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Ais8 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, JuIy 28, 2006 SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LeBLANC e-mail sleblanc@haltonsearch.com FieId-building coach beloved by players By Herb Garbutt CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF H e dtdn't hear any voices whispering from his corn field, but Dave Saliha hult it anyway. Like Ray Kinsella, who built a basebail field in his Iowa corn field in the movie Field of Dreams, Saliba gets a few odd looks when he schedules exhibition games or soccer prac- tices at his rural Milton farm. It's flot easy to get fields to practice on. Everyone says, 'You can teach rhem to play' soccer in an open field, but how do you teach someone ro score without a net?" he 1«& J,î * explained. "So 1 thought,T111 put a field here.' It's lined, L marked, the whole works." Saliba's team bas been using the field to squeeze in 2 extra practices for two years. But building a regulanion- size pitch to iselp his ream ro practice on isn't even near the top of the list wben ir cornes to, why bis players hike playing for Saliba. "He always tells us when we do a good job and be's the best coach 1 have ever had," said Becca Hinton, who plays on Saliba's Milton girls Under- 12 select soccer team. lt's Saliba's dedication to flot ont>' helping bis players improve but to, make sure the>' have fun doing it that's earned him July's Champion Coach of the Montb honour. It's bard to argue witb Saliba's success. Since assembling a select team from bouse league players, tise squad bas entered five toumaments, winming three and reacising tise final in the other two. One of tbose victories cost Saliba bis hair after be promnised to let tbe team sbave bis bead if tise>' won tbe tour- nament. But victories are only part of tise equation. "Some people can get too, serious wben tbey're trying to build a competitive team," Saliba said. '<ou can't lose sigbt of what it's ail about. Tbey have to have fun or tbey'll leave." And tbe players are isaving fun. Olten after practice, the team stays for pool parties or barbecues. Saliba says he couldn't do it alone. His wife Debisie, who manages the ream, and assistant coachs Todd Carey are equal- ly important. "My wife doe ail thse bookinga. 1 can't even work a comn- puter," be admitted. "Todd runs aIl the drills. I look after thse tecbnical aspect of tise game and then Todd cornes up with tisese wild drills to, belp tbem. practice." The end result is tbat tise players have improved tbeir skills. "Tbey've ail improved. It's flot like two or tbree have becomne superstars to inake the teamn better. There used to be a lot of cisasing the bail around. Now tisey're more of a com- plete team, with more passing. When they're domng that tise> can compete against anyone. " And in tise eyes of bis players, tbey have an edge on the competition - their coachs. GR.AHAM RAINE/I CANADIAN CHAMPION POPULAR COACH: Feeling right at home - literally - on the soccer field, Dave Saliba is July's Champion Coach of the Month. Bantamn girls make Ontario Gamnes Holding boutie dîivefimdraiserfor thp this weekend It rook a lîtie longer than expected, tournament in Burlington earlier this but tise Milton bantamn girls basebali montis that solidified Multon's berth. teamn is isesded for tise Ontario Games. With five games sciseduled in two Part of tise Central Ontario Girls days to determine wiso will play in tise Basebail League, tise team got medai round, Milton's manager, word iast week that it wouid be Anme McColi, says tbe tram's one of tbe six squads vying for pitching deptis will be crucial. tise cisampionsisip at the < ' 1 "Almost ail of our girls can Ontario Games in Ottawa pitcb," she said. "We can reiy August 9 to 13. The outcome on pretty mucis il of the 13 of two toumnaments plus tbe "'girls." resuits of the first six regular season McColl said the teamas iitting - games determined tise entries for the whicis bas improved greatly tisis season toumnanent. However, because of tise - will also be a strengts, adding, 'Tise number of rainours this season, it took isitting bas corne aiong immensel." many teams longer ro get those six Many of tise players have been play- games in. ing together since t-hall, although tise' Guelps, Burlington, Birchmount, do have three new players tisis summer. North York and Annsette round out tise McColi said tise team is isoping to entries. It was a semnifinal finish at a make tise semnifinals and from tisere, it will only take one victory to secure a medal. Finding out so late thar tsey'd be iseading ro Ottawa, tise players are now doing some intense fundraising to, ielp offset tise costs. Tise>' collected $1 ,000 last weekend and wili have a bottle drive this weekerrd. They'1l be colleer- ing between Ontario Street and Wilson Street and Main Street and Steeles Avenue. Pickups can be arranged b>' e- maiing mgba@sympatico.ca. Members of tise Ontario Games ream are: Shels> DeSousa, Amber Goulding, Sarahs Kingdon, Desiree Malone, Robyn McColl, Toni Pickering, Meg Rector, Natasha Thurston, Sarais Todorski, Stephanie Triscisier, Rebecca Triscisier, Allison Wallis, Jo>' Wicks, head coacis Jeif McCoil and assistants Terry Malone, Zenon Todorski and Arden Rector. Hwy 401 -18-holc Championsbip Golf Cours e Divig Range and Praric Facilit> S Dem~ RdI. e Loncd Lounge and Bar t~ aw s Golf Tournarnents -< weddings and Receptions a Private and Corporate Funcuions L Moda to 1ursda>' :1 - Early Bird (weekdays bdfo.8:30a.) $50 ep Twiliht (everyday afier 4:Opm) $ *WeekcndaG!ridy o S.d aHuida $75 COSS ND Y CLUB