Ottawa, Ontario \u0096 The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) is pleased to announce that Colin Linford has been elected to a four-year term as the new President of the Canadian Soccer Association during this past weekend’s CSA annual general meeting held in Niagara Falls, ON. The meeting also saw the election of a new Vice President, two new Directors-at-Large positions, and two long-serving CSA employees receiving their just award.
\u200bSince 2002, Linford has been the President of the Ontario Soccer Association and has been intrinsically involved at the Board/Executive level in Ontario since 1990. Linford’s involvement with the game in the Kitchener-Waterloo, ON area spans three decades.
\u200bLinford is the first Ontarian to be elected as CSA President in over 33 years since John Barnes.
\u200b\u0093I am honoured to be elected as the first CSA President with a four-year term,\u0094 stated Linford. \u0093I look forward to the challenges of hosting the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007 and to promote the sport to all Canadians.\u0094
\u200b\u0093I would also like to pay tribute to my predecessor Andy Sharpe who performed an exemplary job over the past four years.\u0094
\u200bIn other elections, Quebec Federation President, Dominic Maestracci, was elected to a two-year term as an additional Vice President. Maestracci has been involved in soccer in Canada since 1967 as a player, coach, referee, and administrator.
\u200bNewfoundland’s Angus Barrett, current Chair of the Competitions Committee and Futsal Committee, and Saskatchewan President, Rob Newman, were both elected as Directors-at-Large. Newman was elected to a two-year term while Barrett will serve a one-year term for this position.
\u200bCurrent Director: Professional and Montreal Impact Technical and Financial consultant, Nick Filippone, was re-elected to a two-year term.
\u200bMajor development
\u200bThe CSA Board of Directors yesterday unanimously passed a motion to confirm its desire to bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 and will present a letter of intent to FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter at the upcoming FIFA Congress in Munich on June 7, 2006.
\u200bIn recognition
\u200bLorraine Miller, long-serving CSA administrator, received the Aubrey Sanford award \u0096 recognizing her meritorious service to the cause of soccer in Canada \u0096 and no one could have been more deserving of this award than Miller. Miller has been involved with soccer in Canada since she started with the CSA in 1973.
\u200bThe President’s Award was presented to another long-serving member of the Canadian soccer fraternity. Dr. Rudy Gittens, CSA Medical Committee Chair and a member of the FIFA Medical Committee, was honoured by out-going CSA President, Andy Sharpe, for his tireless work toward promoting and developing soccer in Canada.
\u200bCSA Awards of Merit were given to Ontario’s Ed Grenda, Jim Pitfield, and Mary Dunleavy.