Posts Tagged ‘The Ringleaders’

On The Street

We made a Labor Day Week End into what we do best; The Ringleaders laced up their “boots” and hit the “pitch”. Well, not exactly… We laced up our “indoor shoes” and hit the “concrete” instead!

Our good friend Malick Touré invited us to a 3 x 3 street soccer tournament he hosted in conjunction with the Can You Rock?! graffiti jam.

I marched to the “parking lot” along with Bart, Luca and Nasser. It was the first time since high school, in my case, that I hadn’t played competitive on concrete. It opened a vault of memories I tell ya…

Although we had a difficult time finding the back of the net, we executed some really good plays and our communication was flawless . By the third qualifying match, we found our rhythm and really felt like a unite. We were short of points in order to pass the group. But all in all, it was a great day and one that makes me think… we should be playing on the street more often. It’s a great way to develop a sweet first touch, and be able to pass more swiftly, especially for one-two’s.

Nasser… welcome to the RFC;)

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Filed under Club Updates, Events, News, RFC : Comments (4) : Sep 6th, 2010 | by Angelo

Dr. Football portrait launch with interview!

Today we launch the second portrait for the club, as we feature Athanasio Destounis, also known as Dr. Football. Loved by all, Thanasi is one of the pioneer members of the RFC. We wish him a good recovery as he injured his knee last December. He gave his word he’ll be back but for now, let’s get into the mind of Dr. Football. A very big thank you to Patterson as The Ringleaders Portrait Series continues.

1. Before The Ringleaders, you were part of the original Off The Hook FC in 2003. How was that experience and why did the team disperse?

Yes I was a part of the Off The Hook FC, and at the beginning the idea was great. We formed a team with our friends and family, simply in reminiscence of our playing days. For me it was sort of a comeback to the Montreal soccer scene. It felt good playing with my brothers and friends. But there was something missing. The league that we joined was too good for us and it was difficult to keep a lot of guys motivated. So we had to fill up the roster with better players that didn’t really care about the team. It’s a mix that never works. I remember playing those games and it was like a battle every week. I would come home bruised up after every single game. The challenge was good but we played many games with only 6 to 7 players. We gave up after 3 seasons…



2. You were the 3rd member to join The Ringleaders, how did that come together, and what was your involvement?

I am very close with my brother Angelo. We share the same passion for the sport. I think soccer gives us a balance in life. After Off The Hook FC dispersed we really had nowhere to play. I joined senior teams a bit everywhere in Montreal. That kept me busy and in shape. One day Angelo came to me and told me that there’s a few guys in his industry that play soccer and that are looking for a team. He seemed really positive and excited. He asked me to join as a player with a bit of a leading role, due to my experience and my skills. So my responsibility in the RFC is to make sure that all members feel a part of the team, and that everyone understands the essence of the game. It’s important to have good energy so we can keep the team spirit intact. To be honest I have played in a few clubs in Montreal and I only felt good with the RFC and with my youth club in Brossard. There aren’t many senior teams out there like the RFC.

3. So who is Dr. Football and what is his role in The Ringleaders?

Dr. Football is a nickname that Angelo came up with accidently. Briefly, I have a bachelor in kinesiology (study of the human body in exercise) and a masters in exercise physiology (how the body works inside during exercise). My purpose was to train soccer players and learn the most I can about soccer fitness. Obviously, what I was learning in school all those years was difficult to explain to our family members….so Angelo would break it down to them as a “doctor for football”…My role with The Ringleaders is as a fitness trainer. I am always ready to help a member of our club that needs help to train better, eat better etc…

4. Let’s go back in history. When and why did you start playing soccer?

I don’t remember when I started playing, so that means I started very early!!! I remember my cousin George who was my idol growing up. He used to be a great soccer player and his passion for the game was contagious. As a kid I was a sore loser, so I had to be better. I needed to impress him. But I can’t explain why I love soccer. Everything about it fascinates me. The grass, the field, the stadiums, the fans, the rhythm of the game, the passing, the dribbling, scoring a goal… it all drives me nuts. I recall sitting with Angelo getting glimps of highlights of Greek soccer on the news every sunday afternoon. Those little 5 minute reports would make us dream for days, because back then there was no soccer on TV. It was beautiful.

5. What was your greatest achievement as a youth coming up in the soccer ranks?

I played every day since I was 4 or 5 years old. I joined a team when I was 12. After my first game in house league, the Inter City team called me to play with them. After a few games with the Inter City of my category, they called me up to play in the older Inter City team. The year after I made the Brossard AAA squad. I was really lucky because we had an amazing generation of players coming up. We rarely lost games or tournaments. We joined tourneys everywhere in the USA and even in France and Holland. We always looked good and surprised many since we were from Canada. But my biggest accomplishment was winning the U-17 Canadian National Championship with 0 goals against!!! In 4 games I scored 3 goals and caused the penalty shot that lead us to the finals. It was great because it was moments spent with a fantastic group of players. Most of us have a tattoo to remind us of the experience. Unforgettable!!!

6. You graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiologie and a Masters in Exercise Physiology, which takes about 5 years.
How important is science to soccer and what is it about?

When you do research, you are looking for the truth. Science means absolut truth. When you are studying science of soccer, you are doing experiments that tell you certain realities. Science is essential to soccer because it makes players train better, upgrading the level of efficiency. The game becomes faster and more exciting. I have been to science and soccer congresses all over the world and its amazing how much soccer is studied. Science study in soccer is many years ahead and more advanced than other sports such as hockey, baseball or basketball… Soccer Clubs invest a lot of money in universities for them to better their soccer.

7. Let’s flip it here. Who is you favorite soccer player and why?

I am a fan of Maradona obviously because of his superior skill level. There is no human alive that has matched his technical soccer skills. I also respect him for his anarchy side. But one of my all time favorite players is definitely Carlos Valderama. He is a master player. He controls the whole game with one touch passing. I always wanted to play like him….every ball played would pass through him first and he would rarely lose possession. I admire him. Very fun to watch. Youtube him trust me.

8. Why hasn’t Canada succeeded in international soccer?

I believe the main reason is that we have no professional league. With no professional league we lose a lot of talented young players. After 16 years old, kids in Canada have nowhere to go. Plus with no professional league, we have no professional coaches or trainers. You can’t expect volunteer parents to develop youth players. Plus Canada still plays football from the 60s. Kick and run is over, done. Get over it, it doesn’t work.

9. You obviously love football. Which team (besides The Ringleaders) do you support and why?

I am an Olympiakos supporter. It has been my team since I was 5 years old. My whole family supports Olympiakos (my cousin George obviously). I grew up dreaming that I will play professional with them. My uncle blessed me when I was a boy and brought me to a game. It was amazing. Since I live in Montreal, so I definitely support my local Montreal Impact team. They do a good job and I don’t miss a game.

10. What is your absolute greatest memory as a player? as supporter? as a scientist? as a witness?

As a player winning the U-17 Canadian National Championship. As a supporter, when Greece won the Euro Cup 2004. As a scientist, when I went to my first European College of Sport Science congress. I met Dr. Jens Bangsbo (Juventus trainer), I also met the Bayern Munich trainers. Quite Impressive. As a witness, I’d have to say this little kid Massimo I coached at an elementary school. This boy was 6 years old, but he handle the ball like Roberto Baggio. Before getting the ball, he looked for the space, then dribbled his way there, and then found the open teammate. I’ll never forget that kid.

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Filed under Club Updates, Photography, RFC : Comments (0) : Aug 24th, 2010 | by admin

Week 14 -The Gold Rush 2010

Division 5 written by Angelo

A crucial match and a much needed victory here. Because after today, there’s only one game left, and we must make the playoffs. So we marched to the Soccerplex very positive and confident that we can get our 3 points.

Coach Maillet was present for the occasion and had a perfect game plan set up. And it all seemed too real as the whistle blew. Right from the kick off, Edwin sent a ridiculous splitting ball to Davis, which to his surprise, put him one-on-one against the Footballers’s goalkeeper. The ball went wide, but a great break with only a few seconds in the game! It felt good so we kept pressing!

The Ringleaders had an amazing first half. Bart was really on his game, considering the fact that he party all night dancing till the early morning. Black was first on the ball, with some fluid exchanges in the midfield, Rob, Ian, Edwin, Raj… some lovely footwork indeed. The “D” line was also implicated in the program, as Bobby, Nick and Patterson took some great runs and placed good attacks in their efforts to support the mids.

The offensive line was super charged, but caught offside on almost every play! It was quite frustrating as we disagreed with the referee, but we stayed humble and played on.

Right before half time, Dan Marrett took a great shot from outside the box, and with all that rain, hitting it low and clever he did. The keeper stopped it, and JB was unlucky on his rebound to finish. A big opportunity for The Ringleaders, but the scored stayed 0-0 at the break.

The tactics switched for the 2nd half, as coach Maillet insisted on the importance of scoring a goal. Hence, we played with 3 defensemen in the back. Fatigue however, creeped up like a uninvited guest. The Footballers FC came out aggressive, with a more suicidal kick-and-go kind of style. That meant we had to run up and down over and over again.

One thing for sure, as Davis mentioned in the car on the way to the pitch, is that he hadn’t scored a goal while Thanasi (aka Dr. Football) is present at our games. Tonight was no different I’m afraid. Our top scorer couldn’t find the back of the net. We must break that curse and we will damn it!

Time was running out, and still no luck; 0-0 with only a few minutes left. We must say every RFCer was on top of his game and in full form. With coach Maillet directing on the side lines, delegating on positioning and substitutions, we stayed organized till the end.

A memorable exchange between Jonas and I. Early in the 2nd half, after the Footballers sent a long ball (you guessed it), Jonas miss judged it as it bounced over his head and kept on going. Don’t forget the rain was on and off, and on turf, that’s most likely to happen often. But I read the play and made it back on time, heading the ball clear and out for a corner. Well, it was Jonas’s turn to save me. With only seconds to go, a long ball again, catching me off guard, let our opponents on a break away. I ran as fast as I could, nervous and embarrassed, and as it seemed like the heart breaker was to happen, Jonas pulled a miracle save, coming out to the edge of his box grabbing the ball from underneath his opponent and clearing the danger.

I was in bed, and even though the game ended 0-0, I was still smiling, thinking about that save.

(Jonas, Patterson, Morgan, Angelo, Bobby, Nick (c), Edwin, Rob, Bart, Victor, Marrett, Ian, JB, Naz, Davis, Raj were The Ringleaders today)

*Luca didn’t make it. He thought we were scheduled for Sunday.


Footballers FC 0-0 The Ringleaders
*Man of the Match: Jonas

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Filed under Club Updates, Match programme, RFC : Comments (0) : Aug 21st, 2010 | by admin

The Gold Rush 2010

You nailed this one Johnny, good job!!! I’m still mad at you for not showing up on Tuesday pick up. Man, we haven’t seen you since the indoor season. He he he…

What is THE GOLD RUSH 2010? Well, it’s the name of our summer season campaign. You see, starting this season and from now on, every season will have a new slogan. Why? Because the family is growing, the objectives are growing, the players are growing, the ideas are growing, the love for the sport is growing, everything is growing. Hummel provided some beautiful uniforms for The Ringleaders and the name came from the golden chevrons along side the jersey and shorts. Also cause Red Dead Redemption came out and I’m kind of obsessed with the show Deadwood. With soccer being the fastest growing sport in North America, lot’s of people are jumping on the bandwagon. So beware of all the phonies, and keep it real. Love this sport with all your heart and don’t let no one take it away from you.

Hummel presents : THE GOLD RUSH from SHOT BY JFK on Vimeo.

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Filed under Club Updates, News, RFC, Video : Comments (5) : Aug 17th, 2010 | by Angelo

Know?Show soccer match!

To brief you on this event, The KNOW?SHOW is Canada’s Premiere Lifestyle Tradeshow. So for business, I’m heading to Vancouver along with Harry to meet people and look at some new lines and stuff. Our homey Nick Brown from Lifetime Collective is organizing an industry soccer match. I’m quite honored to be a part of it, as The Ringleaders will be there to represent. That includes Raj Mehra, Ian Kennedy and Jesse Bowden!

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Filed under Club Updates, Events, Fashion : Comments (1) : Aug 9th, 2010 | by Angelo

Action Shots From Our Pick Up Tuesdays

Over the past few weeks, The Ringleaders are playing quicker and faster. You will rarely see a dead ball like this one I promise. We play 3 touches maximum. That means you must keep your head up at all time, receive, control and pass/or shoot. Three options in less that 2 seconds really…

Mr. Robert Fox on the corner kick.

Max Desjardins here pulling a quick turn in the midfield. He often drives quite a distance to make it out to practice. It’s always a pleasure to witness his brilliance on the pitch.

Standing in the middle of the action there (in white) is our most recent discovery. A gentleman both on and off the pitch, Eric Lamoureux has brought enormous stability in the defense. Standing next to him is Bart Graziana, the man that needs no introduction. If you look up on the header of this website, well that’s Bart… he’s very popular, especially with our Sunday league referees;)

Vincent Tsang was on fire last night. Keep up the good work little man. You can call him Wu Tsang if you’d like.

Bobby Destounis has made much progress in the past few months. His anger is well managed as he is in full control of his emotions. In this case, Rob might of pushed it too far.

After an explosive winter season, Edwin Tubb (on the right) is finally hitting the back of the net. His vision of the game and positive work ethic has brought much success in our midfield.

The RFC’s injury list will drop in numbers soon enough. A hopeful Jesse Bowden received some positive news last night, as we might see him on the pitch in less that 6 weeks. Don’t forget Jesse scored the very first goal of the Winter 2009/2010 season, but withdrew early from the squad due to a knee injury. We send our regards and best wishes to Thanasi, Julien, Marie-Claude, and Nasser (standing next to Jesse) for a speedy recovery as well.

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Filed under Club Updates : Comments (2) : Jul 28th, 2010 | by Angelo

Manchester City vs New York Red Bulls

This new cell phone technology always comes in handy when you need it. RFC Midfielder Robert Fox skipped the game this week end to a much deserved break. The one sporting the #34 jersey has played many consecutive matches for The Ringleaders, and after suffering a hard hit into the ribs last week, Rob made his way to the New Red Bull Arena in order to support his beloved Manchester City. Yes he loves them, I can co-sign that, he emails me all the time talking mad shit about how good they will be this upcoming season.

Rob also added in the group email how much he thanked Dan Marrett for the tickets.

Seems like Rob was almost on the bench.

Through an email again, I believe Rob mentioned how he got the chance to chat with Toure. How wonderful.

See you at the “Maximum 3-Touches” practice tonight.

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Filed under Club Updates : Comments (0) : Jul 27th, 2010 | by Angelo

Week 12 -The Gold Rush 2010

As Bart Graziana returns to the starting line up this week, he also has another match programme for us. The second edition of his “Maradona” dedicates comes at the right time, as Diego accepted the 4 year offer with the AFA. During tonight’s 3-touch practice, The Ringleaders will prepare for their match against the last place Panthers. The much aggressive opponent will have revenge on their mind due to their previous lost of 5-2 to the RFC, so stay tuned for more.

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Filed under Club Updates : Comments (3) : Jul 27th, 2010 | by admin

Week 4 – The Gold Rush 2010

Division 5 by Angelo

After a long 2 week break, The Ringleaders were back on the pitch. Everything felt right, the weather wasn’t the greatest and the pitch slippery as usual. We couldn’t get the ball right either…

From the kick off whistle, we rarely lost control. All positions were maintained and we followed our game plan till the end. At the 12th minute, a lob shot from Footballers FC midfielder beat Jonas, who with the sun in his eyes, had absolutely no chance of saving it. “We just get scored unexpected goals all the time. Like we don’t see them coming…” said RFC forward Jb.

As a player that holds the center defense, we honestly don’t make that many mistakes. But this season so far, feels like we pay for each and every one of them.

The Ringleaders did something I will never forget. Before the match, the boys made an amazing gift of a varsity custom Ringleaders Letterman jacket with my name on it. I got very emotional hahahaha!!! So at the start of the 2nd half, Footballers FC launched an attack through the middle, that left me and the forward with the ball. In an attempt to clear the play, I felt like I did a legal shoulder to shoulder contact for the action. The referee thought otherwise, as he whistled for a penalty. I didn’t argue but told the Ref how I felt. Deep down inside, I knew Jonas would save the penalty shot so I zipped my mouth, and watched him save the ball.

At still 1-0 down, we kept the pressure. Clearing the back, handling the middle and pressing forward. I’d say Ian was outstanding, and definitely the man of the match. He was everywhere, always first on the ball, with an offensive pulse, and had 3 good chances to score. Hats off Mr. Kennedy.

The Ringleaders had a great opportunity to tie the match, as Ian got a corner kick to the 2nd post, where Jeremie aka Big Nou beat his marker and headed the ball just a few inches of the net. “I was just a little too far from the goal, I should of headed to the front of the net, but thought I had a chance to score” said Big Nou.

With less than 10 minutes to go, Footballers FC scored their 2nd goal and sealed the deal.

The Ringleaders marched off the field with their heads up. It’s early in the season, and we believe we can turn things around.

Next match is Sunday, June 13th at 11am. Stay tuned.

(Jonas, Patterson, Paul, Angelo, Jano, Kevin, Luca, Edwin, Max, Yvan, Jackson, Ian, JB, Bart, Naz, Sirois, Big Nou were The Ringleaders today)

***
By Dr. Football…


Footballers FC 2-0 The Ringleaders
*Man of the Match: Ian

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Filed under Club Updates, Match programme, RFC : Comments (0) : Jun 2nd, 2010 | by admin

Week 2 – The Gold Rush 2010

With two matches this week end and only one day to rest, we needed some changes in the line up. The depth of our squad is so important, and everyone was in shape today. Also, showing up early allowed us to talk strategy, properly stretch and get a good run in.

The RFC defense was very well organized today, and had proper exchanges with the midfielders. We opened up the match and made the Panthers run after the ball. We cracked open their back line many times. As Edwin scored his very first goal for the RFC, off a free kick, completely lobbing the goalkeeper and giving us the lead at half time.

In the second half, Max played a majestic role in the midfield, finding Raj, Sirois, Bart and Naz on many occasions. At one point, 2-3 passes in 3-4 seconds and Bart was alone against the Keeper, missing the goal by inches, after Raj blew out the complete back line.

Even though the RFC defense played a much flawless and clean game, the Panthers got one chance and capitalized after Angelo failed to clear the ball. A messy scrambling play in front of our Keeper Gian Carlo, saving the first shot but no chance on the second. The match ended a 1-1 tie.

Next match is Sunday, May 23rd at 1pm. Stay tuned.

(Gian Carlos, Patterson, Paul, Angelo, Jano, Laurent, Morgan, Max, Vince, Marrett, Jonas, Arcadio, Davis, Sirois, Bart, Naz, Raj, Edwin were The Ringleaders today)

***
Vincent Tsang has immensely progressed since joining the RFC in the spring of 2009. He’s matured, translating his street style into more organized play, but yet keeping it real with a raw approach to the ball. Keep it up young lad. The Ringleaders is for the babies. This is is second match programme for the club.


Panthers 1-1 Ringleaders (Edwin)
*Man of the Match: Patterson

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Filed under Club Updates, Match programme, RFC : Comments (1) : May 16th, 2010 | by admin

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