Canadian Soccer Association National Championships Nutrilite All Stars Kickoff

The 2011 Canadian Soccer Association National Championships Nutrilite All Stars competitions will kick off Tuesday, 19 July and run through Saturday, 23 July. The week-long competition will feature many of Canada’s bright young footballers at the U-15 and U-16 levels.

This year’s U-15/U-16 Boys tournament, hosted in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Federation, will be held in Mount Pearl, NL. The matches will be played across three venues including; King George V Park, Middle Smallwood, and Upper Smallwood. 

During the same week, the U-15/U-16 Girls tournament, hosted in partnership with the Ontario Soccer Association, will be played in Hamilton, ON. The matches will be played across three venues including; Ron Joyce Stadium, Alumni Field, and Olympic Sports Park-Dundas.

The 2011 National Championships Nutrilite All Stars features a new format for this year’s competition. The U-14 Boys and Girls competitions are now regionalized to provide focus on the development aspect of the game. The U-15 and U-16 Boys and Girls National Championships will each host six teams divided in two groups and result in National standings. In order to achieve this six-team tournament roster, the four Atlantic provinces have combined to form Team Atlantic and Manitoba and Saskatchewan have combined to form a single team, Team MB/SK.

Canada’s national coaches will be in attendance scouting the up-and-coming talent at all four competitions. In Hamilton, visiting coaches include Women’s U-17 team head coach Bryan Rosenfeld and U-15 head coach Dave Benning. In Mount Pearl / St. John’s, visiting coaches include Men’s U-17 team head coach Sean Fleming and U-15 head coach Ray Clark.

Coaches and team directors from across Canada, including those from clubs, Canadian universities and colleges, are also encouraged to attend the Nutrilite All Stars in both Ontario and Newfoundland Labrador.

In all, 431 footballers will take part in the 2011 Nutrilite All Stars. The U-16 competitions feature players born in 1995; the U-15 competitions feature players born in 1996. Of note, girls born in 1995 or later are eligible for the next FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2012; boys born in 1996 or later are eligible for the next FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2013.

"Amway Canada’s Nutrilite brand is a proud supporter of the Canadian Soccer Association," said Lydia Ayora, National Marketing Manager, Amway Canada. "From our title sponsorship of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship and the Nutrilite All Stars, to our involvement in the men’s and women’s national teams, and the title sponsorship of Nutrilite Active Start Soccer Fests, Amway is involved at all levels of Canadian soccer. We are proud to be associated with the Canadian Soccer Association and look forward to continuing our shared commitment to helping people live better lives."

"The Canadian Soccer Association National Championships Nutrilite All Stars bring together Canada’s best young players and provides them an opportunity to test themselves against the best of their peers on the national level," said Dr. Dominic Maestracci, President, Canadian Soccer Association. "This new format plays a unique role in the development of soccer in Canada as it serves as a great talent identification platform for our national team coaches while offering an unforgettable sporting experience to all the participants."

The 2011 National Championships feature the Nutrilite All Stars Boys and Girls competitions from 19-23 July and the Club Championships from 5-10 October. Through 12 competitions in five venues, the National Championships will welcome nearly 3,000 players, staff and officials in July and October. The National Championships is the umbrella tournament for Canada’s premier amateur competitions, from the senior level Challenge Trophy and Jubilee Trophy competitions down to the U-14 youth levels.