Obinna Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 As a proud Newfoundlander, I was pleased to read this article on the NLSA website this morning. Before I copy and paste the article I will give some background on Feildians. Feildians Athletic Association (FAA) are a sports club based in St. John's that have fielded a Challenge Cup soccer team since the early times of the 1900's. Although they have only won the provincial title once (1969), they made a second national appearance as hosts (2008), and narrowly missed out on qualification in 2012 and 2013, losing provincial championship games to Holy Cross and St. Lawrence Laurentians respectively. A few years ago, FFA decided to launch a youth program and have had tremendous success thus far. For years, St. John's soccer club has long had a monopoly on the best talent in Newfoundland minor soccer, but the balance of power in the capital city is shifting rapidly. So much so that this group qualified for club nationals last year, and boast numerous provincial team players, as well as Emmanuel Dolo, who was scouted by Ante Jazic and Paul Stalteri during the recent NT ID camps. He is also being courted by the Whitecap and Impact Academies. Anyways....here is the article: http://nlsa.ca/?p=13530#more-13530 Feildians return after successful tournament The Feildians Athletics Association (FAA) U15 Boys soccer team is arriving home from Ottawa today with two distinguishing wins. The team played in the top division (Tier 1) of the 34th Annual Gloucester Invitational Soccer Tournament (GIST) this past weekend, finishing the tournament with a perfect record. The young players braved high temperatures and humidity to bring home the top trophy for their age group, beating Quebec’s Pointe-aux-Trembles 3-0 in the championship match. In an unusual twist, the Newfoundland club team caught the eye of the professional Major League Soccer (MLS) Montreal Impact organization. The MLS Montreal Impact U14/15 Academy Team requested a special match with the Feildians UN15 team while the team was in Ottawa. In fact, the professional academy team travelled from Montreal to Ottawa for the match and in the end they were unable to outplay FAA. After going undefeated in the 5-game tournament, the FAA team finished the exhibition match vs Impact with a 4-3 win – a result of relentless determination and smart play. In 2013 the same team won the Newfoundland and Labrador championship, earning the right to represent the Province in Lethbridge, AB. The team, coached by FAA’s Ian Osmond, traveled to Ottawa is part of their player development strategy, giving the boys an opportunity to be challenged at every level. “Over the past few years, our staff has worked very closely with this team,” said Ian Osmond. “We are fortunate to have top notch technical direction from well-known players like John Acreman and Greg Reid of our Challenge Cup team, and solid team management under the direction of Hugo McCarthy.” The FAA Team Captain, Emmanuel Dolo, has been approached by Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact organizations for assessment/admission to their Academy programs; many players are also members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association (NLSA) provincial team. During the GIST tournament, Feildians played Ajax, Nepean Hotspurs, Lanark United and the Internationals prior to the final with Pointe-aux-Trembles. All teams are considered “AA” and tops in their respective divisions. 116 teams participated in all boys divisions. The Montreal Impact team is part of the club’s Academy program that develops high-performing youth for a professional soccer career with the MLS team. The high-performing team includes: David Goulding Dean Turpin Emmanuel Dolo Erduan Limani Evan Bursey Felly Elonda Henrik Fredriksen Jordan Robbins Josh Taylor Marcus Greene Matthew McCarthy Morgan Cole Noah Wrice Philip Walsh Saul Bryant Seth Bryant Stephen Haring Thomas Osmond Maybe this is not significant to those with more knowledge on the Impact U15 team and where they currently are in their development. However, from a Newfoundlander's perspective, it is remarkable that a pro club was so impressed by a Newfoundland club team that they decided to travel from Montreal to Ottawa just for a match. It's even more remarkable that the club in question was formed from the top down by individuals who obviously see the value of developing a fully integrated club from youth to the Challenge Cup level. Just the way a club should be - Fieldians are certainly setting a great example for other senior clubs to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copes Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Pretty awesome news. I've been living in Newfoundland for the past seven years, but have only recently gotten involved with some local soccer. I need to get out and see these kids play sometime! Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Obinna, As a Maritimer who grew up playing the highest level there, congrats to this team. The big difference I notice in this team, as well as in a team picture of the NFLD Provincial team at this age level that I saw, is the number of black players. Given the name of the star player above, I'm going to guess he's an immigrant. There were never any immigrants (from what I could tell) on the NFLD teams I played in the past. Thanks to NFLD's booming economy, could this be the difference for NFLD soccer? Has the level improved so much? Or are there just a couple (or one) really good immigrant kids? After living in Manitoba and now Edmonton, it's clear to me that many of the best youth players grew up in other countries for part of their lives (i.e. Hanson Boakai). In my view, it goes a long way to have East Coast teams be able to attend a tournament in Ontario, Quebec or in the USA to see how they match up against better teams, and for a chance to get noticed. Lord knows that no one from the rest of Canada gives a shit about soccer in Atlantic Canada, let alone scouts it for a good player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share Posted July 10, 2014 You are absolutely correct that black players were virtually non existent on NLSA provincial teams until recently. In fact, I may have been a pioneer in this regard. I played on provincial teams in U-15 and U-17 and both times I was the only one. After I finished youth soccer a few started to trickle in, but there were definitely no black players in the age groups ahead of me. As you can imagine, when you live in Newfoundland you notice such things! Unfortunately for me though, I never developed the extraordinary talent on the ball that many West African kids possess (born and raised in NL). Dolo on the other hand certainly does. I haven't seen him play, but a few years ago my buddy told me about him for the first time and said he's an extraordinary talent with pro potential. Being the NLSA player development coordinator with experience coaching our youth national teams, I definitely value his opinion. From what I can recall, he moved to Canada when he was 11 or 12, but I really don't know what country he's originally from (Ghana perhaps?). At any rate, these type of kids are becoming more and more common in St. John's, and yes you are correct that the booming economy is likely a factor. Having a sprinkling of these kids adds something a little unique and different to Newfoundland teams of course, but in my opinion there is also a genuine improvement in the level of the kids coming up today. I attribute this primarily to the improvement in facilities first of all. The St. John's area now has 3 outdoor field turfs that extend the season which is obviously good for development. In addition we have a full sized indoor field turf, so kids are getting training all year round, as opposed to training in high school gyms like I use to do over winter. So yeah, immigrants help and are almost always the most skilled, but the players surrounding them are now confident on the ball and not afraid to play out of trouble, a revolution from the traditional kick and run Newfoundland style! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munseahawk Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Obina, are the other 2 field turf pitches at the Smallwood Complex in Mt. Pearl? The only one I know for is KGV, which is where the Sea-Hawks play seeing as the pitch on campus has gone to shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 The "Middle" Smallwood field in Mount Pearl is now a field turf and i'm certain they have extended the dimensions as well. It is massive and I wouldn't be surprised if it is at the maximum limit for field size. The other field turf is in CBS. Topsail Field (the one right off the main road that goes through CBS) to be exact. It is now parallel to the coastline and it is the newest turf and in the best condition (but the field itself is on the smaller side). Something else you might find interesting...remember the tin can in the pearl? The hockey rink at the Smallwood Complex? They have now taken out the ice and replaced it with field turf. Teams now train there in winter when they can't get field time at the Techniplex (the full sized indoor field turf next to quidi vidi). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munseahawk Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Thanks. There's been a few changes since I was at MUN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 5:20 Dolo scores the game winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamrock Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Wow that's a beauty at any age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 http://www.thetelegram.com/Sports/Soccer/2015-08-22/article-4253808/Dolos-desire/1 Looks like Dolo has moved to the Ottawa Fury academy. Good for him. It's so so so difficult to get noticed for kids in Atlantic Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamrock Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 After living in Manitoba and now Edmonton, it's clear to me that many of the best youth players grew up in other countries for part of their lives (i.e. Hanson Boakai). Playing barefooted from the age of three in streets of Edmonton just isn't the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 http://www.thetelegram.com/Sports/Soccer/2015-08-22/article-4253808/Dolos-desire/1 Looks like Dolo has moved to the Ottawa Fury academy. Good for him. It's so so so difficult to get noticed for kids in Atlantic Happy to read this! I knew he would catch on with a professional set up sooner or later. Halifax, being the major Centre in Atlantic canada, really should get on board with some sort of professional academy. At close to 400,000 people living in HRM, there is a huge number of kids not getting looked at. I hope someone fills that void soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fussball_eh Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Happy to read this! I knew he would catch on with a professional set up sooner or later. Halifax, being the major Centre in Atlantic canada, really should get on board with some sort of professional academy. At close to 400,000 people living in HRM, there is a huge number of kids not getting looked at. I hope someone fills that void soon. I would love a Canadian league club in Halifax too. Bring back the Clippers!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Happy to read this! I knew he would catch on with a professional set up sooner or later. Halifax, being the major Centre in Atlantic canada, really should get on board with some sort of professional academy. At close to 400,000 people living in HRM, there is a huge number of kids not getting looked at. I hope someone fills that void soon. Halifax needs to do what Manitoba did/does and at least have a school program where the kids play every day attending the same school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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