The Canadian Premier League (a professional soccer/football league exclusive to Canada) recently announced the addition of a 9th team for this upcoming 2026 season. Today, the team, proudly named FC Supra (after a former professional Montreal, Quebec team with a strong heritage in the sport), announced that open tryouts will be held in November (approximately a month from today). This is my journey, currently at 46 years of age, to become an official player within the team. This is Day 1!
Family
Family, like most people where I’m from (i.e., Montreal, Quebec, Canada), is everything to me. This is why I’m documenting my journey… Because they (particularly my wonderful wife & daughters) deserve all of the credit in the world for supporting me in the pursuit of a life-long passion that requires a considerable & consistent time commitment to excel in. Also, my children will one day (maybe soon) read this and hopefully take away some valuable lessons on how it’s never too late to better yourself and THRIVE in the spirit of possibility.
But as I write this, it’s a bittersweet moment. Yesterday, a close friend (more of a family member, really) that we cared deeply about, unfortunately & suddenly passed. He was a positive, loving force in his family’s life (and ours, and I anticipate that of several others, as well). Manny will always remain in my heart as a kind, poised, and intelligent person who appreciated the importance of a powerful foundation in everything an individual does. So, in honor of him, I’m going to be approaching this journey in that manner.
Foundation
While a healthy base now needs to be formed (and while, admittedly, I took a pause from the sport for several years), it’s literally since the announcement of FC Supra’s creation/inclusion that I decided to effectively try out. But at 46 years of age (currently), there are naturally some challenges up ahead. Still, it’s nothing that hard work can’t resolve. So, I need to work harder than the other candidates. I need to be more meticulous in my approach. And I need to remember who I am, or, rather, who I was.
Soccer was my life as a child. At 5 years of age, I joined a house league (you know, playing various teams on the same pitch/field, weekly). I enjoyed being part of a group of kids that looked out for one another. And the interactions alone taught me a great deal about how being part of a whole is as vitally important as independent actions. With that said, I’m also grateful for having had parents who awarded me with complete freedom to practice alone in our driveway, where I regularly used the side wall to quickly return my passes/kicks. Outside of school/studying, I spent seemingly countless hours in our front, back, and side yard… simply juggling a ball with my feet, knees, head, and shoulders as well.
Competitive Soccer
This somewhat brings me to today — full circle. Day 1 is about going back to my roots, remembering the past, the passion. But it’s also about embracing an unwritten future, and everything in between. Because, you see, I continued to regularly play competitive soccer/football well into my adult years. Even when I stopped playing in regional leagues (which began in my early teens, or just prior, and lasted until my late teens), I started organizing my own clubs (embracing the roles of player, scout, coach, and manager [INCLUDING sponsorship manager]) in private leagues reminiscent of the house leagues I previously played in as a child (albeit ranging from 5 versus 5 to 7 versus 7).
In my final year of college (a bit after regular league play and forming my own teams), I felt privileged to make the varsity team; I had never tried out before then, but the time seemed right. I was also lucky enough to be a starter, but what stood out for me the most were the times we scrimmaged during practice, often with graduated players of the team. One eventually became the first Canadian to ever play in the Serie A (i.e., Italy’s premier professional soccer league, and arguably the best soccer league in the world at that specific time), alongside the legendary Roberto Baggio, no less! But other great players were there, too; guys that had reached physical maturity and likely peaked in their confidence levels. And yet, we held our own — while having fun.
This camaraderie, following the theme of my family-first approach, is what, beginning today, will form the foundation for all future actions associated with my trial. I’m not going to dwell on age, because, let’s face it, I may in fact be the oldest guy in the entire league if I qualify. Rather, I will be relying heavily on my love for those closest to me, my friendships of the past, present, and future, and, of course, the example I set for my girls as a father, husband, and potential player of FC Supra.
Little, Big Mario
I’m obviously necessary as a driving factor in that formula, and not just where my skills and instincts are concerned. The richness of my childhood, the wealth of knowledge I’ve acquired since then, and my current (wiser) mindset need to mesh to form a Mario capable of achieving a higher level of athleticism beyond, not only what I had previously experienced, but one that will match even the most well-rounded players in the CPL.
I’m relatively built, having had a lengthy background in muscle-building (including a slight obsession with natural bodybuilding)… so, I shouldn’t have a problem handling tough tackles (along with the occasional shoulder charge). And I know I can get in shape in terms of fitness (since I am a personal trainer, after all)… so quick sprints/turns should feel quite natural… even at my age. It’s just a matter of putting in the hours now. I’ve got about a month to become FC Supra worthy. Oh, and I bought new shoes and shin guards yesterday!!!
Soccer Training Gear
I purchased the Viralto 3 by Kipsta (a brand by Decathlon) soccer cleats (for synthetic grass, since that’s what most of my training leading up to the tryouts will be conducted on) along with the Viralto 500 shinguards. The shoes have high-end features, yet are very affordable relative to those of other companies… plus, they’re aesthetically stunning, in my opinion. As a side-note, though, unless you’re trying them out in-store, I’d recommend going with a full size bigger than what you’re used to; most of the complaints within their online reviews seem to indirectly (or directly) point this out. Doing so, therefore, should enable them to fit like a glove, as they say.
PS: Today’s (and likely tomorrow’s) training update will be posted to this soccer blog tomorrow (i.e., October 10th, 2025).