If Carl Valentine has any regrets about retiring from playing soccer, he didn’t reveal them Tuesday at the Strathcona Hotel.
The Vancouver Whitecaps legend was too busy unleashing his sense of humour about how long it has been since he played full-time (1992) after he drew slips for the Masters Cup during the 2013 adult Provincial Cup soccer tournament draws.
The championship finals, hosted by the B.C. Soccer Association, Lower Island Women’s Soccer Association and Vancouver Island Soccer League, take place May 11 at Langford’s Westhills Stadium.
After endearing himself to soccer culture vultures from around B.C., the Manchester native and 1986 World Cup player laughed offstage about an experience he had at Metrotown in Burnaby while shooting a promotional video.
“Two kids came in, about 19 or 20, and they recognize me and ask for autographs,” Valentine, 54, recalled. “Wow. I was amazed. These kids wouldn’t even have been alive when I played. I consider myself lucky. This job enables me to use my personality and do some travelling and meet people you haven’t seen for years, so I’m very blessed.”
Valentine said he’s loving his role as a goodwill ambassador, whose work involves community relations and participating in soccer camps, academies and clinics. A highlight is his involvement supporting mental health, autism and cancer research.
“I’m having the time of my life,” he said. “When I was a player I was very popular and connected with fans, and coming into this role you hope you can connect with older fans because of some great memories, but also with new fans.”
Hotel co-owner Grant Olson, now on the UVic alumni team, found himself in the spotlight briefly when veteran coach and soccer official Kjeld Brodsgaard teased him about his days playing for the Victoria Athletics.
“Now I’m on the over-35 masters team,” Olson said. “It’s your last hurrah. After that they don’t have the provincials anymore, so we hang on as long as possible to keep the dream alive.”
His brother Craig Olson had something other than soccer on his mind.
“I’m a golfer and a lover,” he joked, pointing to his Molson muscle.
He was still on Cloud 9 after he and golf partner Wayne Little won the Easter tournament at Uplands Golf Course.
“We managed to win it by less than a point,” he said, recalling their second win in eight years.
Brodsgaard recalled feedback from Scott McDonald, who played for Lansdowne’s Evening Optimists in his youth to reiterate soccer’s lasting impact.
“He said, ‘I want to thank you for making me a goalkeeper because you don’t know how lucky I’ve been,’” his former coach said, quoting correspondence with the Bangkok-based Associated Press editor.
McDonald told him that in his world travels he comes across media soccer teams that can be difficult to get on, he said. To the best of his recollection, it gave McDonald the chance to play at the historic Hong Kong Cricket Club, Brodsgaard recalled.
“Because I’m a goalkeeper I’m always welcome,” he says McDonald told him. “I’ve played all over the world. Thanks for that.”
