As men’s soccer in Sudbury continues to rise from the ashes (yes, there’s a little hyperbole in play there), much has changed in the landscape of the group that enjoyed as much prominence locally as any sport but hockey some 60 years ago or so.
Gone are the names that ring such a familiar tone to those who enjoy Sudbury soccer lore: Italia Flyers, Polish White Eagles, Sudbury United, S.C. Italia.
Sure, Croatia Adria remains a fixture, very much in the hunt for yet another crack at the fabled Anderson Cup. But it’s now the Sudbury Stallions they are chasing, with The Boys and the newly-formed Leopards of Sudbury also sure to have their say.
While the Sudbury Cyclones have returned to prominence in recent years, their U18 entry part of the eight-team loop, the final troika of Afro-Heritage Juniors and a pair of Toros Latinos entries (Furia and FC) are extremely unfamiliar to any local soccer fan whose awareness of the SRCSL (Sudbury Regional Competitive Soccer League) dates back perhaps a decade or more.
The common thread to this current revival and the surge of the sixties lies in the fact that it is being fueled, in part, by the influx of new Canadians and new Sudburians. At a time when on-line communication has opened the door to a far greater awareness of folks arriving in town looking to play high level soccer, the framework for team creation is not all that different from half a century ago.
“Somebody knows somebody who knows somebody,” suggested Adam Waram, the man at the helm of a Stallions team that has achieved an impressive feat of sweeping all of the hardware up for grabs in the SRCSL, three years running. “It’s mostly my players who recruit.”
The Stallions were created in the summer of 2021, initially from a core of talent that suited up with the Buzzy Brown’s team that had excelled in the Italia Flyers Recreational League in an era that stretched from 2013 to 2019, roughly speaking.
The end of that window of time also coincidented with a hiatus of men’s competitive soccer in the SRCSL, resurfacing for one year under the guidance of the GSSC (Greater Sudbury Soccer Club – 2022) and then in earnest the following summer.
Since that re-birth, the Stallions have reigned supreme, capturing the Anderson Cup (regular season title), the Dagostino Cup (in-season tournament) and the Bristol Machine Works Trophy (playoff champs) for three straight years.
(to be fair, long-time local soccer historian Cody Cacciotti did make note of the fact that while, to the best of the records, no men’s soccer team in Sudbury had ever swept all of the hardware up for grabs three years in a row, many were the years when said hardware often amounted to double the current offerings, with the Dieder Alisat and Milan Vrab tournaments mixed in, and the Sudbury Star Cup earning a slot as well)
(as Cacciotti said, it’s quite likely some teams did walk off with at least three trophies three years running – but they did not sweep everything that was available)
Either way, there is no disputing that the Stallions are curently the team to beat, boasting a mix of names that are more than a little familiar to Sudbury soccer fans (Andrew Ferreira, Gabriel Rodrigues, Mike Asunmaa, Ed Veilleux, Cameron Lapienis and the like) and gents who made their way here for post-secondary soccer or work (Cole Giffin, Ayden Meilleur, Stan Pankiewicz, Samim Massoom and their compatriots).
Bringing it altogether is a 38 year old who did not play competititive soccer in his youth, with a year of junior action at Lo-Ellen Park constituting an introduction of sorts for Adam Waram. “I wasn’t very good back then,” he admitted quite candidly.
In fact, it was only in adulthood that Waram would find his footing (and confidence) in sport, earning Rookie of the Year honours while patrolling the backline for the Sudbury Athletic some 15 years ago.
By the time that chatter emerged of the re-introduction of competitive men’s soccer, post-Covid, Waram had established himself enough to tackle the task of assembling a decent team, with the help of long-time friend and well-known Sudbury soccer talent, Mark Bauer.
The Stallions name, he acknowledged, was nothing more than a light-bulb moment.
“That was me, sitting on my deck,” Waram smiled. “For some reason, it just came to me.”
As the team continues to serve as a gathering place for many a skilled footballer in these parts, Waram prides himself as much of the environment that he and his leadership crew have created as he does with the on-field excellence of the Stallions.
“We stress that we need to communicate well, communicate properly,” he said. “Be positive. Instead of telling everybody how to play, it’s more about how to work with each other’s strengths. I think that has made us stronger.”
Good thing, as there is no denying that the overall skill level is moving in the right direction these days. In fact, the growth of adult soccer goes well beyond the eight team Open Men’s Division.
The SRCSL now boasts an eight-team over 40 bracket as well as another quartet of teams competing for bragging rights in the 50 and over age grouping. SC Italia (5-0-0) top the standings in the former, with Bini Ozias, Devin Desjardins and Joe Lonsdale providing much of the offense.
Both the Afro-Heritage Seniors (4-1-0) and the Afro Stars (3-1-1) are in hot pursuit while the Move Medicine Hawks (4-1-0) are leading the Over 50 pool, with the ageless wonder that is Bobby McKinty (5 goals) helping to keep his team clear of both the Sudbury Athletic (3-2-0) and the Nickel City Lasers (2-3-0).
Play takes place from Monday to Thursday at both Queen’s Athletic Field and the James Jerome Sports Complex, with a reminder to all soccer fans that the rebranded Coppa Caruso (tournament) will be staged in Sudbury from August 8th to the 10th.
