Don’t be a Bundy – Support Local Soccer

 
By: Slamo

 
It was late in the second half, mere minutes to go in a 1-1 match; all that was on the line was a trip to the World Cup for Canada. Our keeper snags a weak cross from a Costa Rican winger and switches the field with an underarm tossed to my feet just outside the 18. I head up pitch with the sounds of 40 000 Canadians cheering the squad on. A quick heal touch and spin beats the high defending forward and finds me in space. I push forward unmarked to the mid line before a quick give and go puts me in more space with only the Tico back line between me and glory. Coming down the left side my mind is already made up – the backs are cheating to the runs being made leaving me one on one with the right back. He tries to close me down but the old go to works – a right footed step over and a left footed flick gives me the space I need to curl the ball into the far corner behind the helpless Costa Rican keeper and send Canada to the World Cup.

This was my dream as an 11 year old, as I grew older the dream adapted to something a bit more realistic – a header off a corner or maybe a drive from just outside the box after a nice layoff, but whatever the case it always ended up with me scoring the goal to bring us to the World Cup. Unfortunately the closest I got to this was scoring the winning goal in the District U-17 final against Royals FC – it was a step over and a flick followed by an inside right footed dipping ball that dropped just under the crossbar. My memory won’t let me recall how I got the ball 22 yards from goal but I sure remember striking the ball and looking at the keepers face knowing it was going to find the netting. As a left back I didn’t often get the goal scoring glory.
Anyway, my Al Bundy moment aside, my role in soccer has evolved to supporter and spectator and it is a role I take on with full gusto. For me, I never heard the voice of my Father from the sideline – it just wasn’t that type of supportive family I grew up in. But I remember how much it meant to me when someone else’s Father yelled out my name – or even better one of the guy’s older sister! But again I digress. Now for obvious reasons (at least I hope they are obvious) I can’t take on the role of the older sister but, I am someone else’s Father and if I can play any role in supporting our future generation of not only soccer players but adults I’ll give my all.

 
Recently on the Southsider’s Forum there was some discussion on what it is to be a supporter and it got me to thinking about this in a general way. A big part of the discussion evolved around the residency team playing at home the same time as the Men’s team on the road and the lack of support the kids receive. Several things cross my mind on this matter not the least of which is how far we have to go to reach any sort of cultural impact soccer has on us as a nation. If the Whitecap Residency team was its hockey counterpart the team would have folded or moved to Hope or something for its lack of support. But, that’s a discussion on soccer versus hockey which can be for another day.

When I go to watch the U18 team play I can’t help but make comparison to my Al Bundy moments – first off; we’ve come a long way in developing soccer players in this country and I look forward to the days when the discussions on player selection for the national team doesn’t revolve around one or two players availability and the steep drop off if said player isn’t available, but instead the discussion around which one of our 5 left backs will have the biggest impact. Not in my fanciest memories do I recall my old youth squad playing at such a skilled level, despite our four District Championships and trips to the USA Cup and the Ontario Cup – “four touchdowns, baby”, and the size and power of the boys is impressive to say the least.

 
We all watch the news and I am sure it is generation upon generation that says, “the kids of today….” in some sort of “what’s wrong with this generation” tone – it’s just not safe out there anymore. Well, the kids are all right. They’re out there playing the sport I love and doing it better than I ever did and loving it, probably, as much as I do and they are going to grow up and be good men. Some of them will be professional players and most of them not. Some are enjoying the greatest sporting moments of their lives right now and to them I say bravo – no really – I go watch them play and I cheer them on. I know they hear me because they come over and say thanks. Thanks for supporting me. Well, I am grateful and honoured to have the opportunity to be a part of it.

Alex Rowley- U18 Residency Midfielder from Maple Ridge

They’ll go to University or get jobs and many of them will have soccer playing kids and they’ll coach soccer and some of them will remember the games they played when they were 17 and 18 and think how great it was to hear someone yell out good job Ben or Alex or Jason or… and maybe that support will mean more to some than others and maybe the power of positive psychology or the theory of paying it forward or whatever aura one believes in will take hold in one player and that player will become a great person or at least a better person than he will otherwise have been or maybe that player will really give that 115% and become a better player than he would have otherwise been or maybe none of that will happen and I will have just had a good time watching some good soccer and cheering on some great kids.

 
All I really know is it feels good when someone supports you, whether it’s at work or home or really anywhere in life – doesn’t it feel good, no matter how cool you may be or whatever life you’re leading doesn’t it feel good to have someone say good job or well done? It’s great to give that feeling to someone too – it’s free…I mean it’s really free – the matches are free and it certainly cost you nothing to yell out your support.

 
Some of the boys are on the verge of professional soccer careers, they have given everything to reach the level they are at like all of the boys but they just have that little something extra, that little flair, that little extra reserve of determination that separates them from the rest of us – physical ability not withstanding of course. Only they themselves know what motivates them, but I am sure cheering them on and letting them know how much we appreciate their effort and hard work, at very least, doesn’t hurt. Maybe Al Bundy really could have been someone if we were there to say “keep it up Al” and let him know how much we support him.

 
Support can be magic. It can be the difference between failure and success and often is. We see the USA crowds with their high school and University sports and we see greatness come from those fields and we Canadians fail to see a connection between the two or we choose to ignore it or we just don’t care – or we support for ourselves. Yeah, it feels good to support, but support is a selfless act or it fails to be support. We support for others – we are there for them or at least we should be.

 
Deep in my heart I still dream of that match winning goal only now it’s not me scoring it. But I hope I am there when it happens and I hope that person who scores it knows how much I appreciate the work they’ve put in towards making that goal happen. We tend to be a nation of Peggy’s, why is that? Al is out there giving it his all everyday – let’s cheer him on while there is a chance to make a difference.

 
I don’t have hard facts or evidence to back up how much support means to performance but I know I appreciate it myself and I am pretty confident that I am just a normal everyday guy who is doing all right – so I’d guess that most people enjoy a little support. So why wait?

 
Canadians love their heroes, but we tend to wait until they are heroes to love them. Let’s be a little proactive let’s cheer on the heroes of the future and see if we can’t help them become just a little bit better than they would otherwise be. Let’s get that goal – let’s win that match. Support the future generation – support the advancement of our nation – support the evolution of the human race – support local soccer!

By: Slamo

The thing with the human race is that we tend to notice the spectacular or the inadequate, yet it is usually the banal and mundane that makes life work. A smooth sidewalk is nothing compared to a beautiful west coast sunrise or sunset. Most of us don’t open a door and then take a moment to reflect on the beauty of the mechanics of the door. The hinges that are perfectly aligned, the door knob at just the right height so we can instinctually reach for it and twist it without a thought, the smooth weight distribution that makes for the level swinging of the door, the sturdy frame and on and on it goes – such a marvel of our days that go completely ignored – until the effing thing doesn’t work, yes? Stupid door. Or how about that crack in the sidewalk that causes the stumble. Didn’t notice that sidewalk much the last million stumble free steps, but that last one!!
Early in the first half of the first game of the season against Montreal, I believe “Boundary Road” was still being sung by the Southsiders, a ball was played forward by a Whitecap player from the backline that tried to bypass the midfield and lead to an early attack – I’d think based on the goal a couple of minutes later, that was also a long ball to a forward, that this was actually a planned play which is another marvel in itself – imagine the club coming onto the pitch with a plan in place. Anyway, in this earlier play, the Montreal midfield cut off the forward ball and sent Nyassi on a counter. The back line formed in the half second available, Jun Marques Davidson filled the hole behind the back line,Martin Bonjour positioned himself to force Nyassi to move to his right – and a closing in Jay DeMerit – or to his left foot. Nyassi chose his left foot and rolled a harmless ball into Joe Cannon. My reaction to the original pass was – “oh oh”.

Joe smoothers the ball, Jay takes a deep breath, the back line turns up field as does JMD, but then JMD turns back towards Joe and holds his hands up in a gesture that gives me a great deal of confidence in this team. This was almost a carbon copy of the play against Sporting Kansas City last year at the end of the first half that led to Bad Bunbury’s (as opposed to Alex) goal and in retrospect cemented our season in cracked sidewalks and broken doors. It was exciting for sure the comeback against SKC was a thrill but in a chaotic way the same way a roller coaster is exciting.

The gesture was simple – “that’s over” it said. The sidewalk is smooth and the doors are working we just need to keep taking steps and walking through the openings. No one to blame for shoddy workmanship – it’s just one of those things that happen sometimes. Every once in a while we stumble and we look back at the sidewalk behind us to see nothing…no crack, no sticks or roots – just a simple stumble.

That the Caps attempted a similar play 20 seconds later before finally allowing us a glimpse of the spectacular sunrise with the LeToux goal a minute or so later on, yet another long ball attempt, showed the appreciation they had for a smooth sidewalk and working doors. Sidewalks only get smooth with hard work and a good plan. Doors only work with craftsmanship and look good with artistry. Camilo’s sunset goal was a result of opening the field and laying the sidewalk foundation – the ball stayed on the carpet and space became available because of the mundane, the banal, and the calmness of the squad. The door opened by the smoothness of a handy carpenter and Camilo added the French stained windows with the artistry.

In between, Sunrise and Sunset was all that happens in a day but goes without fanfare. Justin Mapp had a free chance on his strong foot when Gersh got caught ball watching – he sent it high when Bonjour, Rochat and Davidson closed down and pressured him a bit, but look to the right of goal. Dede tracked back to take away the right wing option – even though after the attempt on goal he makes a bit of a gesture obviously wondering how he was the last man back in that situation. He was the last man back.

Bonjour gets turned and Arnaud should have scored – no yelling no pointing – no “what the hell-ing”…Nyassi with another chance – no big deal…YP clears a header off the line. That’s what he is supposed to do. This is how we act when we walk down a smooth sidewalk or walk through an open door – we act like things are the way they are supposed to be.

So a week after first kick we walk on down the road to LA to play an away game against a bad Chivas team. A team made worse by injury and inspired only by the 400 college students who were given free tickets to attend the match – to give their proverbial 110% in a cracking soccer atmosphere with whatever pride a man can muster playing for the “Goats”.

The game was there for the losing, or drawing, from the get go. Wet, tall grass slowed the game and took away any skill advantage the Caps may have had. The previous week’s victory was a perfect opportunity to settle for a sleepy away point and wax poetic on the difficulty of earning away points and the importance of any road result.

Sometimes in life we wake up and we’re sleepy and don’t really feel like going to work or school or wherever we have to go. But, we just start to move and we open doors leaving the bedroom, going to the bathroom, leaving the house, we walk down sidewalks and we end up getting to where we are going despite how we might feel about the day. We complete all our task and the day ends. We develop a confidence that we never consider – the confidence that no matter how sleepy or cranky or however bad you may feel that the doors will work and the sidewalk will be smooth enough to walk on without stumbling and breaking an arm.

The victory was the type of victory a good team earns without obvious effort. It was a good road win. Sure there was some good goal keeping that kept us in the match – but that’s what is supposed to happen. The smoothest sidewalks are made by people with great skill in sidewalk making who go through life uncelebrated. They are just doing their job. The game was by no stretch of perception a pretty game – definitely not a sunrise nor a sunset. But if you take a moment and look you can see the sidewalk was smooth and the doors were working. Everyone did the little thing that needed to be done that no one off the field saw – and that is what builds a winning team’s identity. When each man can look in the other man’s eye and just know.

This is the subtle confidence that makes way for all other greatness to strive. The confidence of a parents love and support allows for a child to reach greatness. Without that base confidence all other confidence is fragile – the confidence of great talent is based only on that talent and strives on the moment previous; for greatness to be truly great – there needs to be the foundational confidence that is shown when a man is proud of being the best sidewalk builder or the best door maker because he knows underneath that he is still great.

A crack will show in a long season and a door will creak. That’s just the way it is. Greatness is a positive reaction to failure. Sort of like winning a game on the road that you didn’t really deserve to win with nothing on the line and no reason to fight. Greatness is the confidence that failure is impossible and victory is inevitable. Confidence is supported by an air that is carried by an individual or group and is understood only by that individual or group and presents itself to outsiders as luck. Luck aids preparation and preparation breeds confidence – we’re going to win a lot of games this season. I just know it.

Vancouver – This weekend the Vancouver Southsiders will be joining fellow Independent Supporters Council (ISC) members across the league from the United States and Canada in stance against racism, in recognition of The International Day For the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (March 21).

On March 24, at the Vancouver Whitecaps v DC United match, after the National Anthem, we will raise red cards to show unity against racism and homophobia in soccer around world and here in Canada. We are hoping all Whitecaps supporters and fans will join to recognize this International Day and take a stand against Racism. The Independent Supporters Council are working with all its member groups to ensure that the same Tifo is displayed in stadiums across the entire league.

Prior to kickoff we will be distributing red cards to those in sections 248-254 of BC Place. We hope that fans in other sections will bring their own red cards if they do not sit in one of those areas. Just after the anthem we ask all fans to raise them in the air and hold them until first kick, to ‘Show Racism The Red Card’.

Soccer in North America has a dynamic and rich history that is multiracial, and embraces the strength that comes with its diversity. The history of soccer here is unique from other parts of the world, in that a philosophy of inclusiveness has always been apparent in all of its aspects, including players, supporters, and management.

As soccer continues to grow in the North American continent, it is imperative that each of us take responsibility in ensuring the diverse heritage and culture of the sport continues. There are many recent examples in Europe and some in the United States where racism and homophobia have reared its ugly head.

Show Racism the Red Card works to increase players, management, and supporters’ understanding of the inclusive heritage and diverse culture of soccer in North America. To promote young people’s participation as active and responsible citizens in a growing multi-racial and diverse society. Provide tools and resources for management, supporters, and players to respond to bigotry in positive ways. Harness the high profile of top soccer players as role models to grab the interests of and educate the larger community on issues of inclusion and opportunity. Involvement of the leagues and/or teams to adopt anti-racism measures and inclusion of policies and practices, both on the field and in the stands. Providing team and league management the tools and framework to be able to swiftly deal with incidents of racist abuse and insults in a uniform manner. Showcase the unique strength of soccer in North America due in part to its diversity.

ISC- The Independent Supporters Council of the United States and Canada was founded in 2009 to advocate for the fair treatment of home and away supporters, promote supporter culture, and oppose racism and bias in the stadium. It now members now include twenty-nine Supporter Groups from MLS, NASL, USL-Pro and PDL clubs.

The Vancouver Southsiders are the largest independent supporters group for the Major League Soccer Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The Southsiders stand, sing, and above all else, have support the players on the field since their founding in 1999.

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