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Bringing more fun to the soccer world

Adam Bishop leads new executive for Corner Brook Men’s Senior Soccer League

STEPHEN ROBERTS stephen.roberts@saltwire.com WEST COAST WIRE stephen.roberts@saltwire.com

Adam Bishop wants to build a sense of camaraderie in the west coast men’s soccer world. Bishop is the new president of the Corner Brook Men’s Senior Soccer League. He assumed the role with a newly elected executive in April.

While this is his first role on the executive, Bishop hopes to build on his prior experience as a player who has participated in men’s rec leagues around the world — Scotland, England, the United States, the Bahamas and France — and apply what he learned in those situations to the local league.

One of the things he noted is that after every match, in those places, everybody goes out for a drink together.

“I really want that concept to the men’s league here locally,” he tells West Coast Wire.

One of the things Bishop is looking at doing is bringing back an end of season awards dinner.

“When I played in the senior league as a teenager, we used to have an awards ceremony at the end of every year, so that’s something we’re trying to bring back to build the camaraderie, a little more solidarity with the clubs,” he says.

Bishop also wants to host more socials for both the men’s and the women’s leagues throughout the season.

“To try to just give a little more fun back to the league,” he adds. “Gladiators on the pitch, best friends after.”

Beyond these changes to build camaraderie, Bishop intends to start a Facebook page to keep the public up to date on what’s happening in the league. The new executive will also try to end the season a little earlier so teams who have university students heading back to school won’t face a competitive disadvantage at the end of the season.

“In previous years, the finals have been after Labour Day weekend, but many of the teams have students that go back to university,” he explains. “All these teams have wonderful players, but then when it comes to the finals and the last few days, half their teams can be left to go to university.”

When he spoke to West Coast Wire, Bishop said they were looking at Aug. 27 as the date for the final. This would also open a potential opportunity for Corner Brook to host an invitational on Labour Day weekend with teams from across the province and outside the province invited to play.

Typically, there’s a tournament played on the May 24 weekend, but Bishop says they’re too close to organize it now.

“But what we can do is organize a better and larger tournament after the end of the season,” he suggests.

There are six teams in the league this season. Four of them are Corner Brook teams: the defending champion Mustangs, the Monarchs, the Curling Rangers and the Masters, which Bishop himself plays for. The league will be also bringing back a team from Stephenville and a team from Deer Lake.

There will be a round robin followed by single-game elimination playoffs. The top four teams from the round robin will advance to the playoffs, with the top seed playing the fourth seed, and the second seed playing the third seed in the semifinals. Home games will be played on the higher seed’s pitch. The playoffs have been contracted from all six teams making the playoffs last year.

Bishop feels this makes every regular-season game more important and will increase participation and competitiveness within the league.

“It just means every game, every tackle, every goal matters if you want to win the league,” he says.

The season starts May 23. Bishop fancied the Masters’ — a team of players 35 and older — chances this season.

“Most of the people on our team are all married with kids, so it’s a significant commitment for them to commit to soccer the entire summer,” he explains. “Some decided they couldn’t do that again this year, so we’ve had to look for new recruits. And I’d say we’ve got now at least seven or eight new players and I’ll say we’re looking good.”

He felt that Deer Lake, which lost in the finals last year, would be a “team to watch out for.”

A PASSION FOR THE GAME

Born and raised in Corner Brook, Bishop played soccer locally from the age of five to 18 before leaving Newfoundland and Labrador.

He represented Newfoundland and Labrador twice on the provincial level and has represented the west coast in the Challenge Cup. Bishop played soccer recreationally in several countries until he broke his knee during a game in the Bahamas about four years ago.

After living away for 21 years, he returned to Corner Brook two years ago and had no plans to return to soccer after the knee injury.

“But I saw an old friend who I play with now, Cory Mosher, and he said, ‘Come out for one kick and see how you feel,’” Bishop recalls. “I was like, ‘Alright.’ Although I was certainly apprehensive, I went out and within five minutes said, ‘OK.’”

He fell back in love with the game again and there hasn’t been any looking back.

Bishop is also president of the Squash Club.

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2022-05-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

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