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I had the pleasure of watching the National Amateur Senior Men's Championships in Brossard Quebec on Thanksgiving Monday, and what a pleasure it was!

To see a Saskatchewan team playing a brand of soccer based on technical ability and ball possession in defeating an equally technical BC team was refreshing.

It is obvious that all the HUSA players on this team have a very solid technical base upon which they have built the rest of their abilities. This kind of performance would not be possible without well grounded soccer fundamentals.

HUSA was able to hold the ball when they wanted, and yet had the ability to attack directly the next minute. The quality and calmness in some of the finishing was a joy to behold. Every single player was composed in possession of the ball, yet could make accurate and telling passes when needed. The defenders were rock solid, yet could move the ball around confidently if they wanted to.

The sad part is that the majority of kids playing the game in Saskatoon are denied the ability to develop skills like this because they are not afforded the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game in the appropriate manner.

That is why it is so important for us to change the way that we do things in Saskatchewan, and get coaches to focus on teaching skills rather than focusing on winning games.

Thanks to the HUSA players for showing the way forward. The question is whether the youth clubs are prepared to make the necessary changes that will allow Saskatchewan teams to feature regularly in National finals, or will it take another 29 years?