Cavalry FC hoping to make impact on Calgary community

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — While getting wins on the pitch is a priority for members of Cavalry FC, so is giving back to the Calgary and area soccer community.

Alberta-born players Dominick Zator, Nico Pasquotti and Chris Serban have joined forces to form the Above and Beyond Brigade. The trio has purchased Cavs season tickets that will be distributed to selected youth players and their families who have made a difference in their respective soccer clubs.

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“Making it to this level, we want to see the new generation come up and aspire to that pro level. We want to give back to those kids and let them experience that professional atmosphere, so they have something to look forward to,” Zator, who scored the game winner in the club’s first match, recently explained on Sportsnet 960 The Fan. “When we were growing up, there wasn’t that professional team to aspire to, to try and make that one team. Growing up, it was you go through your youth ages and maybe university where you play post-secondary, and then after that, you just go in the workforce. Now, there’s that professional league kids can make it to. So when they’re growing up they’re like, ‘I can play for the Cavalry.'”

The three Cavs players will review all of the submissions they receive through the Calgary Minor Soccer Association website. Once a winner is selected, they’ll touch base with the family and arrange to spend some time with the winners prior to kick off at the home game.

The goal of Above and Beyond Brigade is near and dear to the hearts of Zator, Pasquotti and Serban because they say when they were making their way through the southern Alberta soccer ranks, professional aspirations were extremely limited. They hope their gesture will change the outlooks of young players who are looking to take the next step in their respective careers.

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“Now that this [CanPL] is in Calgary and Canada, the dream becomes a little bit more real, more reachable,” Pasquotti told 960 host Ryan Pinder. “The goal for us is to get submissions from the other clubs within Calgary, as well as Lethbridge, my hometown, to give people a chance to come to the games. People who have went above and beyond for their clubs, for their teammates, for their families within the soccer community. It’s a chance to let them experience what we now have in Canada — a professional soccer league.”

In another initiative, goalkeeper and local product Marco Carducci is lending his time as a KidSport Calgary ambassador, an organization that works to eliminate financial barriers to sport participation.

“We are excited to be teaming up with the Cavalry FC, their players, partners and fans to build on the amazing impact KidSport has had on the sport of soccer in our community. We look forward to working with this great organization to grow the game, develop new fans, players and leaders through soccer participation,” Kevin Webster, the executive director of KidSport Calgary and Area, stated.

Over the last year, KidSport Calgary provided registration fee assistance to over 1,600 youth players, combined with $430,000 raised that went directly into local minor clubs.

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