New Major League Soccer affiliate club to rebrand as Ottawa TFC
Toronto Football Club and the Ottawa-Cumberland Soccer announced a partnership today that will see the two organizations work closely together to build a model professional player pathway and soccer development partnership. Toronto FC will support Ottawa TFC as a regional satellite club, providing professional technical player and coaching development at the youth level. Ottawa TFC joins Windsor TFC and London TFC as exclusive youth affiliate clubs of Toronto FC.
“We are very excited to establish this partnership with Ottawa TFC,” said TFC Academy Director Anthony Capotosto. “It represents an opportunity to engage the soccer community in Ottawa and work with like-minded people who are interested in moving the game forward. We will work in collaboration with Ottawa TFC to provide the best possible experience for players, parents and coaches through an ongoing exchange of information and education to benefit everyone involved.”
Ottawa-Cumberland Soccer has a long history of representing the Ottawa community. With this partnership, Toronto FC and Ottawa TFC will work in collaboration to enhance all technical programming, including coaching development, sports science, methodology, curriculum development and provide a direct pathway for the highest achieving athletes to join the professional player pathway at TFC Academy.
“Our club is very excited at the opportunity to collaborate with Toronto FC” says Ottawa TFC’s president, Terry Vida. “Soccer development has no boundaries and Toronto FC’s coaching expertise will be a welcome addition to the player and coach development programs we currently provide.” Ottawa TFC has undergone significant change over the last year, with the amalgamation of Cumberland United and Capital United Soccer Clubs. This opportunity with Toronto FC will not only improve soccer for our club, but it will have a positive impact on soccer in Ottawa which is very exciting.”
The partnership between Toronto FC and Ottawa TFC will include development programs for players, with TFC coaches making multiple trips per year to Ottawa to provide coaching instruction and technical training. Ottawa TFC coaches will also make a number of trips per year to Toronto FC’s BMO Training Ground to observe and learn best practices from TFC’s staff.
“The more soccer that happens in our region the better,” said Mark Goudie, President and CEO of Ottawa Fury FC, Ottawa/Gatineau’s USL Championship professional club. “We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with our friends at TFC to help grow youth soccer together in Ottawa/Gatineau and we are excited for Cumberland-Capital United and their kids.”
