League1 Ontario 2018

[Gopherbashi]

L1O announced their teams for the 2018 season:
http://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/868534?referrer_id=2309049

Men's Division is adding Markham/Wexford, Unionville, and Darby, while it looks like the Nitros folded.  Was really hoping that we'd see another team in Ottawa or that the Hamilton team would be in the men's division.

I was originally thinking that they'd do two conferences of nine teams, but they mention that the men's season is still going to be 22 games long, which makes me think three conferences of six teams each - 2x5 intraconference games and 1x12 interconference games.

Women's added Oakville and the aforementioned Hamilton.  At 13 teams now (and an 18 game season), we'll probably see this split into conferences as well.

It's great for travel costs and prestige, but I really wish they'd start restricting entries from areas of the province which are already well-covered (York Region now has more teams than Toronto FFS).

[yellowsweatygorilla]

3 hours ago, Gopherbashi said:

L1O announced their teams for the 2018 season:
http://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/868534?referrer_id=2309049

Men's Division is adding Markham/Wexford, Unionville, and Darby, while it looks like the Nitros folded.  Was really hoping that we'd see another team in Ottawa or that the Hamilton team would be in the men's division.

I was originally thinking that they'd do two conferences of nine teams, but they mention that the men's season is still going to be 22 games long, which makes me think three conferences of six teams each - 2x5 intraconference games and 1x12 interconference games.

Women's added Oakville and the aforementioned Hamilton.  At 13 teams now (and an 18 game season), we'll probably see this split into conferences as well.

It's great for travel costs and prestige, but I really wish they'd start restricting entries from areas of the province which are already well-covered (York Region now has more teams than Toronto FFS).

Do we have any concrete news about North Toronto? I am hoping it's a typo. 

[Gopherbashi]

3 hours ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

Do we have any concrete news about North Toronto? I am hoping it's a typo. 

The NTN logo is no longer on the header of the L1O website.

[Kent]

That sucks about North Toronto. They were my walking distance team. I was only able to get to 1 game though in their two years.

[Blue and White Army]

I move to Toronto and the only team that plays in central Toronto folds. Nice.

I was hoping "North Toronto" would play most of their matches at Varsity Stadium again, but obviously that won't be happening.

I'll probably go visit the three Toronto teams at least once each, but they're all quite the trek. It's really unfortunate not to have any teams playing in central TO. I reckon the league should make an effort at finding a team to play at Varsity for 2019. Excellent location right by a subway station. Would be easy for supporters to hit a pub before and after.

[1998]

I love it when GTA people complain about making a "Trek" to the suburbs lol.

[Rocket Robin]

On ‎2017‎-‎12‎-‎29 at 10:45 AM, Blue and White Army said:

I move to Toronto and the only team that plays in central Toronto folds. Nice.

I was hoping "North Toronto" would play most of their matches at Varsity Stadium again, but obviously that won't be happening.

I'll probably go visit the three Toronto teams at least once each, but they're all quite the trek. It's really unfortunate not to have any teams playing in central TO. I reckon the league should make an effort at finding a team to play at Varsity for 2019. Excellent location right by a subway station. Would be easy for supporters to hit a pub before and after.

Once it was August, NTN would get bounced to Esther Shiner Stadium in North York to finish the season.     Varsity Stadium is used by the U of T teams.  football, soccer, track etc.  

Sanjaxx Lions play a few blocks south from Coxwell subway station and north of the Gerrard/College 506 streetcar stop at Coxwell.   That's even within even the old City of Toronto border before they expanded the suburbs.  

 

 

[Blue and White Army]

On 01/01/2018 at 11:38 PM, Rocket Robin said:

Once it was August, NTN would get bounced to Esther Shiner Stadium in North York to finish the season.     Varsity Stadium is used by the U of T teams.  football, soccer, track etc.  

Sanjaxx Lions play a few blocks south from Coxwell subway station and north of the Gerrard/College 506 streetcar stop at Coxwell.   That's even within even the old City of Toronto border before they expanded the suburbs.  

 

 

Thanks, I must have forgotten about that one while I was flicking through the clubs. Would help if all the clubs had to use their communities in their names.

Looks like a short walk from a subway station... will definitely give them a go!

[Ciaran L]

Does anybody have a list of guys to look out for who might make the jump to CPL in 2019. Haven't really followed L1O all that closely but this year seems like a good year to start. (Am aware rosters are nowhere near formalised).

[yellowsweatygorilla]

6 hours ago, Ciaran L said:

Does anybody have a list of guys to look out for who might make the jump to CPL in 2019. Haven't really followed L1O all that closely but this year seems like a good year to start. (Am aware rosters are nowhere near formalised).

Here you go:

 

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2016/Top10CanadianPremierLeagueprospectsfrom.aspx

 

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2016/Top10prospectsfromthe2017League1Ontario.aspx

[Ciaran L]

On ‎27‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 3:01 PM, yellowsweatygorilla said:

Here you go:

 

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2016/Top10CanadianPremierLeagueprospectsfrom.aspx

 

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2016/Top10prospectsfromthe2017League1Ontario.aspx

Thanks!

[Rocket Robin]

Darby FC is fielding a men's team in League 1 Ontario this year.  They get their players from Whitby Soccer Club and Darlington Soccer Club.  They have run a women's team in L1O for three years.   

http://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/887791?referrer_id=2309049  

 

[Kent]

Back to back 2 win seasons in the women’s division so they don’t seem elite, but still happy to see they are pushing forward and still pleased with their partnership between the two clubs. The league is growing rather than shrinking, which is fantastic in year 5.

[Zem]

The League1 Ontario All-Stars are playing a friendly against the Ottawa Fury tomorrow at 12:45 at the Ontario Soccer Centre, admission is free. The match is going to be live streamed by League1 Ontario as well, although no link has been posted for it yet.

[Kent]

16 hours ago, Zem said:

The League1 Ontario All-Stars are playing a friendly against the Ottawa Fury tomorrow at 12:45 at the Ontario Soccer Centre, admission is free. The match is going to be live streamed by League1 Ontario as well, although no link has been posted for it yet.

You can watch the game from a link on the league1ontario.com home page. If you want to know the score you can check the twitter feed on the page too. I won’t spoil it in case people want to watch it fresh.

[Rocket Robin]

March 9, 2018 League 1 Ontario All Stars 1  Ottawa Fury FC (USL)   6   

my game report at:  http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports18/18l1o010.htm

[Gopherbashi]

https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/897189?referrer_id=2309049

L1O released their season structure today.

Mens: Single table of 17 teams - top 8 advance to playoffs which will combine a group stage and knockout competition.  Durham is "taking a year off" which makes me really sad as it was a good place to keep the league's footprint.  Unionville is the second team to declare "professional status" (I would guess TFC3 is the other) which I assume means that they're giving their players some form of payment.

Womens: Single table of 13 teams - top 4 advance to playoffs which consist of two semis and a final.

[Kent]

So the men's division is going from 16 teams to 17 teams (good!), but the schedule is going from 22 games down to 16 games (not so good). The playoffs are expanded though. 6 of those 17 teams will I assume play 3 playoff games and 2 of them will play 4 playoff games, whereas last year 2 teams played a single playoff game. The article doesn't mention the Cup that they have had every other year. I don't know if that means it will continue as normal, or if it's over. Hopefully it continues.

The women's division is going from 11 teams to 13 teams (good!). I don't see any mention of how many games their season will be, but it mentions the season will end in mid-August.

Is L1O maybe trending toward a more PDL style season that supplements the NCAA season?

[Gopherbashi]

19 minutes ago, Kent said:

So the men's division is going from 16 teams to 17 teams (good!), but the schedule is going from 22 games down to 16 games (not so good). The playoffs are expanded though. 6 of those 17 teams will I assume play 3 playoff games and 2 of them will play 4 playoff games, whereas last year 2 teams played a single playoff game. The article doesn't mention the Cup that they have had every other year. I don't know if that means it will continue as normal, or if it's over. Hopefully it continues.

The women's division is going from 11 teams to 13 teams (good!). I don't see any mention of how many games their season will be, but it mentions the season will end in mid-August.

Is L1O maybe trending toward a more PDL style season that supplements the NCAA season?

It certainly seems that the women's league is - I've always felt that there are far too many teams in the women's league compared to how many pro opportunities there are.  You're right that the men's league seems to be inching in that direction as well.

The women are doing as 12-game schedule.

Dino said on Twitter that the cup is continuing so that's a good sign.

[Blue and White Army]

Time to get my Sanjaax Lions tattoo.

"We all hate Toronto Skillz! F*ck the southwestern tip of Scarborough!"

[Rocket Robin]

March 15, 2018  League 1 Ontario Releases 2018 Schedule  

League 1 Ontario released their 2018 Schedule yesterday and there are big changes from the year before. The league has done away with the two conferences and thrown all the teams into one big table. There are seventeen teams this year (one more than last year) and it will make a clean sixteen game partial season without an uneven conference.  Each team will play eight home games. 

The season kicks off on April 28th and ends September 23rd.  That would be their all time shortest season. (Last year was 22 games per team—home and away against your own conference and one game against the other conference—two conference winners played off for the championship). 

This season for the first time the top eight teams then move on to a group stage (I'd assume two groups of four) for another round and the two winners then play for the championship and the right to be the league's entrant to the 2019 Canadian Championship.    

This second season sounds intriguing.  Past seasons have had some teams just play out their schedule. Windsor TFC Stars would come to the GTA with ten or eleven players when their main squad returned to university.  Sigma FC would often start off their season with nine wins in a row but then have to reorganize when their older players return to the NCAA.  They would finish the season with high schoolers.  It would also eliminate the quirk of the late season game (rescheduled from months earlier because of lightning) that had the best in the west vs best in the east Oakville and Woodbridge play
to a 0-0 tie as the only way they could both ensure they finished first.  Neither team crossed over their own end line the last half hour of the game.  Even soccer parents were shouting for their sons to pass the ball back to ensure the result.  The two teams played a match of the year final the next week with the game going to a shootout. 

I expect older players like I saw at the team they rustled together to give Ottawa Fury FC (USL) a game last week with only three practices will stay with their teams for one last year before they catch on for the new Canadian Premier League.  That will then free up the teams to play their younger players and give more a chance to a team like ProStars FC who are a majority of teenagers showcasing for foreign placements and scholarships.   

I have no rosters this early in the year so I'm not going to speculate who may be the final eight. 

There are three new teams this year (they're up only one because two teams are out).

Darby FC who will play in Whitby.  They have had a team in the women's league for a few years now although that team has struggled for results.  Darby is a partnership of Darlington Soccer Club and Whitby Soccer Club. 

Unionville Milliken SC (who also had a L1O women's team last year) will play in Unionville (Markham) at Bill Crothers Turf Centre.  This is a high school for athletes.  I flew over it by Google Maps looking for a track as Bill Crothers was a famous Canadian track athlete who won a silver medal at Tokyo Olympics in 1964 in the 800M at a time when four medals earned by the entire nation made him a hero.  While one field has a track along the field, there are two other fields that could be used.   Rather than starting from scratch I read a tweet announcing five signings already, with two players from Vaughan Azzurri (Joe Di Chiara and Tre Crosby), Michael Fayehun from Woodbridge Strikers, Basel Rashrash from Aurora FC, and Jalen Brome who played with TFCA then York Region Shooters in 2010-2011 in the CPSL days.  These aren't
necessarily trades as last year the MVP goalie moved from the Woodbridge team to the Oakville one because it was closer to his home and shortened his drive for games and practices.   

Alliance United FC is the third new team.  They have an appropriate name as it's a partnership between Markham SC, Wexford SC and Centennial College.  The team will play at Centennial College in Scarborough. Ilya Orlov has been announced as coach.  I remember him years ago as a defender for Toronto Croatia.    

Not returning for 2019 are Durham United FA who the press release lists as taking one year off and North Toronto Nitros who 'did not renew their licence' which sounds like a more permanent arrangement. Nitros were the most 'downtown' Toronto team starting their seasons at the U of T then getting bumped up away North York when varsity teams (football, soccer, track) pushed them out.  Durham United sitting out now explains why a month ago their head coach Sanford Caraban jumped over to Darby FC as an assistant coach. 

Besides the new teams a few of the established teams have changed facilities.  OSU Force from Ottawa are now playing at Quinns Point.  Aurora FC is moving again...this time to Stewart Burnett Park as part of a new state of the art facility.  TFC Academy will play at the BMO Training Ground.  I expect that is just going to be new signage as they must have pushed KIA cars off the marquis.  I wondered if BMO not giving us fridge magnets at the TFC opening game meant they needed to save their money for the
renaming rights? 

Not clear yet is whether there will be a cup competition for teams in the league (well they have a trophy for it).  There are a few holes in the schedule but games were poorly attended because sometimes there was less than a week's notice by the league office and they were played at whatever facility could be booked on short notice. 

I'm looking forward to the season.  This is a league that has more than 95% Canadians on the field at the same time and offers fine entertainment. 
 

[Gopherbashi]

Dino confirmed on Twitter that there would still be a cup.

[Rocket Robin]

Now TFC switches their home game against DC United to Wednesday June 13th (from Sat April 7th so they can recover between Club America games).  

Hmm.  Now means TFC fans can't go to the 2nd leg Canadian Championship game between Oakville Blue Devils and AS Blainville which from last I heard was being played at Ontario Soccer Centre.   OBD's home of Sheridan College doesn't have stadium lights. 

Chances were small, but TFC would face either of those teams as the winner plays Ottawa for a spot in the semis.  

[yellowsweatygorilla]

4 hours ago, Rocket Robin said:

Now TFC switches their home game against DC United to Wednesday June 13th (from Sat April 7th so they can recover between Club America games).  

Hmm.  Now means TFC fans can't go to the 2nd leg Canadian Championship game between Oakville Blue Devils and AS Blainville which from last I heard was being played at Ontario Soccer Centre.   OBD's home of Sheridan College doesn't have stadium lights. 

Chances were small, but TFC would face either of those teams as the winner plays Ottawa for a spot in the semis.  

Hm... I actually think I might skip the DC game then... this voyageurs game is historic.

[Blue and White Army]

Any chance of a Toronto-based team in L1O that would play out of Lamport Stadium? If Varsity Stadium is problematic due to UofT's needs in the autumn, what are the downsides of Lamport? Or, what about having a central Toronto team play out of Varsity for most of the season, then shift to Lamport for the end?

P.S. I'll be at Sanjaxx Lions' home opener (vs. TFC III at Monarch Park Stadium on Sunday, May 6th, 2:00pm) if anyone else is up for it. Toronto FC's senior team plays on Friday night that weekend, so there's no conflict.

I'll probably try to visit some (or all?) of the L1O grounds in Toronto this season as well.