A call to create a cohesive Canadian soccer community

[Guest]

EMBARGOED TILL I DUNNO

To those who'd say that the existence of Toronto FC hasn't helped raise the profile of the game in the city, I'd say: Look no further than this week's edition of Eye Weekly, one of Toronto's alt-weekly newspapers. On page 5, you'll find "TFC's totally new game plan" by Rob Duffy, an encouragingly well-done look-ahead to the Reds' fifth campaign.

I was a bit struck, though, when I read Duffy refer to Julian de Guzman as a "little-known Scarborough native." The diehard Canada fan in my head yelled little known? MVP of a La Liga team? Years in the Bundesliga? Midfield engine for the Canadian national team? How is he...

And then it hit me. Sometimes, those of us absorbed in the world of soccer in this country have a tendency to yell (intentionally or not) into a vacuum. Arbitrary boundaries are drawn between "supporters" and "casuals", and discussions begin resembling self-eating snakes.

But when hardcore followers of the domestic and national game speak reverently of "growing the sport" or "expanding the profile" of Canadian teams, sometimes they have a tendency to forget that the people whose eyes need to be opened, whose hearts and minds need to won, are the ones who had absolutely no idea who Julian de Guzman was before Toronto FC signed him.

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These are the people who say "yeah, I've always wanted to go to a TFC game" but haven't, or who ask earnestly (rather than sardonically) why Canada is always conspicuously absent from the men's World Cup. These are the potential converts. These people do exist. In great numbers. Soccer may not be their first passion, or even in their top three. But that doesn't make them dilettantes, or flakes. I've got a wide range of interests outside of what I write about here, as do all of my writing colleagues, as do all the people who make up the supporters' sections at TFC, Whitecaps, Impact and Canada matches.

You do too. There's nothing wrong with it.

Now, let me be clear: I'm not suggesting that there's some widespread campaign amongst those in the Canadian soccer community to be insular or exclusionary. Though I don't claim affiliation with any Toronto FC supporters' group, I've had warm, welcoming interactions with members of each and every one of those groups over the past few years.

The only supporters' group I do claim affiliation with is the Voyageurs, and some of the people I've met through this group have done some pretty remarkable things in the name of supporting our national teams. Perhaps the most encouraging is the willingness of many Vs to proselytize on behalf of the cause, spreading the word of Canadian soccer to friends who probably never visit the Voyageurs forum or Canadian Soccer News, but can nonetheless be convinced to head out to watch their nation play.

Last summer, a friend of mine discovered a previously unknown passion for the beautiful game while watching the World Cup, and ask me the earnest (not sardonic) question about why Canada wasn't there. Unfortunately I probably launched into a long, boring tirade about the vagaries of CONCACAF qualifying -- but fortunately, such drivel wasn't sufficiently dull to completely turn her off of the Canadian game. Quite the contrary; she got quite excited about the prospect of seeing Canada play live for the first time, against Peru at BMO Field in a September friendly.

The game itself was a disappointment, but she made no secret of her thrill at the experience of being in the supporters' section. Now, less than a year after having never cared too much for soccer, she intends to take time off of work, make a ridiculous single-day return trip to Detroit, and yell her lungs out as Canada takes on the USA in the Gold Cup on June 7.

And she's bringing a friend.

That anecdote isn't meant to garner kudos. No one is going to give out gold stars for the most non-fans converted to footie. Rather, I'm just attempting to illustrate that true growth in the game is a bottom-up endeavour. It's also a two-way street. So this is my request to two groups of people, both of whom I'm hoping are reading this piece.

If you're a casual fan (no pejorative connotation intended) of soccer, with curiosity about Canada's national or domestic teams, welcome. At the risk of sounding overly self-promotional, I strongly encourage you to check Canadian Soccer News often. And check the forums of the Voyageurs, U-Sector, Red Patch Boys, Southsiders, Ultras Montreal and some of the high-quality blogs about Canadian soccer that are kicking around. I can give you a nice list.

If you have a question, don't be afraid to ask. If you want to interact, do it. Introduce yourself. Ask questions. Send emails. Leave comments. Sure, you'll run into the occasional asshole, but there are assholes everywhere on the Internet. Don't let it get to you. There's nothing to be ashamed about in following, and supporting, the game of soccer in Canada, even if it's number two, or 10, or 50 on your priority list.

And if you're already hooked into this bizarre world, do your best to be open and welcoming. You probably are already doing it. But you also don't need to be ashamed about spreading the love of the game. Not everyone will care as much as you do. That's fine. All you need to do is plant the seed. Once that seed is planted, the best way to help it grow is to keep doing what you're already doing: express yourself honestly and passionately.

The Canadian soccer community -- or at least, the potential Canadian soccer community -- is bigger than any of us could possibly realize. The Internet has made such connections easier than at any other point in history. We should exploit this medium to its greatest potential -- but let's also not forget the unmistakable value of in-person, face-to-face communication and connection-building.

I dream of the day when loud, rabid, pro-Canadian crowds supporting our national teams aren't a newsworthy novelty, but are just as taken-for-granted as they are in most other countries in the world. It's up to all of us -- whether you've been in this fight for 20 years, or just started following soccer 20 minutes -- to work together in trying to make that happen.

Even if you didn't know (or care) who Julian de Guzman was two years ago, as long as you're willing to cheer for him when he pulls on a Canada kit, you're one of us.

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