BRAMPTONDIXIELIONS
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A GREAT DAY FOR SOCCER ACROSS CANADA, AS A BRIDGE HAS BEEN BUILT
BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR SOCCER - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!

The Brampton Lions of The Canadian Soccer League and The Dixie Soccer Club are
proud to announce a formal structured affiliation agreement. The purpose of this
affiliation is to create a full cycle development program and playing opportunities for both
Clubs and their members. Both Clubs will work together and support each other through
numerous innovative initiatives and programs to enhance player development and to
create a broader profile of both entities in the soccer community and leverage the
synergies and resources of the two Clubs. The over all goal is to create a development
system and program that will allow players to develop to their full potential with the goal
of being able to place players in some of the highest levels of soccer.

The Canadian Soccer League (CSL) is Canada’s only professional league and is a
continuation of earlier leagues, the National Soccer League (NSL), the Canadian
National Soccer League (CNSL) and the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL),
going back more than 80 years.

The Dixie Soccer Club is the oldest club in Mississauga being founded in 1968. It is one
of the most successful youth Clubs in the Province with numerous Ontario Cups and
National Championships to its credit.

Brampton will continue to operate the First Division Team. Dixie will enter its current U21
team The Dixie Blue Devils into the CSL Reserve Division on behalf of Brampton. The
Reserve Team will now be called the Brampton-Dixie Lions. The Reserve Division Team
will be used as a feeder and development team for the First Division team and provide
an opportunity to work with and develop a greater number of players. Dixie will also have
a U21 team in The Ontario Soccer League. This team will be used as a feeder and
development team for the Second Division Team.    

The Lions First Division team will continue to be coached by Armando Costa who will
also continue as Director of Soccer Operations for The Lions. Armando’s credentials
both as a player and coach span over forty years and are extremely impressive. Armando
will lend considerable mentorship, tutelage and support to Dixie’s coaches raising the
already high coaching standards Dixie is known for.

Dixie and Brampton will organize and run summer soccer camps starting July 20th and
running through to August 21st. The camps will be 1 week each in duration and run
Mondays to Fridays from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Training will be under the direction of
Armando Costa with many First Division players providing support. Another major
development initiative will be the start of a “Soccer School of Excellence” which will
provide a complete structured development program for serious soccer players. These
are only a few of the initiatives that are planned to allow players to develop to their
maximum potential.

Both Clubs realize that with a pioneer project like this there are bound to be some bumps
on the road ahead. Dixie and Brampton are and will be working closely with all the
governing bodies of soccer such as the OSA, CSA, PHSA, OSL and the CSL just to name
a few. The goal goes beyond the long term player development of just the two Clubs but
the entire region. As Armando Costa puts it “just imagine if the initiative was to be
followed by all the other clubs, then we could be talking about the master plan of player
development that Canada needs, in my opinion this is the model to follow, if both Youth
and League clubs share the vision”. The Clubs are hoping that this affiliation fosters in a
new era and spirit of working together collectively as a soccer community. It truly is time
to break down the barriers and hurdles between Clubs, Leagues, and Associations, and
understand we are all collectively the soccer community and need to work together as a
community.         

For further information please contact:

Lino Almeida - President of Dixie Soccer Club at 905-896-1579 or at
linoalmeida@rogers.com

Phil Ionadi - Director of Business Operations for the Brampton Lions FC at
416-564-6120 or pionadi@bramptonlionsfc.ca
BRAMPTON LIONS FC AND DIXIE SOCCER CLUB AFFILIATE
2009-03-29