Cavalry, Wild FC both host weekend soccer with sport's attendance on upswing in Calgary
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For the first time in Calgary's storied sports history, professional soccer for both genders will be played in the city on the same weekend.
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Cavalry FC, the well-established Calgary men's side of the Canadian Premier League, suits up Saturday at Spruce Meadows.
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And Calgary Wild FC, the upstart crew of first-ever pro females representing YYC, take the pitch Sunday at McMahon Stadium.
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It seems footie on the big stage is, indeed, on the rise here.
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'It made me proud as a Calgarian to see the support Wild got for their home opener,' praised Cavalry GM/head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr., of the 8,556 fans on hand last Sunday for the Northern Super League debut at the grand ol' ball park.
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'It looked like a great event — watched the highlights,' continued Wheeldon, himself absent from the Wild kick-off due to travels with his own charges back from Halifax. 'And I look forward to catching a game there pretty soon as a fan.'
Many a Calgarian did catch that milestone moment, relishing what is hoped among the soccer community to be the next big step for the sport in a city which has been hot and — mostly — cold for its pro footie teams over the decades.
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Lately, that temperature has been on the rise with each passing year thanks to the success of Cavalry, which has seen its game attendance improve by 28% to a 4,500 per-game average since its kickoff in 2019 and ticking up towards 5,000 per match this year.
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Combined with the Wild being introduced to Calgarians with 8,500-plus in the stands of McMahon, it certainly means the appetite for soccer is continuing to grow around these parts.
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'Inspirational, yeah,' Wheeldon declared when asked what last Sunday's Wild game — and its draw of support — meant to the community.
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'We use the term a lot about, 'If you can see it, you can be it,' right? And you see that in a lot of the young groups that walk out with us on the pitch, to the club programs that we run, to the pathway that we have … and it's been great. We've been able to be aspirational pieces.
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That, of course, is to watch the men representing Calgary, who square off Saturday against visiting Pacific FC at ATCO Field (3:30 p.m., TSN2, OneSoccer.ca).
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