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Kevin Nagel Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 25 | Friday, May 6, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Para soccer team training in Oakville Coaches confident national team's No. 10 ranking will climb in future By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff The Canadian para soccer team was taking a break from a training session near Ottawa when the coaching staff walked past a neighbouring field. They watched as a 12-year-old dribbled past defenders and seemingly scored at will. "I think that kid has CP (cerebral palsy)," assistant coach Doug Lusk said to head coach Drew Ferguson. Sam Charron had tried to hide his disability for most of his life and to see him on the soccer pitch, you certainly wouldn't think he had one. But having worked with players with CP for years, Lusk had picked up a slight difference in the way Charron walked. The coaches introduced themselves to Charron and invited him to join the team next session. Charron was still three years away from the minimum age requirement to play in international events, but the Canadian coaches knew they'd found a future national team member. Last summer Charron, now 18, played in the ParaPan Am Games Eighteen-year-old Sam Charron is among a group of young players the Canadian para soccer team hopes will help the team improve on its No. 10 world ranking. The team is training at the Oakville Soccer Club until Sunday as it prepares for a qualifying tournament in Denmark. | photo courtesy Canadian Soccer Association in Toronto, where Canada was edged 2-1 by Venezuela in the bronze-medal game. "When I was a kid, I didn't want to show my disability," Charron said as the team prepared for its first workout in Oakville yesterday (Thursday) morning. "Now I'm embracing it. Not a lot of people get a chance to play for Canada." The Canadian national para soccer team, ranked 10th in the world, is training at the Oakville Soccer Club until Sunday as it prepares for a qualifying tournament in Denmark for the IFCPF International Cup. While preparation is the main purpose of the camp, the Canadian team is also looking to expand its pool of players and has moved its training camps around the country as it looks to expand its reach. Para soccer is open to players with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders, such as those recovering from a stroke or a traumatic brain injury. "In my hometown in B.C., we've had three players on the national team and that's from an organization of 400 players," Ferguson said. "There (are) probably six or seven people right now in the Oakville federation that are eligible to play." Though Ferguson keeps in touch with cerebral palsy sports organizations, recruitment of players remains a challenge. The coach has found national-team members working at the front desk while checking into a hotel, while walking across a university campus and even plucked one from the stands at a national-team game when he was spotted mimicking the keeper's movements. The players' backgrounds vary from recreational players to former professionals to talented athletes who were converted into soccer players. Trevor Stiles is a former professional keeper who played with the L.A. Galaxy. Since a severe concussion ended his career, he has become the Canadian team's most dangerous goal scorer. Derek Whitson has competed in two Paralympics with Canada's sledge hockey team, winning a bronze medal in Sochi. "Anyone who comes out here to see them will be amazed. You just see talented athletes. It's impressive," said Oakville Soccer Club executive director Dave Harris. "If we can help them compete for a championship, that's great. And with our Breaking Barriers program, it falls in with our core values here." Charron, who plays with the Cumberland Cobras in the Ontario Youth Soccer League, is part of a wave of young players -- eight of the 20 players at the camp are under the age of 20 -- the coaching staff hopes can carry the team to new heights. The Canadian team is coming off its second-best finish at the CPISRA World Championships, placing 10th last year. An overtime loss kept the Canadians from qualifying for the Paralympics in Rio this summer. "We're knocking on that door of being one of the top teams," Ferguson said. "We have a lot of young players. The next four or five years, we could be one of the top three or four in the world." "The more exposure the team gets, the more young kids we'll see coming out for the team," said Charron, who hopes to play Ontario university soccer next year. Ferguson said anyone interested in more information on Canada's para soccer program can email him at dferguson@canadasoccer.com. Today (Friday), the players will be visited by singer Alan Frew. The Glass Tiger front man and soccer fan who suffered a stroke last August. "Recovering from a stroke myself, their team spirit, positive attitude and playing of the beautiful game; despite having suffered the trauma and adversity of major health issues themselves, is nothing short of inspirational," the five-time Juno Award winner said in a Canadian Soccer Association release. Sr. B Titans win opener; Jr. B, C Buzz teams lose The Oakville Titans scored seven unanswered goals to seal a 14-5 win over the Wallaceburg Thrashers in their Ontario Sr. B Lacrosse season opener last Monday. Gage Board had three goals and Brett Ulbikas had five points for the Titans. Oakville built a 5-3 lead in the opening period and led 7-5 midway through the second but would extend that advantage to 10-5 before the end of the period. Reed Board, Todd Bloxam, Jon Mason and Brandon Slade each had a pair of goals for Oakville. Ulbikas had a goal and four assists. The Titans host Brooklin Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. · The Oakville Buzz dropped a 13-8 decision to the Brantford Warriors in a penalty-filled Ontario Jr. C Lacrosse season opener Sunday. Henry Follows scored three times and set Lacrosse wrap-up up two more and Marley Angus had five assists for the Buzz. Alexander Kew scored two. Oakville hosts Mimico Sunday, May 8 at Joshua's Creek Arenas. Game time is 2 p.m. · The Oakville Jr. B Buzz erased an early 3-0 deficit but the Mississauga Tomahawks held on for a 7-6 win on Monday. Nate Braniff and Yvon Bolduc had two goals each for the Buzz, with Jaden Walcot and Matt Anderson scoring once each and Adam Wolf adding three assists. Oakville, now 1-1, plays three games in three days. The Buzz hosts Brampton Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Joshua's Creek Arenas. Oakville then hits the road for games in Gloucester Saturday and Nepean Sunday. Members of the Oakville Gymnastics Club brought home many medals and ribbons from the recent provincial championships. Kathryn Doran qualified for nationals, the first club competitor to do that since 2012, while Hannah Gula will represent Ontario at the East Canadian championships. See story on page 26.| photo submitted