Episode 9 - End of the Summer 2025 - Start of 2026

Sanford Carabin

Welcome back everyone to Directors Corner, Ontario Soccer Weekly—your spot for key updates and some hopefully helpful perspective on what’s new and what’s next for Ontario clubs. I'm Sanford Carabin, and today, we’ve got quite a bit packed in—so, let’s get right into it.

Sanford Carabin

First off: as you know, In Ontario, the transition from the grassroots pathway to competitive and OPDL pathways has undergone a significant change in the past few months. This is something we addressed last episode with the grassroots standards shift. Hence, with the adaption of the NEW Canada Soccer Grassroots standards, several age group game formats have now been adjusted. Probably the most discussed age is the U13s.

Sanford Carabin

Starting this indoor season, U13 players will now play 9 v 9 soccer instead of 11 v 11 soccer. Along with this change, Ontario soccer initially discontinued the i model competition at U13 in favour of a district level competition as well as an OPDL level competition. However, at the end of September, the Ontario Soccer Board reversed its initial decision and reinstated i model competition at U13 for the 2026 summer season. Some may say the timing has not proven to be favourable to families for decision making purposes.

Sanford Carabin

Speaking of new competitions, Ontario Soccer has extended its registration for teams in its inaugural season of the Ontario Soccer Futsal League. The season will run from January to April 2026 with all matches held at the 360 Soccer Centre (7551 Jane Street in Vaughan. The cost to register is a $500 non-refundable fee that will serve as both a deposit and registration fee.

Sanford Carabin

In a major step toward inclusivity, FIFA has released the Disability Football Toolkit — a comprehensive resource designed to make the game more accessible for players of all abilities. Developed under FIFA’s Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination department, the toolkit offers practical guidance for clubs, coaches, and organizations to promote participation among people with disabilities around the world.The initiative reinforces FIFA’s commitment to ensuring football truly is for everyone, regardless of ability. You can find the Toolkit and additional All Abilities Soccer resources now available on the Ontario Soccer website.

Sanford Carabin

Quick update for clubs and their aspiring refs: Ontario Soccer is opening up Match Official Accreditation Clinics this fall. Two big reasons to jump in now. One—running a fall intake means you’ll expand your referee pool in time for winter indoor programs. Two—Canada Soccer is raising the price of the mandatory SmarterU online modules for the Entry Level Course from $30 to $50 on January 1, 2026.

Sanford Carabin

Clubs interested in hosting a clinic can find the application details on the ontario soccer website

Sanford Carabin

Next up, As clubs finalize their team rosters, a reminder has been issued for all OPDL programs: players will not be permitted to play down in age from U18 (2008) to U17 (2009), from U17 (2009) to U16 (2010), or from U16 (2010) to U15 (2011).

Sanford Carabin

Now, if you’ve got a player who’s playing up an age group, or if they’re playing down but don’t fall into one of those restricted categories, those cases can still be submitted through the official link provided by Ontario Soccer. At this stage, those play-down requests are considered tentative approvals and must be resubmitted closer to the season with the proper medical documentation.

Sanford Carabin

Ok.....time to pivot and begin our technology AI segment — where we explore the innovations shaping how soccer clubs work, think, and connect. Each episode, we’ll highlight technology tools that save time, boost creativity, and bring data-driven precision to everyday club operations.

Sanford Carabin

First up, For Technical Directors looking to elevate their coach education programs, one of the most practical and innovative tools to emerge recently is the Plaud Notepin. Priced around $150, this small, wireless audio recorder clips discreetly to a coach’s shirt and captures every moment of a session—without the hassle of cables or complex setup.

Sanford Carabin

I have recently tested this on field and whether it’s a game or a training session, the Notepin record's all verbal interactions, giving clubs a powerful way to analyze coaching communication and engagement.The true value of the Plaud Notepin lies in its companion app. Once the session is complete, you can upload the audio and automatically generate a transcript and summary, breaking down what was said, when, and how often.

Sanford Carabin

For Technical Directors, this means turning raw session dialogue into structured feedback profiles—perfect for identifying trends in coach communication, tone, and instructional habits. It’s an efficient and evidence-based way to support ongoing professional development, aligning beautifully with modern coaching standards.

Sanford Carabin

Beyond the field, the device is equally useful for coaches’ meetings and board discussions. It can record entire conversations, transcribe them, and even highlight next steps or follow-up actions automatically. In short, the Plaud Notepin simplifies both performance analysis and organizational communication, offering a unified platform to capture, reflect, and improve.

Sanford Carabin

Next up...for Soccer organizations looking to elevate their online presence, I recommend opening a Google Gemini account, its free, and utilize Google’s new Nano Bananas program — an AI-powered image generator that produces clean, consistent, professional-grade headshots in minutes.

Sanford Carabin

By uploading a few clear reference photos of each board member or staff person, clubs can prompt the system to create studio-style portraits with matching lighting, background color, and framing — perfect for websites, press kits, or social media. It’s a fast, affordable way to give every profile a polished, professional look without the need for a full-scale photoshoot.

Sanford Carabin

Finally, for those currently using Chat GPT, a huge game changer has just been announced this past week Chat GPT, can now be integrated with popular apps like Canva, Coursera, and more. For about twenty dollars a month, soccer organizations can design newsletters, flyers, and social media graphics right inside the Chat GPT platform. Pair it with your free Canva account, and what used to take hours can now be done in minutes. It’s a simple, affordable step that can modernize your club’s entire communication strategy and free up valuable time to focus on what matters most—developing players and supporting coaches.

Sanford Carabin

OK, that's it for Technology this week. To wrap things up, let’s turn to a few quick hits:

Sanford Carabin

First up, if your organization is planning on attending next years United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia between January 14 and 17th, 2026, registration is now open. I have secured a discount code on convention registration that will give you the $395 rate on general admission until November 25. The Discount Code is D U K T I G C V 26

Sanford Carabin

Next, if your a female team between U16 and U18 looking for showcase opportunities this year, the FC Durham Girl's College Bound Showcase is currently open for registrations. The showcase will take place in Oshawa with the U16 age group on December 7-8, the U17 age group December 9-10, and the U18 age group on December 11th and 12th. Visit FC durham .ca for more details.

Sanford Carabin

As the OPDL season winds down, If your looking to take in the finals this year, the trillium divisions will be contested on the weekend of October 18 and 19th with the Premier divisions finals on October 25th and 26th. All game will be at the Ontario Soccer Centre location.

Sanford Carabin

Finally, to wrap up, here’s a quick update on recent senior appointments, announcements and open positions across Ontario.

Sanford Carabin

Congratulations to Oakville Soccer Club, who have appointed Carl Horton as their new Director of competitive programs. Kudos as well to Markham Soccer Club on securing Georgio Trikkas as their new Technical Director.

Sanford Carabin

there are still several senior vacancies available across the province, including: Milton Magic, currently recruiting for a Boys Technical Director; Toronto High Park, seeking a Manager of Development and Competitive Programs and Scrosoppi SC, looking for a Technical Director to lead their player development structure.

Sanford Carabin

Finally It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Bill Kizovski, General Manager of Aurora Soccer Club. Bill was a dedicated leader whose passion for the game and commitment to his community left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of working alongside him.His leadership, integrity, and care for players, coaches, and families helped shape the culture of Aurora SC and the broader Ontario soccer community. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.Our thoughts are with Bill’s family, friends, and the entire Aurora Soccer Club community during this difficult time.

Sanford Carabin

That wraps up this episode of The Directors corner Podcast. Whether you’re managing a grassroots program or leading a professional environment, the landscape keeps evolving—and so should we. Thanks for tuning in, and as always, stay curious, stay connected, and keep building better soccer from the top down.