Th
So, to be able to have it here in Halifax,
the city I grew up in, it means the world. It's amazing.
♪ [upbeat]
You're going to take some shots at Oxner,
I think he's looking forward to that.
Yeah, I will.
♪ ♪
[laughs]
Ah, crossbar.
♪ ♪
Have you heard about the new Canadian soccer league?
It's called the CPL, that stands for
Canadian Premier League.
A lot of people are really excited about it. I know I am.
There are 7 brand new professional teams
across the country, including right here
in my hometown, Halifax.
So what does this new soccer league mean for all
the young Canadian soccer players out there?
Let's go find out.
♪ ♪
Hi I'm Christian Oxner.
I'm a goalkeeper for the Halifax Wanderers.
Cool. So, what does this new team mean for you?
Oh, yeah. It means a lot.
I mean, it's cool to finally see a professional soccer team
in Halifax and a professional league in Canada.
Isabelle:
would mean for the young Canadian soccer players?
Christian:
I mean, for me, I don't know what they would have done
if it wasn't for this and I probably would have
been working in an office or something like that,
but,
I have a bloody lip, a sore ankle and get balls kicked at my
stomach all day but there's nowhere else I'd rather be.
But, it's amazing for young Canadians.
They can come out here everyday and do what they love to do.
They don't have to go over to Europe,
and they can stay close to home where their family's at.
Announcer:
Peter:
You know, it's my first professional opportunity I got.
I've been playing for university before
so it's a complete different environment for me,
and I really enjoy it so far.
You know, now there's like--
It's an opportunity for young kids.
So, you know, I think, before it was more that young kids
would go to university maybe play university level
and then, after that, it's kind of done.
But now, there's actually an outlet to go to,
to play professional level and maybe even take another
higher step after this, so, I mean, it's--
it's awesome that soccer is growing,
in the country and in every community.
And yeah. It's great, you know.
Sardar: It's good because it gives the kids opportunities
to play in different cities in Canada
and it gives opportunities for new players to come
to Canada and play on a high level.
Gavin:
can be inspired to play at this speed
and get better and then they can possibly
play in these more professional teams.
So, that's cool, but wait, what about girls like me,
who want to play pro level soccer?
My name is Marie-Soleil Beaudoin.
And what do you do?
I'm an international referee, so I referee
at the FIFA level and tomorrow I'm leaving
for the Women's World Cup.
Oh really?
Yeah.
That's cool!
[whistle blowing]
Announcer:
She tries to sort out what's happening here.
Marie-Soleil:
been discussed when they did the Canadian Premier League
was, at some point, have a woman's league
along with the men's league.
So, maybe it'll happen, you know, next year
or maybe a happen in five or ten years,
I have no idea, but it'll be cool for, like,
obviously, women's players and for us as women referees,
as well, it would be really nice to referee, like, high level...
Um hmm.
..women's football in Canada.
Since they just made this team now, do you think
that they might make a women's team in the future?
I hope so.
And do you think you might play on that team?
Oh, yeah. Definitely.
Why do you think that?
Because, I like working hard and it just feels like
I deserve to be on that team.
I hope it is, because I think there is definitely a following
for the women's game, around Halifax and in Canada, as well,
I mean, you see our Canada's women's national team
doing really well, so hopefully, that can happen as well.
So then, those girls can come home and play
in the league here and then the national team can continue
to strive for Canada and the women's side as well.
[stadium cheers]
Put it, top corner.
Isabelle: Alright.
Alright. Hi, I'm Christian Oxner.
[laughs] Hi, I'm Isabelle MacNeil.
Christian:
Isabelle:
I started playing soccer, probably, just because
that's what everyone was doing when they were younger.
Yeah.
But, as I got older, um, I was more interested in soccer
and I wanted to like, actually, put some effort into it,
because I really liked playing it.
[thud]
Hey!
[claps]
This is Christian Oxner signing off.
Interview with Isabelle.
[laughs]