challenges players face in rising to the highest levels. However, it was his belief in player development that really set him apart. A lot of elite players are just concerned with elite sports, Varian said. Jason has a commit- ment and passion to develop the game at the grassroots level. He wants to rise the tide of the game in general. The 36-year-old de Vos views on player development were heav- ily influenced by two factors in his life his parents and his last pro- fessional club, Ipswich Town FC. De Vos played house league soccer until he was 11. He saw players with more natural ability who didnt progress as far in the sport as himself, simply because they did not have the same sup- port at home that he did. Thats a big aspect of it, and I want to educate parents how important their role is in develop- ing as a player and a person, he said. I was lucky to have a tremendous support network. My parents always knew when to knock me down a few pegs and when to pick me up and dust me off. From Ipswich, de Vos hopes to emulate the culture that existed at the club. From the parking attendant to the chairman, everyone treated you like family, he said. Thats what Id like here, a fun, enjoy- able place to learn soccer, not just for players but for coaches, refer- ees. If its fun and exciting, theyll want to come back for more. I want them to come in the door with a smile and leave with a smile, knowing they had fun and learned something. If they have fun and learn skills, the elite side of the game will take care of itself. If they enjoy it, they will work hard at it and they are going to be more success- ful. The problem de Vos sees in Canada is that too much atten- tion is paid to the small number of high-level players rather than the massive base of players at the recreational level. By shifting that focus, he says, a larger pool of highly-skilled players will eventually be created. Its a great opportunity, Varian said. Because we have such a large club, we can make a difference, I believe. 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e rs . c a MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS 39 Friday , N ovem ber 5, 2010 O A KVILLE BEA V ER w w w .o akvillebeaver .co m Skate Oakville sending bakers dozen to sectionals Thirteen skaters will represent Skate Oakville at this weekends BMO Skate Canada Central Ontario Sectional Championships in Midland. Jenna Rolland-Mills, Caroline DiBlasio, Merissa Lompart, Nicole Novokowsky, Emily Fox, Heather Martin, Claire Buechler, Jade Zeron, Ellen Mays, Megan Segeren, Samantha Heard, Daphne Boehmer and Emma Dinda will skate at the sectionals. For pre-juvenile and juvenile skaters, sectionals is the highest level of competi- tion. Top-four finishers in pre-novice, novice, junior and senior will advance to the BMO Skate Canada East/West Challenge Competition, a qualifier for the national and junior national champi- onships. Skate Oakville members are also preparing for the Snowflake Competition, when Oakville will host more than 400 skaters from clubs in the Metro West area of Central Ontario. That event is sched- uled for Jan. 23. Skate Oakvilles club competition will be held Feb. 27, when Skate Oakville members will showcase their talents against their fellow club members. SECTIONAL SKATERS: Thirteen Skate Oakville members will compete at this weekends BMO Skate Canada Central Ontario Sectional Championships in Midland. Though he captained teams from 2002 through to 2008, de Vos said it was not until his last couple of years with Ipswich that he realized the impact he could have in the role. Now, in his new position, de Vos just might be able to lead by example and help the Canadian Soccer Association achieve its player development goals nationwide. De Vos says supportive parents are key Continued from page 38