Alberta Major Soccer League

Alberta Major Soccer League
Founded 1991
First season 1991 (1992 for women's)
Country Canada
Confederation CONCACAF
Number of teams 8
Level on pyramid 4
Promotion to No
Relegation to Local Tier 1 Senior Leagues
Domestic cup(s) Canadian National Challenge Cup
League cup(s) Mike Traficante Challenge Cup
Current champions Edmonton Scottish
(June–August)
Website www.albertamsl.com

The Alberta Major Soccer League (AMSL) is the highest level of amateur soccer in Alberta. It is roughly level 4 on the Canadian soccer pyramid although levels below 3 are not formally designated by the Canadian Soccer Association. The champions of the League Cup, renamed the Mike Traficante Challenge Cup in 2008, go on to compete in the national senior men's and women's championships.

Overview

Founded in 1991, the AMSL consists of two divisions, the Men's Division of eight teams and the Women's Division of eight (the Women's Division was added in 1992). Every year since the league's founding, the champions of the league have gone on to compete for the Canadian National Challenge Cup (men) and the Jubilee Shield (women).

The AMSL is operated by the Alberta Soccer Association (ASA), the provincial governing body for soccer in Alberta. This has been at times a problematic arrangement, but it has stood up for the time that the league has been in existence. The various district associations in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Red Deer fulfill some of the administrative functions that would normally be handled by such a league, and this has led to rules being interpreted differently for different teams in the same league. Districts other than Edmonton and Calgary can use their entire men's or woman's league program as "reserve teams". Calgary and Edmonton clubs are expected to field reserve teams in the local tier 1 senior leagues. The teams to be entered into the AMSL for the following season shall be based on previous season league results and relegation-promotion games, unless accepted as an expansion team. Teams wishing to withdraw or enter the league must notify the ASA in writing before November 15 of each year and attend the fall planning meeting on the last weekend in November.[1]

Mike Traficante Challenge Cup

This is a competition whereby the top 3 teams north (Edmonton, Red Deer, etc.) and south (Calgary, Lethbridge, etc.) compete for the League Cup. It has had various formats including south and north group winners advancing to a one-game final and seeded groups (based on league standings) with group winners advancing to a 1-game final. The League Cup cannot be challenged for by non-AMSL members even though it designates the Alberta Provincial Champion and Canadian National Challenge Cup representative. [1] With 4 of the most populous of the 18 districts having teams in the AMSL; however, the majority of the soccer players in the province are represented.[2]

Teams

Overall yearly results

Gender Men's Women's
Year League Cup Canadian National Challenge Cup League Cup Jubilee Shield[3]
1992Edmonton Ital Canadians??Edmonton Scottish Runner Up
1993Edmonton Ital Canadians??Edmonton Ital Canadians Runner UpEdmonton International
1994Edmonton Scottish??Edmonton Ital Canadians ChampionsEdmonton International
1995Edmonton Victoria????Edmonton AngelsEdmonton Angels Champions
1996Calgary Dinosaurs????Edmonton AngelsCalgary Dinos[4]
1997Edmonton Victoria??Edmonton Ital Canadians ChampionsEdmonton Angels
1998Calgary Callies??Calgary Dinosaurs 3rd PlaceEdmonton Inter AzzurriEdmonton Inter Azzurri 4th
1999Calgary CalliesCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies ChampionsEdmonton Inter AzzurriEdmonton Angels Champions
2000Calgary CalliesCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies 4th PlaceEdmonton AngelsEdmonton Angels Champions
2001Calgary Dinosaurs??Edmonton Victoria 4th PlaceEdmonton Victoria
2002Calgary CalliesEdmonton ScottishCalgary Callies 4th PlaceEdmonton VictoriaFC Calgary Saints
2003Edmonton ScottishCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies ChampionsCalgary Saints
2004Calgary Callies[5]Calgary CalliesCalgary Callies 9th PlaceEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria Champions
2005Calgary CalliesEdmonton Green & GoldEdmonton Green & Gold - Runner Up Calgary Dinos 3rdEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria Champions
2006Calgary CalliesCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies Runner UpEdmonton NW UnitedCalgary Dinos[4]Calgary Dinos
2007Calgary CalliesCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies ChampionsFC Calgary SaintsEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria 3rd
2008Calgary CalliesCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies ChampionsEdmonton NW UnitedEdmonton NW UnitedEdmonton NW United 5th
2009Edmonton ScottishCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies 4th PlaceEdmonton NW UnitedEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria Champions
2010Calgary DinosaursCalgary DinosaursCalgary Dinosaurs 5th PlaceEdmonton AngelsEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria Runner Up
2011Calgary DinosaursEdmonton Green & GoldEdmonton Green & Gold 8th PlaceEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria 4th
2012Edmonton ScottishEdmonton ScottishEdmonton Scottish Runner UpEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton AngelsEdmonton Angels 7th
2013Edmonton ScottishEdmonton ScottishEdmonton Scottish 7thEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria Champions
2014Lethbridge FCCalgary CalliesCalgary Callies Runner UpEdmonton NW UnitedEdmonton VictoriaEdmonton Victoria Champions

Sources:[3][6][7][8]

Note: In 1999 and 2000 the Calgary Callies played as Calgary Celtic SFC. [7]

The Canadian National Club Championships qualifiers are done on a geographic basis with each provincial association sending a representative to the tournament; therefore, in stronger or more populous provinces it can be harder to win the provincial championship and qualify than it is to win the national tournament. Given the costs of travel, accommodations, and time off work nationals are a big commitment which ever province teams come from. In 2012 the Edmonton Angels missed out on qualifying for the 3-4th and 5-6th games by one goal on a goals for tiebreaker. They finished the 2012 tournament with a 7-1 thrashing on St John's Holy Cross.

Clubs

There have been a number of changes with the Alberta Soccer Association and also to the AMSL in 2011. With the addition of FC Edmonton to the Alberta soccer system their reserve team will be playing an exhibition schedule with 7 of the 8 AMSL teams.[9]

The Calgary Dinosaurs and Edmonton Green and Gold are affiliated with the summer CIS soccer programs for the University of Calgary and University of Alberta respectively.[10][11] A number of alumni typically play on these teams as well.

Clubs that have competed in the Alberta Major Soccer League

Club Years
Edmonton Drillers2007–10
Edmonton Knights of Columbus Trojans2007–09
Edmonton Green & Gold2002? – present
Edmonton Scottish2002? – present
Edmonton Croatia Dinamo2011 – present
Edmonton Victoria2004 – present
Calgary Caledonian (Callies)1998? – present
Calgary Dinosaurs2002? – present
Calgary Villains Elite2002? – present
Calgary PARS2009–10
Calgary Darts2010
Red Deer Renegades2005–08
Lethbridge FC2007? – present
FC Edmonton ReservesExhibition 2011–12

Source[7] and [9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  2. ↑ Canada. "Alberta Soccer Association - Home". Albertasoccer.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  3. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 5, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Kimberly, Todd (6 September 2006). "Calgary sweeps the trophy table Callies and Dinos are off to Surrey as Alberta champs". The Calgary Herald.
  5. ↑ "Callies Club Awards". www.calgarycallies.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  6. ↑ "History". Canada Soccer. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  7. 1 2 3 "Alberta Soccer Association - Home". Albertasoccer.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  8. ↑ "Archive of League Champions". www.albertamsl.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Alberta Major Soccer League". Itsportsnet.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  10. ↑ "Golden Bears Soccer Progam [sic] - University of Alberta". Greenandgoldsoccer.ualberta.ca. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  11. ↑ "Schools enter soccer offseason training". Calgaryjournal.ca. 2012-11-21. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
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