By Abayomi Charles Roberts in Edmonton, Canada.
Edmonton Leone Stars will play in the First Division of the 2012 outdoor league organized by The Edmonton District Soccer Association, after finishing second in Division Two this year. This was confirmed at an award ceremony attended by about 50 women’s and men’s teams from various divisions, pools and tiers. It was a Banquet and Wall of Fame Induction hosted by EDSA at the Shaw Conference Centre in downtown Edmonton on Saturday October 15, 2011.
Leone Stars’ squad of mostly Sierra Leonean players won nine of its 14 matches; drew two and lost only three games. It was a fine finish because the eventual champions Ajax FC registered just a single point more than Edmonton Leone Stars. In the final tally, Leone Stars had 29 while Ajax scored 30 points. On marksmanship, Leone Stars fared just as well: Mohamed Jawara was on target nine times while his team mates Momo Cooper and Damian Marah netted seven goals apiece. The team scored 49 goals in the entire campaign, its defence allowing only 18 balls to beat the keeper.
"Having come this far, our target is the EDSA Premier League and ultimately the big stage of Major League Soccer," said Team Manager Foday Samura as he expressed his aspirations in a chat with The Patriotic Vanguard ahead of the award ceremony. Head Coach Amidu Kamara was also upbeat , personally acknowledging the time and effort put in by the players. "As former players we know, as officials we fully appreciate what it means to volunteer on a regular basis in competitive sport." Coach Amidu Kamara said.
Edmonton Leone Stars was founded by Sierra Leoneans living in Edmonton. It is named after Sierra Leone’s national football team ‘Leone Stars.’ Edmonton Leone Stars, as a soccer club, is open to everyone, regardless of nationality. The team started in Division Four when it registered with EDSA about six years ago. In October 2009, Edmonton Leone Stars were promoted to Division Two after finishing first in their Division Three pool.
The current squad comprises: Captain Kelvin Kamara, Goalkeepers Nicholas Okinczyc and Edvaldo Cuteta, Damian Marah,
Momo Cooper, Mzee Mateso, Harrison Collier, Foday Kanneh, Adolphus Oldfield, Theodore, Kowai, Emmanuel Noonoo, Derek Walker, Josephus Lacan, Alimamy Samura, Ansu Marah, Abdul Koroma, , Mohamed Azhar, ,Theodore Kowai, Mohamed Jawara, Mohamed Bangura Ibrahim Keita, Gibril Koroma, Jacob Tamba, David Isaac, Shole Macarthy, Deenie Ibrahim. The Secretary is Mustapha Turay while Prince Thorpe is the Auditor.
EDSA, founded in 1909, has been growing steadily. This year it inducted four personalities into the EDSA Wall of Fame; making it official that same evening at the Awards Banquet. Dave Ganter, Referee; Danny Lo, Builder; Anita Saiko, Player; and Andy Takuts also a Player, were each honoured for having respectively made outstanding contributions to soccer in the city of Edmonton.
Sponsors of The Edmonton District Soccer Association which featured at the awards banquet are Adidas, United Cycle, Outlaws Roadhouse and Pizza 73.
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