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.
22-740: 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 Trophy (women). The AMSL is operated by the Alberta Soccer Association (ASA),
44-867: A competition to crown a Canadian national champion. That year, the executive of the Dominion of Canada Football Association invited the Duke of Connaught to become the Patron of the Association. The Duke donated the Connaught Cup to the FA, which became the championship of Canadian soccer. In 1926, the English FA donated a new trophy to replace it as the national championship named the Challenge Trophy . The inaugural competition in 1913 and
66-558: Is the trophy presented to Canada's men's amateur soccer champions as part of Canada Soccer's annual National Championships . The men's competition was created with the inauguration of the Dominion of Canada Football Association in 1912 and the first club winners were presented the Connaught Cup in 1913. The first Challenge Trophy, donated by The Football Association , was presented to the Dominion of Canada Football Championship winners for
88-597: The "rights holder and has the overall responsibility for these events." An unofficial Dominion championship for a trophy donated by The People newspaper of London, named the Peoples Shield, was contested from 1906–1912. Teams from all provinces did not enter the competition in each year, and it was contested by Western Canada in its last years. On May 24, 1912, the Amateur Athletic Union met in Toronto to determine
110-509: The 1914 edition both featured four teams in a league format; both were won by Manitoba side Norwood Wanderers . In 1927, the previously amateur-only tournament opened to professional teams. Prior to 1940, fifteen finals were played at Carruthers Park in Winnipeg (1923–1939), (roughly halfway across the country) five in Toronto and one each in Vancouver and Montreal. From 1954 to 1961, the trophy
132-468: The 1950s, the club was known as Canadian Czechoslovak Sparta FC Montreal, or simply Sparta FC. In 1956, the team won the Quebec Cup and also represented the province in the Challenge Trophy playdowns for the first time. The team was coached that year by Doug McMahon. In 1959, with real estate businessman Joe Slyomovics serving as president, the team changed its name to Canadian Alouettes FC. In September,
154-558: The 8 AMSL teams. 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. A number of alumni typically play on these teams as well. Clubs that have competed in the Alberta Major Soccer League Source and Canadian National Challenge Cup The Challenge Trophy ( French : Trophée Challenge )
176-471: The Local Organizing Committee." Bidders are evaluated across nine different categories: Background; Support and partnerships; Facilities; Competition; Finance; Communication, hosting services & activities; Operation Organization; Legacy; and Overall Bid Presentation. Once a Host City is selected, the hosts set up a Local Organizing Committee that stages the competition. Canada Soccer remains
198-516: The National Championships are: Boys U-17 Cup; Girls U-17 Cup; Boys U-15 Cup; Girls U-15 Cup. The National Championships initially featured a round-robin format in 1913 and 1914, then featured a knockout format with a two-leg Final from 1915 to 1927. From there, the Final featured a best-of-three format from 1928 to 1955 and a single-match format from 1956 to present. More than 20 clubs have won
220-586: The National Championships men's competition two or more times. Westminster Royals FC are the most successful club with nine Challenge Trophy titles to their credit (1928, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1973). Since 1963, only amateur clubs have participated in the competition, with notably Montréal Concordia FC the last professional side to win the Challenge Trophy back in 1961. As Canada Soccer's premier amateur competition, only Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons may compete in
242-418: The National Championships. Only amateur players (including reinstated amateurs) may compete in the competition and they must be assigned to their respective clubs by 31 August of that year (or an earlier date if stipulated by the province or territory). Since 1973, the Challenge Trophy competition has featured a host venue for the final weekend or final week of matches. Regional interprovincial playoffs (before
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#1732851375069264-512: The competition. While there have sometimes been Quarterfinals and/or Semifinals since 1985, the National Championships format for the final week has generally started with the group phase and ended with the final ranking/standings day which includes a single-match Final for Gold Medals and the Challenge Trophy. Canadian communities have the opportunity to bid on hosting the National Championships. As explained by Canada Soccer, "events will be organized and executed by Canada Soccer in collaboration with
286-414: The final matches) continued up until 1998 after which clubs from all Canadian provinces and territories have been eligible to qualify directly into the final week of the competition. Each year, Canada Soccer's provincial and territorial soccer associations determine how clubs from their region qualify for the National Championships. Since 1999, anywhere from eight to 12 clubs have competed in the final week of
308-466: The first time in 1926 (although at the time the competition was still known as the Connaught Series). The new Challenge Trophy was presented to the men's amateur champions for the first time in 2004. As part of the same National Championships, the Jubilee Trophy is presented annually to the women's amateur soccer champions. The Jubilee Trophy was first presented in 1982. Other amateur divisions in
330-731: 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. This competition determines the Provincial Champions and traditionally has the top 6 teams from the AMSL Standings competing. There are non-AMSL members who can challenge but this is rare, it designates the Alberta Provincial Champion and Canadian National Challenge Cup representative. With 4 of
352-657: The most populous of the 18 districts having teams in the AMSL; however, the majority of the soccer players in the province are represented. Sources: Note: In 1999 and 2000 the Calgary Callies played as Calgary Celtic SFC. 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
374-537: 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
396-449: 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
418-712: The team won their Canadian title, defeating the Westminster Royals FC to lift the Carling's Red Cap Trophy . In 1960, Slyomivics changed the team name to Montreal Concordia FC. In the National Soccer League , Concordia finished in third place in the league standings. In 1961, Concordia FC played in both the National Soccer League and the International Soccer League . They finished second in
440-485: The tournament regulations, "Provincial and Territorial Associations must advise Canada Soccer of its qualified teams" for the National Championships. The top-three teams at the National Championships Challenge Trophy competition are presented medals while the remaining teams are presented participation banners. Along with their medals, the winning team is presented the Challenge Trophy, although
462-507: The trophy remains in Canada Soccer's possession. Since 1973, Canada Soccer's annual amateur championship has featured one venue for the final week of matches. Source: Montreal Concordia Montreal Concordia FC was a Canadian soccer team based in Montreal, Quebec , formerly known as Sparta FC and then Canadian Alouettes FC. The club won Canadian titles in 1959 and 1961. In
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#1732851375069484-630: Was replaced by the Carling Cup . The original Challenge Trophy is now retired and on display at Canada Soccer House in Ottawa, Ontario. The tournament acted as a men's national championship at the highest level in Canadian soccer in its early years, however, professional and semi-professional tournaments have taken on more importance in recent decades, including the Canadian Championship . As outlined in
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