GO FOR IT: The Vaughan Italia Shooters are set to open their season May 15 with a fundraiser to aid those affected by the earthquake in Italy's Abruzzo region. (Courtesy Vaughan Italia Shooters)
Though Tony De Thomasis, owner of the local Canadian Soccer League squad, says the change might possibly hurt his noticeably younger team early on, he’s hoping his charges rise to the occasion when it matters most.
“This year I think we’ll start off slow,” De Thomasis said. “And the team will start getting better in August and September. Hopefully we’ll be gelling then.”
The average age of the Shooters this season is expected to be about 21, De Thomasis said. That’s considerably younger than last year’s squad, whose roster had an average age of around 28.
The team has purposely opted to have a younger team, hoping those players who have been selected will have fewer commitments and be able to suit up for the entire season.
A major problem last season, De Thomasis said, was that of the 40 players who were with the Shooters and its reserve team, almost half of them also played for a college or university club. When the latter portions of the regular season and the playoffs rolled around, many of those players were unavailable because of their commitments to post-secondary squads.
As a result, the Shooters are expected to begin the 2009 season with just two collegiate players.
“That way (the rest of them) can play the whole year for us,” De Thomasis said.
The Shooters are scheduled to kick off their ’09 campaign with a pre-season contest this weekend. The team will face the defending CSL champion Serbian White Eagles in the match set for 3 p.m. at North York’s Esther Shiner Stadium.
De Thomasis is pleased his side will commence its three-game exhibition schedule against the CSL playoff champs from a year ago.
“That will be a good lesson for them,” he said of his players.
The Shooters’ two other pre-season games will also be at Esther Shiner Stadium: versus North York Astros on May 2 at 1 p.m. and against the Brampton Lions on May 10, beginning at 3 p.m.
Despite their youthfulness, the Shooters, who play their home games at St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School, have plenty of players expected to provide some leadership this season.
Included in this lot is Camilo Benzi, who is entering his third season with the Shooters.
“He’s probably one of the best goalies in the league,” De Thomasis said, adding Benzi returned earlier this month following a one-month training program with a pro team in Chile.
Up front, the Shooters are expected to rely on strikers Jason De Thomasis — owner De Thomasis’s son — and Joey Todaro. The latter had spent five years playing and training in France before joining the Shooters’ organization last season.
Todaro only suited up for the Shooters’ reserve team last year because of work commitments.
Midfielder Samuel Hazan, who played for the Shooters earlier this decade, has rejoined the club. Hazan spent four years playing for a semi-pro team in Israel.
The Shooters will once again participate in the league’s four-team International Division. The grouping also includes the White Eagles, Toronto Croatia and Portugal FC.
The CSL also has a seven-squad National Division, featuring North York, Brampton, London City, St. Catharines Wolves, Windsor Border Stars, Trois-Rivières Attak and TFC Academy.
The Shooters’ season opener is set for May 15 versus the Attak at 8:15 p.m. That game will be preceded by the Shooters’ reserve team, the Woodbridge Strikers, taking on Brampton’s reserve squad. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m.
Free admission is being offered for both matches but spectators will be asked to make a donation.
De Thomasis, who was born in Italy, has decided to donate all proceeds from the games to a relief fund helping those who were affected by the earthquake in his homeland earlier this month.
“Our goal is to raise at least $10,000,” he said. “We hope it will be a lot more.”
