Fred Nykamp is the new CEO

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

As a longtime employer myself I suggest relevant on-the-job experience and performance in terms of achieving organisational goals over the past 10 years is far more important than any academic papers/degrees the man might have.

Sometimes the things you say don't cease to amaze me.

[Canuck Oranje]

Nykamp seems interesting to me for a couple of reasons:

1. He seems to have experience that goes beyond a sports association management career and has some experience with a consumer products firm. Hopefully, that means he will know how to tap into corporate sponsorship.

2. He seems to have a global view. That will definitely help in Canadian soccer. The biggest opportunity for Canadian soccer, aside from better accessing corporate sponsorship, will come from figuring out how Canadian soccer can benefit from the large amounts of money in professional soccer globally.

As for some of the technical programs, I see that as the role of the Technical Director. Nykamp's job should be putting everything together into a cohesive strategic vision, negotiating approvals and finding funding. I am hopeful.

As for him needing to be a "soccer guy", I don't think that is necessary for an Executive Director (CEO, if you want to use the CSA's lingo). The art of negotiation and developing and executing a cohesive strategy are the necessary skills. Understanding corporate behaviour, media and the business of soccer are far more important than having an intimate technical knowledge of soccer.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Rautins faced with tough task

Toronto Star:

Nykamp did little to improve coach's lot

May 25, 2007 04:30 AM

Dave Feschuk

If you ever want to get under the skin of Leo Rautins, the Raptors broadcaster who doubles as the head coach of Canada's national men's basketball team, approach him from behind and without warning, in your best David Lee Roth snarl, light into the chorus of Van Halen's 1980s hair-metal hit, "Panama."

It's the one that goes, "Pan-a-muh! Pan-a-muh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!"

I can guarantee you Rautins won't think it's funny, and he shouldn't. The truth is, Panama is the defining word of Rautins' run as the national coach, which enters its third year this summer.

The last time Canada's flagship team played a meaningful basketball game, you might remember, Panama, a sliver of Central American soil inhabited by three million souls, beat the crap out of the guys in the Maple Leaf, 79-54. In that not-so-illustrious summer of 2005, Canada finished ninth out of 10 teams in a world championship qualifying tournament. Only Mexico was worse. And Mexico went on to replace its coach with Nolan Richardson, a serious sideline mind formerly of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

This column isn't meant to be a run at Rautins, because there is no case to be made that he is responsible for the sad state of our national hoops team. It wasn't Rautins who inexplicably fired the perfectly good previous coach, Jay Triano, the capable Raptors assistant who was axed in part because he wasn't afraid to point out the absurdities of one of Canada's most counter-productive sporting bureaucracies to the folks who ran it.

It was announced yesterday that the head of the dysfunctional monster known as Canada Basketball, CEO Fred Nykamp, was mercifully boarding another gravy train, leaving the hoops world to lead the Canadian Soccer Association. And footie fanatics should be shuddering at the prospect.

Nykamp once said he wasn't a basketball guy; he was a fundraiser. So where are the funds? Earlier this year, Canada Basketball conceded it didn't have the money to run the world under-19 championship, which was scheduled for Vancouver in July, in an embarrassing fold-up the tournament was re-gifted to more capable hands in Serbia.

Nykamp's other accomplishment was the institution of international rules throughout much of the country, a changeover that was shoved down the throats of many high school and post-secondary coaches and administrators, some of whom made compelling arguments against switching. The debate, a toss-up in hindsight, sucked up a lot of resources and divided well-meaning people (because surely we're an elite-level laughingstock because our kids have grown up with the wrong three-point line).

And Nykamp, meanwhile, spent his tenure pretending top-end results don't matter. A while back he authored a grand plan entitled "Vision 2020" as in the year 2020. By then, David Suzuki save us, the national sport could well be water polo.

Nykamp's supporters say Nykamp's done admirable work, that Canada's bronze at the 2005 under-21 men's world championship is a portent of a promising future.

But the Panama blowout led to the first occasion since 1967 that Canada didn't qualify for the world championship, no matter that the size of the field was expanded from 16 to 24 for last year's tournament. And who's got any faith it's going to get better? The board of directors that axed Triano – and ticked off Steve Nash, the national treasure, in the process – is still in charge.

And Rautins, the inexperienced face of the operation, has been left with tons to prove and little support. At this summer's Olympic qualifying tournament in Las Vegas, Canada needs to finish in the top five of the 10-team field to have a shot at playing in the Beijing Games. And without Nash or the great patriot Jamaal Magloire, our only two NBA players (both of whom have shown no indication they're on board), it'll require a top-rank coaching job. In the name of David Lee Roth, if you happen to see Rautins this summer, remind him of the importance of finishing ahead of Pan-a-muh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!

[Winnipeg Fury]

Toronto Star:

Nykamp dunks hoops for soccer

Former basketball executive beats out 110 applicants for top CSA position

May 25, 2007 04:30 AM

MORGAN CAMPBELL

SPORTS REPORTER

When an executive head-hunter first asked him about taking over as the Canadian Soccer Association's CEO, Fred Nykamp, then working for Basketball Canada, was a little curious, but not much else.

Eight weeks and several interviews later he's got the gig, and yesterday the CSA introduced him to the media.

With Toronto FC kicking off this spring and the FIFA under-20 World Cup arriving this summer, the CSA hired Nykamp, who spent three years running Basketball Canada, hoping he can help them capitalize on the biggest year ever for soccer in Canada.

"We had to change, and that meant bringing in someone with business skills," CSA president Colin Linford said. "Bringing in someone who has a personable personality, who can make 850,000 people think the same way."

From among 110 applicants, the CSA settled on Nykamp, who describes himself as a "consensus builder."

For his three years with Basketball Canada, Nykamp lists unifying amateur rules across the country as his biggest accomplishment. Three years ago, he said, more than 50 sets of rules governed amateur leagues across Canada. Now, Nykamp says every league except Ontario's high schools uses FIBA rules.

He'll face more complex challenges in his new job.

The CSA expects him to deepen both its talent pool and its pockets.

After the board fired chief operating officer Kevan Pipe last November, Linford said he wasn't looking for a soccer guy to handle the organization's business.

Instead, he wanted a businessman with soccer sense because, he says, the CSA's traditional sources of funding are maxed out.

Linford says Toronto FC and the under-20 World Cup have raised soccer's profile in Canada, and have in turn helped the CSA secure more sponsorships this year than ever before.

Earlier this month BMO signed on as a sponsor, and Linford expects that trend to continue under Nykamp.

"Sixty per cent of our revenues come from provincial organizations," Linford said yesterday. "We're not going to get any more money from the government.

"You've got the chance (to secure sponsorships) and I believe this is the year we can do some of those things."

Nykamp says he knows corporate cash will flow when the quality of play in Canada improves. He added he's committed to keeping Canada's best young players at home.

He said he would consider starting a residential school for soccer players, similar to the one Basketball Canada opened at McMaster University last fall.

Under that program young players sign up for two-year stints at the school, where they take high school classes and work with national team coaches for up to five hours a day. Last September a group of girls enrolled, and its first class of boys starts this fall.

The ultimate goal, Nykamp said, is to funnel those players to Canadian universities and, eventually, the national team. He envisions the same concept with the soccer program.

[john tv]

The school system as set up in N.A versus the club system in the rest of the world and Europe in particular i have never been in favour of.I rather see thet Toronto F.C take on that responsibility.Our kids will learn I believe a lot more from these pro's than any school coach can offer as well as coaches provided by the national body.Our guys such as Jonathan and Owen and all others who trained in Europe were all affiliated with a club.Schools are not set up for a sporting development at all.They don't provide the competitive environment they should be exposed to,meaning these kids already compete against the best in their age group.I am afraid that these kids will still leave for Europe and get the training and exposure they need.i strongly believe that Toronto F.C can be and should be the ultimate in all areas.I know it all sounds very European but that school system does not provide the apprentice/skill and competitive program that is really needed.

Ultimately I would love to see TFC set up a real youth system starting with the very young age groups all the way up to the first team.I realize that this would involve a large investment and open to many questions,ie who do they play against and what league,but it still would be the better way.

I guess I am still to European,but hey it works over there very well.

[SF]

I would agree that the school system is probably not the right way to do. Soccer is very different from basketball in that sense.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Mo Johnston has stated his desire to develop a youth academy for the specific reason of keeping the hargreaves and deguzmans of soccer in canada. Considering the potential for talent to be unearthed MLSE would be stupid not to do this.

[L.T.]

I'm biased, but I think TFC Youth should play here: www.academysoccer.ca

[Grizzly]

There is no reason a CSA school academy and club programs could not simultaneously exist. The problem is there are not enough options for our young players in Canada. It is great if TFC, the Impact and Caps have youth academies but it is not like we have hundreds of professional clubs with academies like most European countries. Each new opportunity for training young players at a high level would be beneficial.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

There is no reason a CSA school academy and club programs could not simultaneously exist. The problem is there are not enough options for our young players in Canada. It is great if TFC, the Impact and Caps have youth academies but it is not like we have hundreds of professional clubs with academies like most European countries. Each new opportunity for training young players at a high level would be beneficial.

Agreed - there's no reason why this would be an either/or proposition.

[redhat]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

Rautins faced with tough task

The last time Canada's flagship team played a meaningful basketball game, you might remember, Panama, a sliver of Central American soil inhabited by three million souls, beat the crap out of the guys in the Maple Leaf, 79-54. In that not-so-illustrious summer of 2005, Canada finished ninth out of 10 teams in a world championship qualifying tournament. Only Mexico was worse. And Mexico went on to replace its coach with Nolan Richardson, a serious sideline mind formerly of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

This column isn't meant to be a run at Rautins, because there is no case to be made that he is responsible for the sad state of our national hoops team. It wasn't Rautins who inexplicably fired the perfectly good previous coach, Jay Triano, the capable Raptors assistant who was axed in part because he wasn't afraid to point out the absurdities of one of Canada's most counter-productive sporting bureaucracies to the folks who ran it.

The article has some serious flaws in that it is assumed that a

peep-squeek country like Panama shouldn't beat Canada. Like soccer,

it fails to underscore the fact that the world is getting better

and better, and countries like Panama would bring their best players

to play as a team, and we would have to beg and plead its best players.

Canada's problems, like soccer, also stem from the lack

of a domestic league.

I would only agree to a concern about Mr. Nykamp, based on his

record with Basketball Canada. The organization is poorly funded

and had to split its resources with the Womens team. In fact,

Steve Nash had to pay for some of the plane fares for his teammates

before the 2000 Olympics.

I just hope his vision is the same like those on this board:

making the MNT, as the flagship of the CSA to be very successful.

Otherwise, it'll be the same as before, and everyone here can't

fathom that possibility.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by redhatI would only agree to a concern about Mr. Nykamp, based on his

record with Basketball Canada. The organization is poorly funded

and had to split its resources with the Womens team. In fact,

Steve Nash had to pay for some of the plane fares for his teammates

before the 2000 Olympics.

2000 though is before Nykamp's time with Basketball Canada. By all accounts the funding/debt situation with Basketball Canada was very bad when Nykamp took over. He seems to have improved the situation though not solved the problems entirely. It is hard though to take over an organization that already has large debts.

[Richard]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

Sometimes the things you say don't cease to amaze me.

I am happy to know I get your attention, do you disagree with me and do you have much experience as an employer?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

I am happy to know I get your attention, do you disagree with me and do you have much experience as an employer?

I understood that he was in obvious agreement, but maybe I can't read either, not having done a Ph.D. in comparative lit.

[Gordon]

If I recall it right, Nash paid to upgrade his teammates tickets from Coach to First Class in 2000.

I am not too excited about this hiring, but, lets see what unfolds. It should be quite clear that the biggest need at the CSA is to increase sponsorship money, the second to manage the cash they do have more effectively. Obviously, like Dale, he is not the first choice of the CSA, but likely the best they could do.

[john tv]

Does anyone know were he was born and what his background I.E parents that is.I believe that he has some connections with Galt,which makes me smile since Galt was the town were David Forsyth the father of Canadian soccer picked up the game.

I am smiling seing the Star trying to discredit soccer again. When is this going to stop, In fact there were several aricles today that tried to make our game look bas. Hey I was even told that there was not a word in the Post about Nykamp.I bever really bothered with the Post but that will change,promise

It is also funny that this basketball connection ,there are the Raptors and the CSA.I guess it all seemed to have those corporate connections. i wonder if Paul has something to do with this change.