More than 100 soccer players from around the world have converged on Calgary this week at the Macron Performance Centre for Cavalry FC’s open trials.
All are under the watchful eye of head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and his staff.
On Thursday, they selected the best 22 players, who will be around for Friday’s scrimmage.
The rest will make their way home.
Wheeldon says it’s all about trying to find a diamond in the rough.
“We get thousands of emails and requests each day,” he said.
“What we want to do is create an experience and an opportunity that, if (you’re) serious about it, you’ve got our time. We’ve got the way we do things, and the rest is up to you.”
Pursuing a dream
Deen Dyop, 28, travelled all the way from Belgium for the open trials.
He says it’s all about getting the chance to pursue his dream.
“My dream is to become a professional football player. In Belgium, I didn’t make it. But I think here in Canada I can make it,” he said.
Never give up
Pedro Marinelli, 23, is from Brazil but now lives in Vancouver.
He was actually here for the first Cavalry open trials seven years ago.
He didn’t make it to the final day back then, but he did this time around.
Marinelli says he’ll never forget the message Wheeldon had for him back then.
“I went pretty far, but I think I had a lot to grow still,” he said.
“The coach said something that really stuck with me about not giving up through hardships and trying to find opportunities. The opportunities will be there—just don’t give up.”
Dream to play for Cavalry FC
Ian Ferguson, 21, travelled from Kingston, Ont., to the open trials.
He also did enough to make it through to Friday.
Ferguson says he would love to one day sign a contract with Cavalry.
“That’s what we play for,” he said.
“That’s why I’ve been playing my whole life. I love this sport, and that’s why I’ve been playing.
“If I had that opportunity to keep playing into the late 20s, I mean, not many people get to do that, especially under a contract with a professional club. ... That would be a dream come true.”
Getting noticed
Even though it didn’t work out for some of these players this time around, Wheeldon says to never give up—you never know when you might get noticed.
“It’s like popcorn,” he said.
“Same ingredients, same temperature, but everything pops at different times.”
