September 12, 2015 Toronto FC season ticket holders' annual BBQ (by Rocket Robin)

  
Saturday September 12, 2015 Toronto FC Annual BBQ for Season Ticket Holders held 
at the KIA Training Ground in Downsview from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

A few days before the BBQ date an e-mail was sent out that the hours had been changed 
to the 1-3pm times (from 11am to 3pm earlier scheduled).  Looking at the crowd I could 
see why.  There were no more than 500 people there I'd estimate.  This year it was 
a choice in the season ticket holder reward survey.  I thought last year there may have 
been almost 1000.  Alternate awards choices like a training day for your child etc may 
have been other people's choices.  Also the weather would curtail some of the crowd.  
The day was cool and overcast but a drizzling rain held off until just before 3pm.   
The tables, chairs and table clothes for fans to sit and eat were just starting 
to be set up at 1pm.  

The artificial field (where TFC Academy of League 1 Ontario plays) was used for 
outdoor activities like bubble soccer where people who've watched these games during 
TFC halftime shows could try it out themselves.  Also bouncy castles etc but not 
really different than what is outside BMO Field on game days.  

An autograph table had been set up and some TFC grinders were there.  The line 
started long but was almost cleared by the time I lined up.  A sweep across 
of Justin Morrow (I made a joke about him being up at a TFC II game manning 
an autograph table) , Marco Delgado, Eriq Zavaleta, Clement Simonin had personal 
photo postcards that they could sign and Ahmed Kantari had generic ones because 
he's only been with the team for about a month.  

The BBQ was more generous this year.  There were two beer tickets given out to each 
adult (soft drinks didn't need a ticket) but none for food so it wasn't like last 
year's one hamburger and one hotdog—that's it because you've used your ticket.  
Only limit was a cookie for dessert where you were supposed to be a kid to decorate 
the cookie then eat it but when I came back half hour later they were just giving 
away cookies to anyone who asked.  

There was no cover band this year but a DJ with a turntable often abandoned.  
How could someone play 'Sweet Dreams' by Eurythmics and 'My Humps' by Black
Eyed Peas at the same time?  

The tour of the indoor facilities were held back to 2:00pm—then 2:30pm as the TFC 
first team was having a team meeting.  Then it was announced that the tours would 
be 'self-guided' which meant you'd just wander around clockwise by yourself and 
bump into all the people walking counterclockwise.

In the long wait to finally look around inside I went back for another plate 
of food for something to do.  

Big event was Shari Leavitt as the MC introducing TFC head coach Greg Vanney and 
assistant coach Robin Fraser.  (while eating my first plate of food).

SL (reading from prewritten questions):  Importance of the Academy and TFC II?
RF: very important to player development.
GV: he reminds us he first came to the team as the Academy director. It's giving 
players a stepping stone to becoming professional players.  A chance for them 
to be consistant and be able to step up.  TFC II is a professional environment.  
7 or 8 17 year olds have played for that team.  He's glad they've added this 
stepping stone.  It's giving the players a chance to play against fully grown men 
as some (stand alone) USL teams are that.  The consistancy of playing is more 
important then winning games, but winning is important.  

SL:  The main team this year?  
GV:  I know we'll make the playoffs.  I'm looking for positioning to maximize 
the number of home games we will play in front of you loyal fans and stay 
in the playoffs.  We have a lot of quality on the team.  
RF:  I'm looking forward to the playoffs.  We want to build consistancy—not just 
one good year!  Our goal is to be dominant for years to come.  

SL:  Changing the team culture?  
GV:  When I got here I didn't feel there was a way the team did things.  There 
were a lot of excuses when things couldn't get done.  I wanted one not fourteen 
different philosophies!  We started bringing in guys who knew how to win and 
can teach the others.  We will get there in teaching that philosphy.  I'm 
trying to build a sustainable infastructure.  

At last year's BBQ, I didn't get here in time to hear Tim Bezbatchenko make 
promises—the team had just fired head coach Ryan Nelsen about two weeks earlier.  
The MLS team were out of town for that weekend (whereas this year they are playing 
a home game tomorrow against New England).  The Academy team that year played within 
two hours of the BBQ ending (once the field was cleared) but could only 
retain 60 fans to watch them win.  

Finally we were allowed indoors as the doors were flung open.  I'd seen the insides 
like weight room, medical facilities, class rooms last year but I noticed the main 
upstairs hallway had no pictures on the wall but just a painted 'All For One' logo.  
Last year there was a wall of pictures of TFC staff with a few open spots—I could see 
where the picture frames were missing as the paint was not as faded and it was 
obvious that Ryan Nelsen and some of his loyalists had been removed.   Last year 
there was access to some of the locker rooms with uniforms hung up to ooh and ahh.  
This year that was closed but the doors weren't locked.  I opened a few doors halfway 
and saw muddy track bags etc so I hope it was just dirty laundry and the players 
hadn't left wallets and cellphones in these bags.   

I went through the team cafeteria and someone familiar waved at me.  I said hello 
and because of the haircut guessed Richie Ennin but he said he was Mark Anthony 
(Kaye).  He said he was through with TFC Academy but was with TFC II but not 
in tonight's game in Rochester because he'd hurt his MCL.  He was eating with 
Ben Spencer (of TFC II) who I didn't recognize and Spencer said he'd been injured 
most of the year.    Actually this was the only time I almost 'marked out' with 
excitement.  It was nice of him to signal me over.  Maybe he remembers earlier 
in the year when I complimented him for coming over to the sideline after a TFC II 
game to shake hands with the kids behind the fence when his teammates vanished 
after losing a game.  

No cake this year!  I thought maybe this year they'd give away some of the leftover 
TFC II shirts (1000 they said available last week but attendance only 387) but 
I didn't see any. 

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

The DJ, assistant coach Robin Fraser, MC Shari Leavitt, and head coach Greg Vanney

kids play area

Autograph table with (from left to right) Justin Morrow wearing toque, Marco Delgado, Eriq Zavaleta, Clement Simonin, Ahmed Kantari.

KIA Training Centre gym

whirlpools

Mark Anthony Kaye (left) and Ben Spencer in club cafeteria.

All For One wall where staff pictures once hung.

KIA Training Centre entrance

back to TFC 2015 news and results

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