Wexford History
The club operates from year to year like clockwork, the outdoor season barely finishing and lots of work and planning already begun for the upcoming indoor season. The club began informally in 1967, the primary founder Ed Webster and four other fathers organized coaches and teams to begin play. Much of the first year was communicating the schedule and simply finding a field to play. First year club registration started initially with 56 players and has grown over the years to its present registration of over 1300 players. A small club by present standards, the club has lived by the belief that you can only put '11 players on the field at a time', and regardless of size has managed to build an enviable record of champions for the club.
Club was initially called Buchanan Soccer Club (from Buchanan Public School where practices were held) but later changed to Wexford Soccer Club. The club started out as a club for boys only aged 8-14 years. Fees were $3.00 per boy and if enough boys joined then sweaters and crests would be provided. The Club's colors are maroon and white and has remained the same since the club formed. In fact, the colors are in the club's constitution and there are no plans to change them.
Click here to see the very first letter to parents ». Note the importance of letting the team know when vacations will be taken, still a requirement today.
Girls Soccer
When soccer's popularity as an all boys game spilled over to girls, the first team for girls was organized in 1978. Since then the girls league has grown to represent over 30% of the club's membership. Kirsten Geer recollects in her story 'this is where I ... play' her Wexford Soccer experience and sums up the Wexford Club's notable accomplishments;
'Originally playing on boy's team, the first team for girls was organized in 1978, which paved the way for the development of women's soccer today. As one of the strongest organizations in Ontario for girls.
Accolades
The Wexford Soccer Club has produced players who went on to make up varsity, provincial and national teams. ... Trophies include winnng several nationals, provincial cups, and league championships. Memorable players include Peter Zezel and Gary Leeman from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Todd Woodcroft, the best video coach in the NHL and a coach with the Washington Capitals.'Click here to see a letter from Bill Gardner »
Robbie Tournament
The Robbie Tournament was founded also in 1967, the same year as Wexford Soccer Club.
The Robbie is an annual charitable youth soccer tournament. An all-volunteer event, all proceeds goes towards the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Muscular Distrophy. Since it's inception, the Robbie has raised over $1 Million to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The tournament is named after Robbie Wimbs. More on the Robbie story can be found here.
How the Robbie got it's name .
The Wexford Soccer Club is proud to be a participant in the Robbie Tournament and has been since it first began!
Many thanks to Roy England, Treasurer of the Wexford Soccer Club since 1968 for his time providing the above information.
