Earlier in 2021, Canada Soccer launched their new recommended Grassroots Standards to be implemented across the country. These were developed to ensure the best possible developmental environment for young players by drawing on the original Ontario Soccer Player Development Matrices and Global Best Practices. To ensure the realities of Canadian Soccer were addressed within this new document, consultations with all Provincial & Territorial Member Associations across Canada took place.

With that principle in mind, Ontario Soccer, having been the leaders in Long Term Player Development (LTPD) in Canada since 2012, sought to develop a tailored application of the new recommended Grassroots Standards in Ontario. Through collaboration with Canada Soccer, including input from Ontario Soccer’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), an updated version of Ontario Soccer’s Recommended Grassroots Standards were established to better address the realities of soccer within our province.

These new recommended Grassroots Standards can be found on the Ontario Soccer website and will supersede the previous Canada Soccer Recommended Grassroots Standards for Ontario.

Canada Soccer and Ontario Soccer continue to work on the creation of educational material and workshops to assist the membership in understanding each criterion, as well as how to effectively implement these standards throughout their programs. The new Grassroots Standards are recommended for use across Ontario.

During this transition period, for those prepared and willing, Ontario Soccer member organizations are encouraged to adjust their programs and competition structures to reflect the updated recommended Grassroots Standards at their earliest convenience.

The 2022/23 Indoor Season is considered an ideal start date, as early adoption would ensure minimal disruption to player experiences and provide time for all organizations to adequately prepare for the 2023 Outdoor Season.

If you have any questions or are interested in implementing the updated recommended Grassroots Standards in 2022-23, please contact Matt Ferreira, Manager, Coach Education, Player Development & Club Licensing.