The Ontario Soccer Association announced last night that they were moving ahead with sanctioning the new division three league, League1 Ontario.
League1 has been designed as a next step high performance outlet in the LTPD pathway. Players in the U-23 age group will make up the core the league's players, although the OSA notes that this will not be an exclusively U-23 league.
“By piloting League1, we are able to address the needs of even more athletes in our Talented Pathway,” OSA President Ron Smale said. “With the launch of the OPDL in 2014 for the younger age groups, League1 Ontario provides a great complement for athletes graduating from the youth soccer ranks and whose developmental and competitive needs are not currently met. League1 Ontario will also serve as an excellent competitive platform for University and College athletes in CIS, CCAA and NCAA.”
The OSA has repeatedly said that they would only be sanctioning one division three league. Which, with yesterday's announcement, closes another door for Canadian Soccer League and their hope for sanctioning in 2014.
In March, the CSL won a ruling from the SDRCC to uphold sanctioning by the CSA in 2013. The SDRCC ruled, at that time, the CSA sanctioning of the CSL would run out on Feb. 13, 2014, rather than Feb. 13, 2013.
Clubs interested in more information on League1 can attend an information meeting on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in the Canada Room at the Ontario Soccer Centre.
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