Moosehead Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 Maybe its time that we as Voyageurs get more active in protesting against the CSA and mediocrity in Canadian Soccer. Are we to wait another 20 years until action is taken or will Voyageurs remain a forum based form of protest movement and is this enough to effect change. We need to get out there, protest in front of the CSA House in Ottawa, find out how much that house is worth, you tube posting, letters to Fifa, Members of Parliament, video you tube interviews of the Sports Minister etc. etc. Peaceful protests and more active journalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbital Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 i was trying to get the wheels turning by posting the new minister of sports contact details, but all you guys want to do is argue about who won the bloody election, its over, lunn won, harper won, move on, this is the guy we have to deal with so lets do it FFS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachRich Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 A key point for me is working w/ the players together to move their position forward so they have more say & respect w/ the CSA Board & Staff. They should according to the CSA Constitution but no way these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speedmonk42 Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 We have to work in areas over which we have influence. Grow the V's. Fill the stadium Make this a group people want to join. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack The big question is this: will stepping up the level of protest make a difference? In my opinion, it won't. The non-sports media doesn't really care about our sport and the sport media is only slightly better. The problem for me is that I am simply a fan. In the end, soccer is simply a distraction for me from real life. Its just a game. I could think of a number of issues that affect my life more greatly that would be more worthy of me taking up the cause. A true Canadian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speedmonk42 Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack The big question is this: will stepping up the level of protest make a difference? In my opinion, it won't. The non-sports media doesn't really care about our sport and the sport media is only slightly better. The problem for me is that I am simply a fan. In the end, soccer is simply a distraction for me from real life. Its just a game. I could think of a number of issues that affect my life more greatly that would be more worthy of me taking up the cause. Yes. This is a problem for me in some sense too. I just posted a message calling for a summit meeting early next year. I really have to consider if that time is spent on something more immediately pressing like helping people that are starving to death. I do think the game is a good thing. It is a tremendously positive influence on many people in this country. Have to remember that. Anything you do to improve the game at any level is a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I've spent a great deal of time, money and energy over the past 14-18 months trying to "get involved" and make things better. I'm not sure how successful my efforts (and the efforts of the many people I have had the pleasure to work with) have been but its been interesting and I've met some really outstanding, passionate people who love this beautiful game and share my same desire to see Canada become more successful at the sport at the elite level and help create more opportunities for people who want to make soccer their life's work (as players, coaches, administrators, etc...) I know there are alot of people who love the game and want to see this country improve at it. Figuring out how to be part of the process of propelling the game forward is not easy. I won't waste anyone's time telling people what they should and shouldn't do because I haven't figured it out for myself yet. However, I would respectfully suggest that investing time in trying to get the federal government interested in "fixing" what ails Canadian soccer is probably time not well spent. It is my opinion that the government doesn't have any interest getting involved in the affairs of the organizations it's assigned as the "National Sports Organization" for a particular sport, unless there is irrefutable evidence that government funds have been used innappropriately. Canada is not Australia. I've never heard sport mentioned as an election campaign issue. We can all positively impact Canadian soccer in small ways that can have a big cumulative impact if we all work together. Organizing the V's (as Speedmonk has suggested) is an excellent idea and will certainly help to promote the sport a bit better than we are capable of doing right now. Here are some other ideas that come to mind for how we can help improve the situation Canadian soccer finds itself in: 1. Support the highest level of soccer in your community. That means BUY TICKETS and attend matches. Go online and talk about what you have seen in person because I'm quite sure that there are alot of people interested in what's going on across the country at the Senior level (especially when it comes to young talent that has chosen to play Senior rather than Youth soccer). Senior Soccer needs and deserves our support. And I don't just mean TFC, Impact and Whitecaps. I mean the next highest level of pro/semi-pro/amateur soccer that exists in your area as well. 2. Support the groups/companies/sponsors who support the sport we care about. There is a reason why NASCAR grew so quickly....the end consumers who loved the sport also made a concerted effort to show their support to the organizations that made the growth of the sport possible, making NASCAR sponsorship a potentially lucrative venture for sponsors. 3. Get involved at the club level. it doesn't matter if you choose to coach, convene or volunteer in some other way, we need more people with a real passion and understanding for the sport involved at the club level. There are alot of good people involved at the club level but it is my opinion that there is a serious deficit of "soccer smarts" at so many clubs. 4. Support the media that supports and promotes the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancouversoccerman Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 All good suggestions...but particularly the one about getting involved at club level. One of the side benefits beyond the obvious is that you actually become a member of the CSA through your provincial association, which should give you voting rights at some level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theaub Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 quote:Originally posted by morbital i was trying to get the wheels turning by posting the new minister of sports contact details, but all you guys want to do is argue about who won the bloody election, its over, lunn won, harper won, move on, this is the guy we have to deal with so lets do it FFS In random news, I was the taping for the Rick Mercer Report on Friday, and he rips on Lunn for a bit. I found that pretty funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
way2goeh Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Posted - 11/02/2008 : 16:37:53 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The big question is this: will stepping up the level of protest make a difference? In my opinion, it won't. The non-sports media doesn't really care about our sport and the sport media is only slightly better. The problem for me is that I am simply a fan. In the end, soccer is simply a distraction for me from real life. Its just a game. I could think of a number of issues that affect my life more greatly that would be more worthy of me taking up the cause. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edited by - Massive Attack on 11/02/2008 16:40:11 quote:Originally posted by VPjr I've spent a great deal of time, money and energy over the past 14-18 months trying to "get involved" and make things better. I'm not sure how successful my efforts (and the efforts of the many people I have had the pleasure to work with) have been but its been interesting and I've met some really outstanding, passionate people who love this beautiful game and share my same desire to see Canada become more successful at the sport at the elite level and help create more opportunities for people who want to make soccer their life's work (as players, coaches, administrators, etc...) I know there are alot of people who love the game and want to see this country improve at it. Figuring out how to be part of the process of propelling the game forward is not easy. I won't waste anyone's time telling people what they should and shouldn't do because I haven't figured it out for myself yet. However, I would respectfully suggest that investing time in trying to get the federal government interested in "fixing" what ails Canadian soccer is probably time not well spent. It is my opinion that the government doesn't have any interest getting involved in the affairs of the organizations it's assigned as the "National Sports Organization" for a particular sport, unless there is irrefutable evidence that government funds have been used innappropriately. Canada is not Australia. I've never heard sport mentioned as an election campaign issue. We can all positively impact Canadian soccer in small ways that can have a big cumulative impact if we all work together. Organizing the V's (as Speedmonk has suggested) is an excellent idea and will certainly help to promote the sport a bit better than we are capable of doing right now. Here are some other ideas that come to mind for how we can help improve the situation Canadian soccer finds itself in: 1. Support the highest level of soccer in your community. That means BUY TICKETS and attend matches. Go online and talk about what you have seen in person because I'm quite sure that there are alot of people interested in what's going on across the country at the Senior level (especially when it comes to young talent that has chosen to play Senior rather than Youth soccer). Senior Soccer needs and deserves our support. And I don't just mean TFC, Impact and Whitecaps. I mean the next highest level of pro/semi-pro/amateur soccer that exists in your area as well. 2. Support the groups/companies/sponsors who support the sport we care about. There is a reason why NASCAR grew so quickly....the end consumers who loved the sport also made a concerted effort to show their support to the organizations that made the growth of the sport possible, making NASCAR sponsorship a potentially lucrative venture for sponsors. 3. Get involved at the club level. it doesn't matter if you choose to coach, convene or volunteer in some other way, we need more people with a real passion and understanding for the sport involved at the club level. There are alot of good people involved at the club level but it is my opinion that there is a serious deficit of "soccer smarts" at so many clubs. 4. Support the media that supports and promotes the sport. I would agree with all these points greatly, but then i disagree also. First, maybe soccer is an incovinence, for some us of, I'm a big soccer fan (but I dont like Brasil nor the teams here in general). I live in Brasil, Ive posted here many times over the years. I cant see the games here so it's important for me to find through other V's but also internet radio. For me, and sad to say, Canada soccer is in my blood. I dont work, I dont go out for dinner, no bars and even takin the wife. I do my damnist to hear EVERY game. The second one has valid points. And for most of us are still vented or finally over it that Canada is out again. I, personally, is mad, digusted and purely pissed off. I know now I have to wait til the next Copa Ouro. Thats a friggin long time! And the next world cup qualifying, well, whatever! Im impatient. I live and die as a Canadian soccer and Canucks fan. Protesting, visually, is the solution. Posting here is good, but theres no action. Wearing black was a great idea, but whens the next home game? 2011? CSA must be dissolved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhat Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Vancouversoccerman All good suggestions...but particularly the one about getting involved at club level. One of the side benefits beyond the obvious is that you actually become a member of the CSA through your provincial association, which should give you voting rights at some level. I would agree. FIFA only recognizes the CSA and no other soccer organization regarding football. Therefore to effect real changes, they must emerge from within, imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desigol Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Too much internal politics. The Yes men must be ditched. Major sponsorship is needed. Question is, from where? BMO have shown some interest by sponsoring TFC, but the Banks are now screwed thanks to Subprime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masster Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 quote:Originally posted by VPjr Here are some other ideas that come to mind for how we can help improve the situation Canadian soccer finds itself in: 1. Support the highest level of soccer in your community. That means BUY TICKETS and attend matches. Go online and talk about what you have seen in person because I'm quite sure that there are alot of people interested in what's going on across the country at the Senior level (especially when it comes to young talent that has chosen to play Senior rather than Youth soccer). Senior Soccer needs and deserves our support. And I don't just mean TFC, Impact and Whitecaps. I mean the next highest level of pro/semi-pro/amateur soccer that exists in your area as well. 2. Support the groups/companies/sponsors who support the sport we care about. There is a reason why NASCAR grew so quickly....the end consumers who loved the sport also made a concerted effort to show their support to the organizations that made the growth of the sport possible, making NASCAR sponsorship a potentially lucrative venture for sponsors. 3. Get involved at the club level. it doesn't matter if you choose to coach, convene or volunteer in some other way, we need more people with a real passion and understanding for the sport involved at the club level. There are alot of good people involved at the club level but it is my opinion that there is a serious deficit of "soccer smarts" at so many clubs. 4. Support the media that supports and promotes the sport. This is the most positive forward looking post I have seen. This is what all of us need to do. In addition, I think we will be able to do all of these things better if we formalize our group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 We need to get the right people into the right positions at the CSA, and we need to get rid of those bad apples that currently hold down those positions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I would add one basic point to VPjr's list: write letters, call and even try to meet with politicians and others in decision-making positions, as well as to the press. I say this as I have done so too infrequently, but I have felt that it was more constructive than simply venting here, which is only useful when it comes to hearing what others have to say when you have a particularly strong opinion. So the forum informs, but also tempers, at least in my case. I have written a few times to the Secretary of State for Sport and have received replies, only once I shared it here. The last one was about the waterfront stadium in Vancouver and the attitude of the port authority. The reply was interesting but maybe with the political change I should write to the new junior minister. You don't have to be to profound or cute when writing an opinion, they are valued and I think that whether with your provincial SA president, the press, an MP, or members of the CSA, it is all about reiterating the fan's demand for seriousness, quality and ambition, what we need to succeed on the international stage. Eventually we may get lucky and things will come around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S. I would add one basic point to VPjr's list: write letters, call and even try to meet with politicians and others in decision-making positions, as well as to the press. I agree with you Jeffrey. letter/email writing is very effective if done properly. To take it even one step further, if you are really passionate about soccer related issues, I suggest making yourself known to people of influence in the soccer community via email or even phone calls. I've done alot of that and you would be suprised how many people are willing to hear your opinions, concerns and suggestions (as long as they are put forward professionally and respectfully). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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