twin bill
Michael Petrie, Calgary Herald
Published: Sunday, March 11, 2007

They didn't barricade the locker-room doors and force the sides to keep playing, but Calgary soccer fans walked away wanting more.

A doubleheader of indoor soccer at the Corral on Saturday afternoon was well received, as almost 2,000 footy faithful watched Calgary United FC play the Edmonton Drillers.

"We wanted to showcase and get people interested," said Chris Baker, owner of United FC. "Hopefully, they'll come back next time and bring some friends. We got a good turnout, people were enjoying it.

"The Calgary team played well, you can see there's lot of talent there. I think it's a good start."

United beat Edmonton 5-1 in the opener and lost the second, 2-0. There was some obvious skill on both squads and the games were largely entertaining.

The teams will play a return twin bill on March 18, while the Saskatoon Accelerators and Winnipeg Alliance FC are set for a similar home-and-away later this month.

The four teams comprise the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League -- a fledgling circuit that will play abbreviated seasons this year and next, in order to gauge interest and work out kinks before beginning full play in 2008-09.

There's no shortage of soccer fans across this country and the CMISL hopes to slowly and deliberately cultivate a following.

"We face failures from the past and people tend to look at you that way," said Mel Kowalchuk, Drillers owner and acting commissioner. "All we're saying is give us a chance and judge us for what we're doing, what we're trying to do."

Attempts at selling soccer have failed time and time again in Canada, but Baker and Kowalchuk claim they've learned from other people's mistakes. They see potential and say teams from Eastern Canada already are interested in joining.

But rather than hopping behind the wheel, turning the key and screaming down an icy mountain road, these guys are checking all their mirrors and fastening their seatbelts before pulling out of the driveway.

Kowalchuk was involved with the National Professional Soccer League when the Edmonton Drillers aimed to draw 12,000 people per game, the league spent $50,000 on some players and flights for a single road trip cost as much as $20,000.

These won't be issues when the CMISL gets fired up.

"We can sit back after this mini-season and look at what we did right, and what we did wrong," said Kowalchuk. "If you go play a 20-game season -- 10 home, 10 away -- you've got a million things wrong. Now, we can see the 10 things we've got wrong and correct them."

mpetrie@theherald.canwest.com


© The Calgary Herald 2007
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=2376108e-e05c-45b5-883c-ea1b322ea75f

[Shootmaster_44]

Pro ball has dubious history in Saskatoon
Doug McConachie, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 10, 2007

We still don't have a pick-up sticks league and we're missing a wiffl eball team in Saskatoon, but these days we're on the edge of getting just about everything else imaginable.

Last week, there was an announcement that a basketball team could materialize in Saskatoon next spring, despite the failures of the Slam, Storm and Hawks.

After only1,500 paid to watch an indoor soccer exhibition game in the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League two weeks ago, there is talk of a pro franchise launching here in November.

The Saskatoon SWAT is launching its inaugural junior lacrosse season Saturday.

And the latest sport venture to traipse into this new mecca of sports is the Northern Baseball League. With the Winnipeg Goldeyes, Edmonton Cracker-Cats and Calgary Vipers in the eight-team league, Saskatoon would be a logical expansion city, says commissioner Clark Griffith of Minneapolis.

Yep. Then again, so would Regina.

On paper it could be a tidy five-team league, have inter-city rivalries and cut travelling distances.

And its chances for success? Two . . . nil and none. Not slim, not maybe. Following in the footsteps of the Riot, the Smoking Guns, the Stallions and the current trying-to-find-support Yellow Jackets, baseball fl ounders in this city.

The weather works against it, the stadium is in need of serious upgrades -- think Rutherford Rink (at least Rutherford can be burned) -- and fan interest is not there, hasn't been for decades.

Throw into that the antics of some of the previous owners -- the midnight moves that have built a legacy of distrust and unpaid bills -- and there's just no reason to believe professional baseball can make it in Saskatoon.

While Saskatoon residents like to relay a big-city perception, in reality it is still a small Prairie town when it comes to sports. And that's good in some ways, because that means the people in this community are still playing the games, rather than paying to watch.

There are thousands who play slowpitch, softball, baseball and soccer.

At last count, there were 7,000 soccer players in this city, and that number is growing. There are 3,000 minor hockey players and another couple of thousand in the adult and senior leagues.

Auto sports is a big draw -- and getting bigger -- with the completion of the new Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, which will have events every weekend this summer from mid- May to mid-September. High school sports have a solid following, as do the Saskatoon Hilltops in junior football.

The Saskatoon Blades -- the closest thing we have to a professional sport -- have a couple of home games every week for six months and average more than 4,000 fans per game.

And the coup de grace in all of this is Huskie athletics, which fields teams in nine different sports and can always be counted on to provide a good product.

Of course, football and men's hockey rule the roost at the U of S, but there is no question the entertainment value is also there whether it is soccer, basketball, track and field or wrestling.

In the past, the new kids on the block have burned us so often with dubious characters or third-rate leagues that we've found it is not fun to be suckered.

Nor can we get excited about somebody who is here for two months and then vanishes.

If you want to put up your own money that's one thing, but don't expect anybody to open their wallets for you or for the city to commit to any expenditures for a who-knows-whereit- will-be-next-week franchise. Being fleeced is for sheep.

dmcconachie@sp.canwest.com


© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=6f75f0b3-cbac-4a5c-87e7-8ab92cafa2ba

[Pounder]

If this guy describes the college team as the "coup de grace" in the middle of hockey country, that's telling to me. Self-interest, perhaps?

The Blades should be the coup de grace.

Still, when the fans vote, the fans vote.

[Shootmaster_44]

If this guy describes the college team as the "coup de grace" in the middle of hockey country, that's telling to me. Self-interest, perhaps?

The Blades should be the coup de grace.

Still, when the fans vote, the fans vote.

He's apparently a grumpy old man. I forwarded this article to all four teams mentioned in it, sounds like there might be some major advertising being lost from the Star-Phoenix. However, none of the teams he mentioned did dismally at the box office. The Storm and Slam, led the league in attendance and the Riot/Smokin' Guns/Stallions were not leading the league, but were respectable. The Hawks drew well at times, though their CBA year was worse off than their IBA seasons. The only team that drew terrible, he forgot in his article, the Saskatoon Legends.

We shall see what the fallout of the said article is and how many letters and complaints are received by the Star-Phoenix, especially from lacrosse supporters (since the SWAT mentioned is a local amateur team). I just wonder if enough fall out will come from this that he will lose his job and the Star-Phoenix will return to being a good sports paper.

[Shootmaster_44]

Found a new CMISL article:

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=fb00242f-c316-4966-99e8-f3c2515aed97

CMISL considers expansion
Scott Petersen, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Sunday, April 22, 2007

EDMONTON - The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League could be adding to its ranks before it ever launches a regular season.

League president Mel Kowalchuk said Sunday that several potential new owners are "knocking" on the CMISL's door after positive first returns from its showcase season. He noted that two or three mid-market B.C. cities have a good chance of landing teams soon. It's expected Kelowna is in that mix.

"We all know expansion is going to happen, we just don't know if we're going to do it right away or not," said Kowalchuk, adding that the league will likely be slower in expanding to the east, despite strong interest there as well.

Adding to the four-team league was one of more than 50 items discussed in a meeting Sunday night by the current team owners from Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Other pressing items included whether the CMISL will jump straight into regular-season play in November, scheduling issues, and if it would require any new teams to also hold showcase games as a learning curve.

"Right now things are looking pretty good for us as a league starting up this November," said Kowalchuk, adding that more definite information from the meeting will be announced sometime next week.

"We're very positive about things. We surpassed everything we wanted with the showcases."

A total of 15,177 fans attended the league's four-match showcases this year, including 7,727 for a double-header at Winnipeg's MTS Centre.

spetersen@thejournal.canwest.com


© The Edmonton Journal 2007

[Shootmaster_44]

All systems go for Saskatoon indoor soccer team

Clint Walper, The StarPhoenix
Published: Saturday, September 22, 2007

The Saskatoon Accelerators franchise is living up to its moniker.

At a media conference Friday at Credit Union Center, team president Mel Kowalchuk announced new developments that have jetted both the team and the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League (CMISL) forward.

Edmonton's Darren Hood was introduced as the team's new majority owner after securing 80 per cent ownership from Kowalchuk, while Saskatoon's Brian O'Shea slides into the general manager role.

Hood, 33, has been involved in construction and the oil and gas industry for 13 years. O'Shea has been a Saskatchewan resident for 30 years, working in both sales and finance and has been actively involved in the local sports scene.

The potential of the league is what attracted both Hood and O'Shea.

"It's pretty huge and a pretty cool adventure," said Hood, who's been friends with the Kowalchuk family for more than 20 years. "It's something outside the box and it's a lot of fun. I'd like to see more people involved in it, it promotes family involvement and values and it's just good stuff."

Added O'Shea: "I'm very excited to be part of the sporting community as a whole. To be able to try and bring it to another level where more younger people are playing and it adds excitement into the sport would be great."

The CMISL was introduced to Saskatoon in March when the Accelerators played a doubleheader showcase against the Winnipeg Alliance FC in front of 2,102 fans at CUC. The league's original plan was to launch a full schedule beginning in November 2008, but it's now set to begin this winter.

"We felt there was enough energy, support and success in the centres that we tried it in to warrant going forward," said Kowalchuk.

"In Winnipeg's case we drew almost 8,000 people and in Edmonton we had approximately 4,000 people on fairly short notice. Overall, we felt that it was extremely successful."

The Accelerators will play a 12-game schedule, with six home and six away dates. While the schedule is still being ironed out, Kowalchuk pinpoints Dec. 28 as a likely start date, with the regular season wrapping up in late March. Playoffs would follow.

Edmonton, Winnipeg and Calgary join Saskatoon for the inaugural season. Expansion looms on the horizon.

"We're going to showcase the game in Prince George, B.C., on Dec. 1-2, and based on how that goes, we have a couple of gentlemen who, if they like what they see, will make franchises for both Kelowna and Prince George," said Kowalchuk.

A couple of eastern cities, with Hamilton leading the way, are also expressing interest.

From a personal viewpoint, Kowalchuk said retaining only 20 per cent of the Accelerators was bittersweet.

"I understand why the league wanted me to step aside and take on a majority owner so I could focus on promoting the league, but it was difficult when I sat back and thought about it because I wanted to own Saskatoon."

cwalper@sp.canwest.com


© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=217b8693-b6bc-4b55-8489-5cb8205987d4

So it looks like the CMISL is still on for the winter season. I enjoyed the Showcase Series game I saw here in Saskatoon and am looking forward to the season kicking off after Christmas.

I certainly hope that the owners go after a few skilled players from the MISL. Other than the ringer the Drillers "lent" the Accelerators at the game I saw, the team had very little talent. I assume the ringer will play for the Drillers, so that means the Accelerators need to find their own star player and I figure that means bringing in at least a mid-level star from the MISL.

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Edmonton Drillers calling St. Albert home
The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, October 27

ST. ALBERT -- The Edmonton Drillers will be keeping their name but playing their home games in St. Albert's Servus Credit Union Place for the 2007-08 season of the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League.

The Drillers announced Friday they will play a 10-game schedule with six games at home and four on the road. The unbalance is because Winnipeg has to play all its games on the road.

The Drillers will play two home exhibition games, Dec. 28 and Jan. 4 against Saskatoon. They'll open their regular home season against Calgary on Jan. 25.

The move from Rexall Place to St. Albert will provide a huge cost saving for the second-year franchise.

"It's an incredible saving," said general manager Ken Charuk. "For what we paid to be in Rexall on March 18 when we had our showcase game we can play our entire season here. It gives us more than a shot at breaking even.

"It's the right venue at the right time. Not only is it an affordable place for us, if we can fill these seats as we intend, it will be an absolutely electric atmosphere for our fans."

Moving to the suburbs, he said, won't be a problem because the core of soccer fans in Edmonton and area will easily make the drive to St. Albert, where the club hopes to pick up more fans with the popularity of the sport here.

Tickets are $12.50 for youths 17 and under and seniors 65 and over; $25 for adults. Family packs of four tickets are available ranging from two games for $130 to all seven home dates for $412.

SOCCER SCHEDULE

Exhibition

Dec. 28 vs. Saskatoon

Jan. 4 vs. Saskatoon

Jan. 5-6 at Saskatoon

Regular season

Jan. 19 vs. Saskatoon in Calgary vs. Winnipeg in Calgary

Jan. 20 at Calgary

Jan. 25 vs. Calgary

Feb. 15 vs. Calgary

Feb. 22 vs. Saskatoon

Feb. 29 vs. Winnipeg (doubleheader)

March 7 vs. Calgary

March 9 at Saskatoon


© The Edmonton Journal 2007

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=f9dcd2c2-0686-4ed1-9ef8-a31487e2e6be

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Fri, October 26, 2007
The Drillers are back in Edmonton; their 2008 season begins in January

By SUN MEDIA NEWS SERVICES




The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League announced today the four-team league is a step closer to its goal of a full-fledged season with each club playing a 10-game schedule in 2008.

Following a successful Showcase Season which featured matches in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, the blueprint for the CMISL's second season called for an increased number of showcase matches in each city.

After considerable deliberation and discussion, the calendar for the upcoming CMISL campaign is a hybrid of the 2007 Showcase Season and a more traditional home-and-road schedule.

The Edmonton Drillers and Saskatoon Accelerators kick off the CMISL exhibition schedule Dec. 28.

"Our 2008 schedule is really a step beyond what we had hoped for in the league's second season," noted CMISL president Mel Kowalchuk. "The initial CMISL blueprint called for several more showcase matches in the second year.

In addition to kicking off league play in 2008, the CMISL also announced plans for a two-game showcase match between the Edmonton Drillers and an all-star side at Prince George, B.C.'s CN Centre Dec. 1 - 2.

Announcements from CMISL member clubs regarding their respective schedules will be forthcoming.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/10/26/4606984-sun.html

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Fri, October 26, 2007
With no dates available at MTS Centre, Alliance FC takes show on road

By SUN MEDIA




Despite having its greatest success at the MTS Centre during last year's showcase season, the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League will not feature any games in Winnipeg in 2008.

The Winnipeg Alliance FC will play a 10-game schedule entirely on the road, the league announced yesterday, because the team was not able to secure any suitable dates at the MTS Centre.

"We hope the Manitoba fans will understand the situation and remain as committed to the franchise as team owner Bill Stewart, who will continue to underwrite the operation of the team in 2008," CMISL president Mel Kowalchuk said in a release.

The Alliance played a doubleheader in Winnipeg last April 1 and drew a surprisingly large crowd of 7,727. Games in Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatoon drew no more than 3,500 fans.

"With the Brier taking over the (MTS Centre) for 10 or 12 days (in March), the AHL Manitoba Moose trying to bookend home dates on either side of the Brier, as well as an incredible number of other events, there wasn't much left for us," Kowalchuk said.

"Although the CMISL is prepared to take a relatively large step, we are still very low on the pecking order as far as being able to command specific dates in any of the venues our teams occupy. Ironically, the showcase season match in Winnipeg was the best attended."

The league announced its schedule yesterday, what it calls "a hybrid of the showcase season and a traditional home-and-road schedule."

The Edmonton Drillers open the season with a home date with the Saskatoon Accelerators on Dec. 28. Saskatoon and Calgary will also play home dates in the schedule, which has not yet been finalized. No dates were announced for Alliance FC games.

http://winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/10/26/4606636-sun.html

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(Sports) Saturday, 10 November 2007, 01:18 PST
SCOTT STANFIELD Citizen staff
Central Door and Windows

The professional indoor soccer showcase matches scheduled for Dec. 1 and 2 at CN Centre have been postponed, but the games will be played sometime in the near future, says the president of the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League.

A Prince George men's all-star team had been in the formative stage, preparing to take on the Edmonton Drillers of the CMISL in the two-game exhibition series.

"We looked at some of the logistical things and we felt it was best (to postpone)," CMISL president Mel Kowalchuk said Friday. "And due to the fact that there's limited number of dates (at CN Centre), we just thought we'd postpone it until the end of the season.

"It's nothing major, we just decided it's best to delay it and make sure that everything is in place, rather than go in there when we weren't too sure. We'll still be playing it in Prince George, and we know it's going to be successful. We just felt it's best to delay it."

The league will make an official announcement when exact dates are confirmed.

The CMISL season starts in December. Aside from the Drillers, the league consists of the Winnipeg Alliance, Saskatoon Accelerators and Calgary United F.C.

The CMISL hopes to use its indoor league as a template to establish a professional outdoor soccer league in Canada.

Kowalchuk - the former president/general manager of the Edmonton Trappers, a triple-A baseball team - has said consideration should be given to expanding to Prince George due to the city's per capita rate of soccer registrations.

There are more than 3,000 youth players involved in the outdoor league, and several hundred adult players in the local men's and women's soccer leagues.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103657&Itemid=563

[radiodavel]

The new Rampage site -
www.cafepress.com/rockfordrampage

The new Tulsa Revolution site -
www.cafepress.com/tulsarevolution

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The new Rampage site -
www.cafepress.com/rockfordrampage

The new Tulsa Revolution site -
www.cafepress.com/tulsarevolution

Thanks for that, but what do these have to do with the CMISL?

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The CMISL pre-season kicked off last night in St. Albert with the Edmonton Drillers taking on the Saskatoon Accelerators.

Drillers mark debut with a win
Indoor soccer team plays out of St. Albert
John Korobanik, The Edmonton Journal
Published: 2:04 am

EDMONTON - It was mostly a good news night for the Edmonton Drillers on Friday when they made their Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League debut, albeit in an exhibition game.

They won, no one got injured on a troublesome carpet and a small but encouraging crowd showed up at St. Albert's Servus Place.

"For an exhibition game it's pretty good," league president Mel Kowalchuk said of the attendance. "I had been told they were expecting upwards of 1,500 so there's a lot of no-shows."

The Drillers scored early and late, got solid goaltending from Oliver Brkin and Tristan Llko, and generally outmatched the Saskatoon Accelerators to run to a 5-1 victory.

"For the first game, I thought the guys were pretty sharp," head coach Pasquele De Luca said. "We showed a lot of energy ... but the surface didn't help much. We've got a good core and a good group of guys."

Former St. Albert high school player Phil Pavicic opened the scoring just 22 seconds into the game and Ian Diaz ended it with one minute left. In between the Drillers got goals from Nikola Vignjevic, Eric Munoz and Brett Chartrand.

Mark Korthias scored the lone Saskatoon goal in the opening period.

Both teams showed good speed and ball movement, some outstanding goaltending at times -- although there weren't the usual abundance of scoring chances for an indoor match -- and both had to deal with a carpet that wouldn't stay down and could have been dangerous, especially in the corners. By late in the third quarter and through the final 15 minutes, players were constantly tripping over the carpet seams or falling when the rug slid out under their feet.

"I'm disappointed in the rug," said Kowalchuk, explaining the new sub- floor had a smooth, slippery surface that wouldn't hold the carpet pieces in place. "We'll have to see what we can do to correct the problem.

"Outside of that I thought the talent looked pretty good."

De Luca said he was "extremely nervous" watching players fall when the carpet moved or separated at the seams. A number of players limped off after falling but fortunately no one was injured when falling into the end boards when the corner carpets split at the seams.

The Drillers play the Accelerators in another exhibition game next Friday at Servus Place before going to Saskatoon for two more exhibitions and to open the regular season there on Jan. 19.

The Drillers' first regular-season home game will be Jan. 25 versus Calgary at Servus Place.


© The Edmonton Journal 2007

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=1aa4052a-73b6-4393-a30f-0701226cd258

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Thrifty financing for now as league gets established
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, December 27, 2007

Mel Kowalchuk envisions a day when fans flock to Credit Union Centre to watch professional soccer teams built with million-dollar budgets.

For now, he'll be content if a few thousand fans show up to see players who are getting paid gas money.

"We've got a long way to go and we're not egotistical enough to think, 'Oh, we're coming out and everything is going to be great,' " said Kowalchuk, president of the fledgling Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League.

"We're taking such baby steps and we're so humble that it's pathetic. But that's the way we've got to build it."

The Saskatoon Accelerators -- comprised largely of Saskatchewan players -- are poised to play a 10-game regular season against Calgary United FC, the Edmonton Drillers and the Winnipeg Alliance. The exhibition season begins Friday when the Accelerators visit Edmonton.

Kowalchuk described the CMISL product as a hybrid of outdoor soccer and hockey.

"Even diehard soccer fans will enjoy the pace of the game -- it's like human pinball," said Kowalchuk, who has an ownership stake in the Accelerators in addition to being league president.

"We're just saying, 'Give us a chance and if you enjoy the sport, come on back.' "

Last March, a Credit Union Centre crowd of 2,102 -- about 1,500 of whom paid -- watched the Accelerators sweep a doubleheader against Winnipeg. Kowalchuk said he hasn't calculated a break-even number for attendance, but he said all league partners are prepared to build slowly. That means modest compensation for the players.

"We've elected to pay them expense money," said Kowalchuk. "The expense money might be very low or it might be a couple of hundred dollars per game, depending on where they're coming from and what they have to do."

The arrangement allows players to maintain their amateur status and it saves the league about $50,000 in insurance costs, said Kowalchuk.

"Where we're going down the road, it will be (a professional league). But our first couple of years, we're going to go this route. We have to establish a few things."

Kowalchuk pegged the Accelerators' budget to be between $200,000 and $300,000 -- lower than Edmonton's, but higher than Calgary's. He confessed that CMISL members will have to prop up the Winnipeg franchise this season because it has to play all of its games on the road.

"We had an agreement with the MTS Centre that if they got a major concert -- and we have the same deal in Saskatoon -- we'd step aside," said Kowalchuk. "It turns out that Rascall Flatts is coming in on the weekend that we had designated for Winnipeg (to play host to a league tournament). The only other date we could have gone was Easter Friday and we thought that would be total financial suicide."

As a result, Saskatoon has eight home dates -- including exhibition games Jan. 5 and 6 versus Edmonton. The soccer matches fit around home games for the Saskatoon Blades, Credit Union Centre's primary tenant.

"The (Accelerators) have their own turf system that they'll put on top of the ice and they've designed the nets so they fit against the boards," said Scott Ford, the building's director of marketing and events. "It's really a quick conversion for us."

Ticket prices compare to those of the Blades: $14.50 for adults, $11.50 for students and seniors, and $7.50 for children. Based on the crowd at last spring's exhibition showcase, Ford said he expects the Accelerators to have a unique following.

"There was a bit of a crossover with the hockey crowd, but it looked like it was mostly a different crowd," he said. "It was great soccer to watch and very entertaining."

cwolfe@sp.canwest.com

ACCELERATORS' SCHEDULE

Pre-season

Friday Saskatoon at Edmonton

Jan. 4 Saskatoon at Edmonton

Jan. 5 Edmonton at Saskatoon

Jan. 6 Edmonton at Saskatoon

Regular season

Jan. 13 Calgary at Saskatoon

Jan. 19 Edmonton vs. Saskatoon (Calgary tourney)

Calgary vs. Saskatoon (Calgary tourney)

Jan. 20 Winnipeg vs. Saskatoon (Calgary tourney)

Feb. 1 Winnipeg at Saskatoon

Feb. 3 Winnipeg at Saskatoon (doubleheader)

Feb. 22 Saskatoon at Edmonton

March 2 Calgary at Saskatoon

March 9 Edmonton at Saskatoon


© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=84aa8757-8a04-4998-a2d7-3100fabd1697&p=2

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http://www.stalbertgazette.com/news/2008/0102/pics/spa.jpg
Walter Tychnowicz/St. Albert Gazette
DRILLERS DEBUT
Saskatoon Accelerators defender Mike Vezee and Edmonton Drillers’ Phil Pavicic (right) battle for the ball during Friday’s exhibition at Servus Credit Union Place Performance Arena. Pavicic scored in the first minute of play as the Drillers went on to beat the Accelerators 5-1.

By Jeff Hansen
Staff Writer
Phil Pavicic kicked off the Edmonton Drillers’ inaugural season in St. Albert with a bang.

A hard boot by the Dinamo Croatia striker opened the scoring at the 22-second mark in Friday’s 5-1 win against the Saskatoon Accelerators at Servus Credit Union Place.

"To score that first goal, especially in my hometown, it actually meant quite a bit," said Pavicic, who played his high school soccer with the St. Albert Skyhawks.

The exhibition marked the first of seven home dates for the Drillers in the fledgling Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League (CMISL). It’s the CMISL’s first full season after staging a Showcase Series of exhibitions last spring in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

"It’s nice to bring something like this here to St. Albert and not just have it as a hockey city but hockey and soccer as well," said Pavicic, one of 13 Drillers back from the Showcase Series.

An estimated 350 spectators showed up at Performance Arena to see what the Drillers had to offer.

"It was a good atmosphere. It would be nice to have a full arena and I’m sure we could easily get that."

The low-scoring affair was marred by a bad rug coming apart at the seams. The match was late starting as maintenance people levelled out bumps and reinforced the connecting carpet pieces. The repairs continued during stoppages in play and between quarters and at halftime. It gradually worsened as the game progressed. The carpet refused to stay down, especially in the corners and in front of the team benches. The players took some dangerous spills tripping over seams or when the rug slid out from underneath them.

"It was tough. The problem was with the underlay. Otherwise the centre was OK, we just had to slow down in the corners," Pavicic said. "It will be a different game once it’s fixed."

The sub-par playing surface took a goal away from Pavicic on a breakaway minutes after he put the Drillers on the board. The NAIT Ooks college player ended up hitting a post on one of several quality scoring chances.

"I tried shooting but I tripped. Because of the turf, I just wanted to follow through instead of trying to stop and just lift it over [the keeper]."

His first goal was a set play orchestrated by captain Todd Rattee.

"He laser beamed it to me back door and I put it in," Pavicic said.

"When you score like that in the opening minute it’s hard to tell what the emotions will be and how the game is going to go but overall it was a success."

The Drillers led 2-1 after the first quarter and 4-1 at halftime.

Also scoring were Nikola Vignjevic, Eric Munoz, Brett Chartrand and Ian Diaz, who tallied in the last minute of play.

Oliver Brkin and Tristan Llko were solid splitting time in the Drillers net.

"We knew we had a better team and we came out playing strong," Pavicic said.

"We experimented a little bit with the lines near the end. We didn’t want to hurt some players so a few sat on the side and played on the power play."

Pavicic, 21, describes himself as a "big-time" scorer with a lethal right kicking foot. The six-foot-two gazelle-like runner uses the indoor game to sharpen his offensive skills for outdoor soccer.

"It helps me with my small touches, like dribbling the ball. As a forward you need that one-two touch and then you take that shot," he said.

"You can also see the true skill of a player in indoor. In outdoor [the action] is a little further away."

Pavicic currently leads all major league scorers in the Edmonton District Soccer Association’s (EDSA) indoor league with nine goals for 3-2-0 Croatia.

During his second year at NAIT the building environment systems student potted three goals in six games with the Ooks.

With Croatia he won provincial goal medals in tier II in 2005 (in the final he scored both goals in the 2-1 win against the Rummies) and this past outdoor season in tier I.

A late-season surge by Croatia secured the third and final tier I provincial berth in the EDSA’s premier division.

"It was awesome. We weren’t expecting to take the provincial trophy. We were missing a few players but we went in as underdogs and everyone played with heart."

Pavicic’s first major soccer championship was in Grade 11 as a standout scorer with the Skyhawks, the 2003 Metro Edmonton high school city conference playoff winners.

"When everybody plays together for a school it’s something different so it was definitely nice to win. We played pretty good."

The Drillers and Saskatoon play another exhibition this Friday at 7:05 p.m. at Servus Place.

In league play the first of six home games for the Drillers is Jan. 25 against Calgary United FC.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $12.50 for youths 17 and under and seniors 65 and over. More ticket information is available at www.edmontondrillers.ca.

The fourth CMISL team is Winnipeg Alliance FC. Winnipeg will play its games on the road because of scheduling conflicts at the MTS Centre.

In the CMISL teams play four-15 minute quarters with stop time. Doubleheaders are four 10-minute quarters, also with stop time.

The creation of the CMISL started in 2005. The league’s long-range goal is to facilitate a successful rebirth of professional indoor soccer in Canada.

"We’re here to stay," Pavicic said.

"This is an awesome facility to play in. We have good coaches and good management. We’re definitely excited about the season."
jhansen@stalbert.greatwest.ca

http://www.stalbertgazette.com/news/2008/0102/sport1.htm

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http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/sasp/20080107/108454-37008.jpg
Shae O'hare (bottom) of the Saskatoon Accelerators takes a hard knock from Phil Pavicic of the Edmonton Drillers in Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League action at Credit Union Centre
Photograph by : Greg Pender, The StarPhoenix

Dustin Munroe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Monday, January 07, 2008

What do you get if you bring a fooseball table to life, replacing the rows of expressionless plastic men in a small box with swift-footed soccer players in a bigger box?

The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League is what.

Described by league president Mel Kowlachuk as both human pinball and a hybrid of hockey and outdoor soccer, the game features a soccer ball that bounces around the field like Spiderman slinging his way through the skyscrapers of New York.

Changes on the fly, minor penalties, smaller nets, tight physical battles along the boards and plenty of scoring give the game a fast-paced hockey feel. More than 2,000 fans were treated to the action during the weekend in a two-game exhibition at Credit Union Centre between the Saskatoon Accelerators and the Edmonton Drillers.

The series began Friday in Edmonton with the Drillers winning 9-8.

Saturday's match was even tighter as the game went to overtime, the Drillers winning 10-9. Chris Lemire scored two goals, including the winner for the Drillers. Sean Riggs was Saskatoon's top scorer, netting a hat trick.

The Accelerators went from zero to one in 17 seconds to open Sunday's match. The early lead vanished a few minutes later when the Drillers made good on a 5-on-3 man advantage.

Each team added a pair of goals by the end of the second quarter for a 3-3 score.

The Accelerators, who showed flashes of brilliance on offence earlier in the game, appeared sluggish in the third quarter. They took a string of undisciplined penalties and spent the rest of the game trying to keep the Drillers' offence at bay.

"We have a lack of concentration," said Accelerators coach Kevin Holness. "We did not bad during the first half, but we're still having problems with a lot of the small details of the game."

Mark Korthuis, who scored the early opening goal, netted the last Accelerators goal on a penalty shot. The Drillers had already added two goals to their tally by that time and added two more to win 8-4.

"What separates us from being a great soccer team is our lack of focus and discipline," said Holness. "It's a matter of time. I've chosen the right 22 players and we will be a successful squad this season."

Holness is looking forward to the opening of the regular season this weekend.

"It's a step up from the level a lot of guys are used to playing, so this weekend was a learning experience," he said. "We couldn't have picked a better team to play against."

Holness, a native of Regina, hopes the people of Saskatchewan recognize a good thing.

"Living in Saskatchewan, I've found that when you start something new here you have more naysayers than supporters," he said. "For anything to move forward in this province it has to be the other way around."

The Accelerators open a 10-game regular-season schedule by playing host to the Calgary United FC on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Credit Union Centre.

dmunroe@sp.canwest.com


© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=81b9a951-5345-4407-a158-5b163bb24bff