A decision by the Ontario Soccer Association aimed at denying Ontario-based teams the right to play in the Premier Development League likely won’t have an impact on the Thunder Bay Chill.
General manager John Marrello confirmed the team, which has played in the PDL since 2000, received a letter from the sport's provincial governing body informing them of the decision to not allow Ontario teams to play in the 63-team circuit beyond 2016. The story was first reported by canadiansoccernews.com.
“But we also received a call from the OSA president advising that we would not be affected by this as they realize that our distance to southern Ontario would be an issue,” Marrello said in a text message received on Thursday evening.
“And by that I think he means with the teams from southern Ontario traveling to us.”
At present there are six Canadian teams playing in the PDL, four of which play in Ontario, a group that also includes Forest City London, Toronto FC Academy and the reigning champion Kitchener-Waterloo United FC.
A year ago, the OSA launched League 1 Ontario, a standards-based, high-performance senior league that currently features a dozen men’s teams and seven women’s team. The OSA also oversees a secondary development league that includes teams in the under-13, 14 and 15 age groups, with plans to add 16- and 17-year-olds by 2017.
According to the letter, a copy of which is posted at ontariosoccer.net, the OSA wants the Ontario-based teams in the PDL to consider joining League 1 Ontario to be a part of the province’s player talent pathway.
“Based on the above,” says OSA executive director Johnny Misely, author of the letter, “I wish to also confirm that starting in 2017, the OSA will recognize League 1 Ontario as the only senior men’s and women’s high performance league and as a result we will not be approving playing out privileges to the PDL as we have done in the past. In 2016, the OSA will support playing out requests until that time.”
According to OSA rules, teams need permission to play out of district.
Marrello said most of the League 1 teams are situated in the Greater Toronto Area.
“There is a team from Windsor, but none from Ottawa or Northern Ontario. The league runs from April to September, which makes for a different model than what the PDL is. So (I’m) not sure what the Ontario teams would do to attract college players as they need to leave in early August,” he said.
The Chill also rely on a heavy influx of import players, while League 1 Ontario has strict limits on the number of out-of-country players allowed on a roster.
Marrello said the Chill, the 2008 PDL champions, have no plans to change leagues, and it probably won't be an issue going forward.
“I don’t think that we will be prevented from playing in the PDL in the future, but London, Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo may be unless they can convince the OSA otherwise.”
