Coaching Contributions Made by Carmine Isacco to the Greater Toronto Area
Written by Jenna Filice
It is not every day that you can proudly say someone who helped develop your skills as an athlete is being recognized as a Canadian athlete and coach through archival research. Carmine Isacco was a professional soccer player who decided to start coaching young athletes and develop their skills, helping them reach the semi-professional and professional levels, nation-wide and even internationally. Isacco, who is affiliated with the Vaughan Soccer Club, was the individual who dismantled the team I was on just to make one “strong” team in our age group. His training sessions were based solely on the development of our existing skill and I can give credit to his vision and the idea that I was able to push myself to perform to the best of my ability as the years went on. Being a player himself, and now one of the most knowledgeable coaches, he has made various influences in regard to several teams and their championship successes but more importantly this essay will discuss his coaching contributions and what it has done for the youth in the Greater Toronto regions.
An important part of his legacy is the coaching role that he performed for the York 9 Men’s team, that is in the CPL league; the league he has helped to shape and develop. Local Toronto newspapers display the connections he built with his players with some moving onto professional careers and even so, players playing internationally. He developed the soccer program at York University into the best in the U Sports Industry, leading them to several banner victories in the men’s division and guiding the women’s team to their first OUA championship win in 10 years (“York University”, 2018). For this work, Isacco has won several Coach of the Year Awards.
CBC archives revealed his methods and perspective behind developing the best youth program in York region: he allows those in every socio-economic group to have an equal opportunity to portray their talent, no matter what group they come from. Isacco was dedicated to giving everyone an equal chance to excel in the soccer program in which does not turn down top athletes because they cannot afford it (Strashin, 2017). He was also inducted onto the YRSA wall of fame (Aulino, 2019) as a builder and coach for exceeding exceptionality (Whalen, 2020). Isacco’s time, efforts, skills and knowledge is exemplified through the success of his players and sport. He was able to develop new services that increased the quality of play. Isacco has developed both the men and women’s programs into becoming true leaders of the community. His contributions evidently show the success that derives in the community simply from having people believe in the potential and actually following through with their visions.
Although some teams Isacco coached don’t have much information sourced through archives or articles, it would be interesting to hear about the Toronto Supra’s or the Italia Shooters in terms of the Italian heritage and relation it had to the soccer industry. Isacco’s passion, skill and knowledge can clearly be recognized as positive attributes that helped shaped the local identity in terms of sports.
December 2020
Bibliography
Aulino, Giancarlo. “Carmine Isacco to Be Honoured at YRSA Hall of Fame.” Barnburner.ca, 2019.
Filice, Jenna. Personal Interview with Sergio DeLuca. 5 November 2020.
Strashin, Jamie. “Can Canada Field a Credible World Cup Team in 2026?” CBC, 13 Apr. 2017, www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/canada-soccer-world-cup-2026-1.4069770.
Whalen, Tim. “Thorold Sports Wall of Fame.” ITAL 2P98: Italians in Italy and Italy-Canada Relations.
Department of Modern Langages, Literatures, and Cultures, Faculty of Humanities, 23 September 2020, Brock University, Niagara. Guest Speaker with Teresa Russo in Week 3 Lecture.
“York University.” York University Athletics, 2018, yorkulions.ca/staff-directory/carmine-isacco/138
How to cite this page:
MLA STYLE: Author. “Title.” Title of container, Other contributors, Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs and/or URL, DOI or permalink). 2nd container’s title, Other contributors.
Filice, Jenna. ”Coaching Contributions Made by Carmine Isacco to the Greater Toronto Area.” In Archival Research of Italian-Canadian Immigration and Culture, supvr. T. Russo, issue 4: Italian-Canadians as Athletes and Community Builders: Contributions in the Sports Industry, Brock University, December 2020, St. Catherines (Sports in Italian-Canadian Communities – Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase (italianheritage.ca)). Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase (ICNS), Sandra Parmegiani and Nivashinee Ponambalum.