February 28, 2005 CPSL announces president Vince Ursini steps down (from CPSL media release)
For Immediate Release
CPSL's URSINI STEPS DOWN
Resigns to devote his time to Ontario, perhaps CSA
TORONTO-Monday, February 28--Vincent Ursini has stepped down as president of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. Ursini tendered his resignation at the league's Annual General Meeting Sunday, citing as the main reason his greater involvement with the governing body Ontario Soccer Association with its 500,000 registered players, coaches and game officials.
Ursini, an accountant and a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, is presently the Ontario soccer body's treasurer and is a member of its executive committee. Revenues at March 31, 2004 detailed in the OSA's Consolodated Financial Statements released last November exceeded $7 million, with expenses at $6.5 million.
Ursini, 45, also holds a position on various sub-committees including the OSA's busy league management board.
It's no secret that the former player turned administrator, whose achievements include a major role in The Soccer Centre project, constructed by the Ontario Soccer Association on Martin Grove Road near Highway 7 in Vaughan at a cost of $10.6 million seven years ago, is being persuaded to join the Canadian Soccer Association as its director of finance this coming May.
Ursini joined the fledgling CPSL as a director in 1998, just one year after the league launched. A year later he was appointed treasurer and in 2000 was appointed president of what is now Canada's only complete professional soccer league. The CPSL has 12 teams in Ontario and Quebec with a mandate to expand on a region-by-region basis across Canada.
Under Ursini the CPSL expanded from eight to 12 teams, from Windsor to Montreal with the majority of its players on a professional contract. He stressed the importance of becoming better known through the news media while soccer generally taking a back seat to the mainstream North American sports of hockey, baseball and basketball. He launched a CPSL Soccer Show on television and pressed for increased presence in print, radio and on Web sites.
Two years ago the CPSL started the Open Canada Cup as the beginning of a national club championship, open to all senior teams in Canada. This year, the league is launching into women's soccer with a higher level of competition than presently exists. Recently, Ursini said it was difficult for him to accept that the best Canadian women's teams had to go to a U.S. league because a comparable loop does not exist in Canada.
Bruno Ierullo, general manager of the CPSL's North York Astros, spoke for the teams in expressing the league's gratitude to Ursini at the meeting on Sunday. " He has worked long and hard to bring this league to where it is today and we in the CPSL have all benefited from his exceptional dedication," he said.
The CPSL is seeking a replacement and an announcement is expected before the season kicks off in May.
For more information, please contact Stan Adamson, Director of Media and Public Relations at (905) 856-5439
The Canadian Professional Soccer League Inc., The Soccer Centre, 7601 Martin Grove Road, Vaughan, Ontario L4L 9E4
Tel: (905) 856-5439 Fax: (905) 856-9325 e-mail: cpsl@cpsl.ca www.cpsl.ca
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