It’s quite an achievement when both FC LONDON League1 teams have seasons that put them at the top of the standings. Add to that wins in the U21 and U17 divisions and you’ve got the makings of a long-term sustainable program where players are showcasing their skills at the youth level – knowing that their semi-pro counterparts are among the top teams in the country. In other words, FC LONDON has created a solid pathway for its players.
“I’m proud of what we achieved this year,” said Mike Marcoccia, the head coach of both the men’s and women’s League1 teams. “The women going undefeated was a first for the league. Meanwhile, seeing what some of our youth teams were able to achieve gives me confidence that we’re going to see more hardware in the years to come.”
Combined, FC LONDON’s League1 teams recorded 23 wins, 3 ties and only 2 losses during the regular season, with a plus-50 rating along the way (78 goals for, 28 against). Unfortunately, the squads didn’t continue that success in either the League1 Cup or the league championships, with both teams being eliminated in one-goal games.
“We had to change fields for the championship games, as the ‘Cove’ field [German Canadian Club Stadium] was undergoing renovations,” said Marcoccia. “The bounces didn’t go our way, but we have no excuses. Now our focus is on bigger things in the 2019 season ahead.”
One of those bigger things is the new Canadian Professional League, which starts play in 2019 and opens the door for elite players to gain ‘professional status,’ an important first step to playing not only in Canada, but overseas as well.
“On the youth side, we’ll have over 400 boys and girls in our program next year,” says FC LONDON CEO Ian Campbell. “From U8 to U21, we’ll be training several times a week, starting in November, focusing on skills and decision-making using the same ‘periodization’ program that Mike is using with the adult teams.”
Ontario Soccer has announced that the Ontario Soccer Conference will take place in London in 2019, which will provide a great opportunity for London coaches, referees and players to hear about the future of the Canadian soccer landscape directly from those who are helping to raise the bar and lay the youth program groundwork for future Canadian soccer success.
Keep track of all the FC LONDON news at www.FCLONDON.ca.
Submitted by FC LONDON
