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Calgary Herald
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Cavalry, Wild FC both host weekend soccer with sport's attendance on upswing in Calgary
Article content 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. Article content Cavalry FC, the well-established Calgary men's side of the Canadian Premier League, suits up Saturday at Spruce Meadows. Article content And Calgary Wild FC, the upstart crew of first-ever pro females representing YYC, take the pitch Sunday at McMahon Stadium. Article content Article content It seems footie on the big stage is, indeed, on the rise here. Article content Article content '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. Article content '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. Article content 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. Article content Article content 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. Article content Article content 'Inspirational, yeah,' Wheeldon declared when asked what last Sunday's Wild game — and its draw of support — meant to the community. Article content '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. Article content 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,
Calgary Herald
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Canadian Championship kick-off 'a great distraction' for struggling Cavalry FC
Article content A reboot is needed for struggling Cavalry FC. Article content Being winless through three matches to start the Canadian Premier League season certainly wasn't the vision of the defending playoff kings. Article content So bring on the TELUS Canadian Championship, with a chance to change the channel and start anew for the Calgary's professional men's footie side in Canada's domestic soccer tournament. Article content Article content 'Freshness is what's needed,' said Cavalry GM/head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr., ahead of Tuesday night's 'Battle of the North' opener with visiting Edmonton Scottish United SC at ATCO Field (7 p.m., OneSoccer, Article content Article content 'We've seen it every year where there's patches of results and you're like, 'That just didn't go our way,'' continued Wheeldon. 'That's football. It's sports. It's life. And that's what we've said to lads. It's a terrific bunch of footballers that just need a bit of mental reboot. Article content 'And this Canadian Championship is a great distraction.' Article content The Can Champ — nicknamed the 'Battle of the North' — is the country's domestic soccer tournament held annually and contested by Canadian professional and — now — semi-pro teams. Article content Article content The winner is awarded the Voyageurs Cup and a berth in next year's Concacaf Champions Cup. Article content Article content It's an event run by the Canadian Soccer Association to crown a champion among pro and semi-pro teams across the nation, no matter what league they play in.
Calgary Herald
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Cavalry FC's Marco Carducci aids testicular cancer cause with meatball pizza partnership
Article content Marco Carducci is back saving balls for Cavalry FC. Article content Then there's the veteran goalkeeper's other gig — that is saving balls for Calgary's male population, as a voice and high-profile face for Oneball, a local charity focused on supporting the battle against testicular cancer through funding, research and awareness. Article content One begets the other in his mission to be a proud Calgarian. Article content Article content 'After my testicular cancer diagnosis a few years ago, I have been working with Oneball,' Carducci said. 'I've partnered up with the Italian Centre Shop — great friends of ours there — and we've put together what's called Marco's Meatball Pizza. Article content Article content 'You can find the pun in that. I'll leave it as it is.' Article content But supporters can take it and bake it at home or enjoy the tasty pizza at the store's cafe in Willow Park, at 9919 Fairmount Dr. S.E. in Calgary. Article content Marco's Meatball Pizza is on sale for $17 for a limited time from April 23-30, with proceeds from each wheel sold going to Oneball. The goalie himself can't eat too many of the delicious works named after him, because that might interfere with his on-field professional job, which continues Saturday when Atlético Ottawa (2W-0L-1D) visits Carducci and Cavalry (0-1-1) for a Canadian Premier League match at ATCO Field (3 p.m., TSN3, Article content And it's a game the Cavs certainly want to win given their 0-fer-start to the CPL campaign. Article content Article content 'It's a long season — we know it is,' said Carducci, whose club dropped a 2-1 battle with arch-rival Forge FC in the season opener in Hamilton and then drew 1-1 last Friday night with Vancouver FC in the home opener at Spruce Meadows. Article content 'Yeah … our first games obviously didn't go the way we wanted,' continued Carducci. 'But we've been here before, and we're excited again to play in front of our fans.' Article content They've been down this road before many times early in the CPL schedule. Article content So that's why there's no worries at this point — no panic at all — in still searching out a first league win on the season. Article content To quote Cavalry's GM/head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr., 'It's a marathon — not a sprint.' Article content And being an original member of Cavalry, the superstar 'keeper and captain embraces that advice better than anyone else. Article content 'I think it's a matter of we have that chemistry and we have an understanding of what this team is about and what makes this team tick — not just on the field but off it and culturally,' Carducci said. 'I think that's a big piece, right? We obviously lost some key pieces in Daan (Klomp) and Charlie (Trafford), but we've been able to keep a big core group of guys, right? And then we added some really good pieces, as well.
