Oakville Soccer Club

OSC Boys U16 A and B squads hear from Diana Matheson - a world class Canadian soccer player

Former OSC player and current Canadian women's national team star Diana Matheson has been busy preparing for the upcoming London Olympics  where the Canadian women will compete against the best soccer teams in the world.

With over 100 caps to her name, Matheson is an integral part of the CWNT but a recent knee surgery has kept her off the roster and out of national team training camps since before the Olympic qualifiers held in Vancouver in January. Matheson made the trip to Vancouver with the team, but watched from the stands as her team accomplished their goal of qualifying for London 2012.

Since then, Matheson has been working tirelessly to get back into match form and has been training with some of the OSC Rep teams around town before she heads to Vancouver once again to join her teammates at training camp. She recently trained with the OSC boys U16 A and B teams - something that team manager Stephen Bruce describes as an unforgettable experience.

"Well tonight we all had a brush with greatness. Diana Matheson of the Canadian women's national soccer team spoke with us and shared her thoughts on soccer, education and life. 

We learned that her love for playing the game and willingness to work hard created the great opportunities that she has been fortunate to have. Her message to the boys: Work harder than anyone else, turn your weaknesses into strengths and pursue your passion.

We also learned how to speak honestly and gracefully as Diana simply shared her story with ease and answered all of our questions directly and sincerely. She is a wonderful example of a world class Canadian athlete and person.

On behalf of the U16 A and B squads we say thank you Diana and we wish you even greater success in your future. You inspire us!"

-Stephen Bruce

We can't wait for the Olympics - our hometown girl will surely be a force to be reckoned with! GO CANADA!

An Inside Look at the OSC Board of Directors

Written by Board member Al D'Addese

Good day - my name is Al D’Addese. 

I have been asked to provide some insight into what motivated me to become an OSC Board of Directors member and what my first four months of experience on the Board have taught me.

Let me start by saying that I stated in my election speech that it would be an honour and a privilege to serve on the OSC BOD and four months later I still hold true to this statement. Rest assured that there is a lot of effort from the Board level through to our very competent staff to improve our member experience with all of the OSC programs.

What drew me to this position?

When I looked at the OSC Vision and Mission statements I believed there was a lot we could all be proud of – OSC believes in promoting the game of soccer, making the sport fun for all and “Advancing Every Player” to their full potential. This vision and the strategic plan that accompanies it clearly sets  OSC apart from most sports organizations and I believe we are on the right path to being a GREAT soccer club. With the right execution we can be an example for other sports organizations.

I also believe that OSC should be a place where we not only develop players but at the same time provide positive experiences for our members that will last a life time. 

Having been involved with OSC for over seven years in several capacities -coaching at the rep and House League levels and with the External Advisory and Scholarship Committees – I was keen to get involved in helping to deliver on the promise of “Advancing Every Player” and to give back in any way I could.

With the above in mind I wanted to be a part of a BOD that worked to continue to deliver on these values.

Four months into the mandate, I can state that the experience has been worth the effort. There was a lot to learn in the first few months with the busy agenda that we are working with as a BOD in 2012. At this point I have volunteered for the Human Resources Committee and will be working on the Scholarship Committee as well.

Our current board is very deep with respect to talent and we are well positioned to deliver on the current five year strategic plan. I have learned a lot from my fellow board members and look forward to working with all of them throughout this mandate.

March Madness! OSC Fun Camps

OSC would like to extend sincere thanks to all of the campers for such a successful March Break Fun Camp! We so enjoyed having all of you attend and we hope to see you in the future. Below Camp Director Danielle Bernier (Coach Dani) talks about why the OSC Soccer Fun Camps are so special.

March Madness at OSC!

WOW! What a week! Soccer golf, trivia, Olympics, counsellor challenge, World Cup...so many activities so little time!

Who could forget Frodo's amazing performance in the crossbar challenge? Or England hoisting the World Cup? What about Scotland's team spirit?

The week went by too fast for my liking. I enjoy working the OSC camps because I get to feel like a kid again. Getting wrapped up in the games, the points, and the energy of the players is what has me waking up before my alarm clock every morning ready for the day...with the help of a piping hot Starbucks of course!

It is my hope to continue to provide children with the opportunity to learn new skills while in a fun environment. The camp turned out to be a perfect blend of skill development and fun activities.

I look forward to seeing many of the same faces in the summer!

See you then,

Coach Dani

From OSC to University at Buffalo

By Kassidy Kidd, OSC Girls 1994 A

When my parents introduced me to soccer at the age of five, all I can remember is how much I loved chasing wildly after the ball. Every opponent was different, and every game was different.

My love for the beautiful game was only just developing, as it continues to develop every time I step inside the white lines today. A few years ago, if I were told that I would have received a scholarship and would be playing soccer in the NCAA, I’m not sure I would have believed it, though I had always hoped for it.

Growing up in the small town of Niagara Falls, for most, soccer is simply just a hobby. There came a point in time though where I decided that I wanted to be successful, and I wanted to play soccer. A few years ago, along with my parents, I made the decision to continue my soccer career in a bigger city and ended up playing for Oakville. Looking back, that decision changed everything. My coaches, Dino Lopez and Kristina Covelli, along with my other teammates have transformed me into the player I always hoped I would become.

They have taught me discipline, hard work and patience. They have taught me how to overcome adversity. They have taught me how to be a good leader and a good teammate. The most important thing I was taught though was how to believe in myself and in the ability of my teammates. We trusted each other, and we became a family. I thank my Oakville family for getting me to where I am now every single day.

 At showcase tournaments, there would be scouts lined up around the field which was intimidating at times, but I reminded myself that I was playing because I loved it and that would calm my nerves which helped me play to my full potential. I never thought that choosing a school to go to would be such an easy decision, but when I went on my first visit to University at Buffalo, I just felt at home.

I consider myself very lucky to have found the perfect school for me. The academics, the athletics, the location, and the people – it’s all more than I could have hoped for. I think I am most excited to starting playing with my newest family; the Buffalo Bulls.

I believe that the ability to play a sport in university is such a privilege because it enables you to get an education while doing something that you love. I couldn’t be more excited to continue my soccer career playing in the NCAA for the UB Bulls. I know that there will be many tough times, but I anticipate that there will be far more priceless memories.

Though I am moving forward onto bigger and better things, I will never forget what got me here. Oakville Soccer Club gave me the tools for success, but it also gave me a family. We will always hear each other cheering wherever our paths to greatness may lead, and for that I consider myself very blessed to have been a part of the OSC.

Diana Matheson: CWNT in the Playoffs

Canada 3 - Mexico 1

Friday was the big game against Mexico to determine which team would qualify for the Olympics this summer.  Kick off here was at 8pm, and although most of the girls enjoy playing an evening game, we definitely do not enjoy the looooong day that leads up to it.  Especially when the game in the evening decides whether you have something to play for the rest of the year!

We knew we had to start strong against Mexico, and we did just that. The crowd helped a lot with this as there were over 22,000 cheering loudly at BC place.  In the first half we managed to put 2 goals in the back of the net. The first was a cross to Melissa Tancredi (Tank) at the top of the box who took a beautiful touch and played it quickly into space for Sinc, who coolly finished it off. Olympic qualifying, 22,000 thousand people cheering, and Sinc oh so calmly puts it in the back of the net, making it look easy. That girl's got ice in her veins.

The second was another nice one. It started out on the right side with Rhian dribbling in towards the box and playing a square pass to Sinc. Sinc then laid the ball on to Kelly Parker who crossed it in for Tank on top of the six yard box. Tank's celebration was cut short to make sure Sinc was alright, as a Mexican went through her ankle cleats up on the play. I don't think any of us doubted she would keep playing though!

So we went into the dressing room at half time with a two goal lead, but we came out and played a nervous second half. We had a few chances to put the game away, but as the half went on the Mexican's pushed more and more forward. After a long period of pressure they finally put one in off a rebound from a corner. Before too long though our goal scorers combined again as Tank played a ball in behind their back four for Sinc, who scored her ninth of the tournament

All in all it was an exciting game to watch, and the crowd was fantastic! I'm so happy for the entire team and staff, and  I know it will be a game we all remember for a long time. It made it so much more special to be at home.

The day and a half was basically resting and recovery. There was so much energy and focus put into that semi-final game that there was a huge sense of relief afterwards. I think it's fair to say there everyone was on top of the world, but also drained at the same time. A huge amount of energy went into that game and it takes a toll. I was exhausted and I was just watching!

USA 4 - Canada 0

We refocused and prepared for the US game, and obviously planned to not let the American's beat us on our own turf. The game however had other plans. From the third floor video booth it didn't feel like we deserved to be down 3-0 after the first half, but they just put the ball in the back of the net almost every time they went down the field. We had a few fantastic chances ourselves to score, but we didn't capitalize.

We came out attacking again in the first half, and the crowd did their best to cheer us on. I think there were over 25,000 fans in BC Place, maybe more, and they got behind us every chance they could in the game, erupting with every solid tackle or shot. It wasn't to be however, as the American's scored again early in the half on what again seemed to be their first chance.

Despite the ugly result in the game, I have to say again that they crowd was absolutely fantastic from whistle to whistle, and even after. They were very generous with their applause and cheers, especially considering the game they were witnessing! Much of the crowd stayed for the medal ceremony, and many stayed afterwards to get their signs or t-shirts autographed by the players. The whole team was more than happy to stay on the field a good hour after the game, signing autographs for all the fans that had stuck around.

The tournament had a bitter-sweet end to it, but all in all we accomplished the goal we needed to, and the tournament in Vancouver seemed like a great success. We got our ticket to London now, and six months to get where we need to be!

Thanks for reading!