Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 62

Neighbors, April 2Sfi992 1 New league to showcase soccer stars II I i .1 mil 7 there is a large number of top calibre players in Alberta who can't get exposure to the professional ranks, without having a top notch league to play in. "We're hoping the AMSL will provide them with the exposure which may get them tryouts with professional teams in Canada." says Newman. Spoksmen for the five Edmonton teams, Edmonton ItaJ Canadian, Victoria, Edmonton Scottish, Edmonton Croatia and Edmonton Juventus, all seem pleased with the move and deny it will water down the still existing lYemier league. "There was a large gap between the top five teams in Premier and the bottom four, last season," says Juventus coach Nando Zenari. "Now, the league has moved the top teams from the first division up to Premier season named the winner and receiving the AMSL Trohpy.

There will be no playoffs. The second and third place teams will receive medals. "This format means every game will count in the standings which should add even more excitement," says Newman. The teams will still break to play a qualifying round for provincial playoffs, which will run separate from the league. At regular league games, Newman is hoping to provide a family atmosphere including barbecues prior to games.

"There will be an admission charge of $2 for adults at the games, which will be held at the local teams' home clubs in Edmonton," he says. "We'll be looking at different promotions to encourage support for the league as we go, but nothing is planned yet." which should balance out the play." He adds the top premier teams at the end of this year will have the option of challenging the bottom placed team in the AMSL for the right to play in the league next season. "The formation of the new league is a great thing," adds Zenari. "Players at this level will have to play every game at a high intensity level resulting in top quality soccer at every game." Victoria Soccer Club coach Brian Kice agrees ith Zenari. "The teams will now have to reach further," he says.

"It's a different realm of competition playing against Calgary and Lethbridge and there will be new challenges to overcome." The new league will play a full interlocking schedule with the top team at the end of the By JOHN MATHER Neighbors Sports Reporter And Melanle Ostopowich In an ongoing effort to cultivate a love of soccer with Kd-monton sports enthusiasts, the Alberta Major Soccer League has been formed. The league will take the top five teams from the Edmonton and District Soccer Association's Premier division and put them in a league with the top four from Calgary, and one Leth-bridge entry. "We feel players in Alberta have been shortchanged with the loss of professional soccer in the province and we want to turn that around," says league commissioner Adrian Newman. The new league will play a 90-game season beginning May Comissioner Adrian Newman 9 and have a break for a north vs. south all-star game in July in Red Deer.

Calling the new league a stop gap measure, Newman says IT Bullets. JFP; May 20. 26ers vs Athletics. JFP OH. May 21.

Athletics vs Tigers. Sh Pk Bullets vs Nicarao. Leduc; Angels vs 26ers. JFP. May 25.

Cubs vs Tigers. JFP; May 26. Nicarao vs Sharks. JFP OH; Tigers vs Bullets. St A.

May 27 Sharks vs Athlet'CS. JFP. May 28. Athletics vs Angeis Sh Pk. Bullets vs 26ers.

Leduc; Nicarao vs Cubs. JFP; Jun 1 Nicarao vs Athletics, JF DH. Jun 2. Tigers vs 26ers. St A.

Angels vs Sharks, JFP; Jun 3. Nicarao vs 26ers. JFP; Jun 4. Athletics vs Sharks. Sh Pk.

Bullets vs Angels Leduc; Cubs vs Tigers. JFP. Jun 8 Cubs vs Angels. JFP. Jun 9.

Tigers vs Nicarao. St A. 26erS vs Bullets. JFP; Jun 10, Nicarao vs Angels. JFP DH; Jun 11.

Athletics vs Cubs. Sh Pk. Bullets vs Tigers Leduc; Sharks vs 26ers. JFP. Jun 15.

Angels vs Bullets. JFP; Jun 16, Tigers vs Sharks, St A. 26erS vs Nicarao. JFP; Jun 17, Cubs vs Athletics JFP; v. i Love this game! V- BASEBALL Thhw St.

Albert Tigers. Edmonton 26ers. Leduc Bullets. Edmonton Nicaraguan Nicarao; Edmonton Blue Willow Angels; Sherwood Park Athletics. Edmonton Nicaraguan Sharks and Edmonton Cubs Regular games, seven innings in May nine in July.

August and playoffs, doubieheaders DH). seven innings he dull May 4, 26ers vs Angels, at John Fry Park; May 5. Tigers vs Athletics, at St. Albert; Cubs vs Bullets. JFP; May 6.

Sharks vs Nicarao. JFP May 7, Angels vs Nicarao. JFP. Athletics vs 26ers. Sherwood Park; Bullets vs Sharks.

Leduc; May 11, Nicarao vs Tigers. JFP; May 12. Tigers vs Cubs. St A. 26ers vs Sharks, JFP.

May 13. Angels vs Athletics. JFP; May 14. Athletics vs Nicarao. Sh Pk; Bullets vs Cubs.

Leduc; Sharks vs Angels. JFP; May 18 Sharks vs Cubs. JFP; May 19, Tigers vs Angels. St Nicarao vs Jun 18, Athletics vs Tigers, Sh Pk, Bullets vs 26ers, Leduc. Cubs vs Sharks.

JFP. Jun 22 Cubs vs Nicarao JFP. Jun 23. Tigers vs Bullets. St A.

Cubs vs 26ers JFP; Jun 24. Angels vs 26ers. JFP; Jun 25. Open. Sn pk.

Bullets vs Athletics. Leduc Angeis vs Tigers JFP. Jun 29 26ers vs Tigers. JFP; Jun 30. Tigers vs Nicarao St A.

Sharks vs Bullets. JFP DH. Jul 1 Nicarao vs Cubs, JFP; Jul 2. Athletic vs Sharks. Sh Pk.

Bullets vs Angeis. Leduc. 26ers vs Cubs. JFP; Jul 6 Angels vs Cubs. JFP OH: Jul 7, Tigers vs Angeis.

St A. 26ers vs Nicarao. JFP; Jul 8 Sharks vs Tigers. JFP DH: Jul 9. Athletics vs Bullets Sh Pk DH; Open.

Leduc: Cubs vs Sharks. JFP; Jul 13 Angels vs Athletics. JFP: Jul 14. Tigers vs 26ers. St A.

Cubs vs Bullets. JFP; Jul 15. Sharks vs Angels, JFP. Jul 16. Athletics vs Cubs.

Sh Pk; Bullets vs Nicarao, Leduc: 26ers vs Sharks. JFP. Ten-year-old Jason Treit takes a cut at the ball while playing a pick up game of tennis with his sister, Sarah, at the Walterdale Tennis Courts. Mild weather over the long Easter weekend brought lots of recreational athletes outdoors after several months of winter. L'fnsi PETER TAYIORNeighbors AMSL title Nando Zenari, had his squad finish fifth in the Premier division last season and expects the team to be middle of the pack this year.

"We're going with youth this season," he says. "I've brought a lot of players up from the Juvenile ranks, but those teams have been strong over the past few years." Ital finished second in the Premier last year behind the Edmonton Scottish. While Ital won the northern segment of the Alberta Cup, and the Dragoon Cup, Traficante doesn't underestimate the competition from the south. "Lethbridge will be a young team, but the Calgary Dinos went to nationals last year so they'll be tough." He adds the Calgary Foothills has a good mix of young and older players, providing a good balance which should make it an interesting fight for the first place in the AMSL. 428-1234 Ital seeking By JOHN MATHER Neighbors Sports Reporter If it's a really good season, Edmonton Ital Canadians soccer coach Mike Traficante feels his team has a good chance to win the first Alberta Major Soccer League crown.

"There are some good teams in this league with about five of them having really good shots at the title," he says. "If we play perfectly for almost every game, we have a good chance at winning." Realistically, he feels the Canadians will finish somewhere in the top four. Victoria coach Brian Evans says he'll have a younger team, but still expects to provide a good show. "We have a good meld of young, strong players this season. They may be a little green, but still, I'm fairly optimistic." Edmonton Juventus coach.

A i r-" Laying down a perfect one PETER TAYoRNdghta- St. Albert Tiger hopeful Russ Colombe puts down a bunt during spring practice at St. Albert's Legion Park. Colombe is one of several hopefuls trying to catch the approval of Tiger manager Lome Ross and stay with the senior squad in the Sunburst Baseball League this year. Tigers being regular season play May 5.

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