As co-lead for the sport of soccer at the 2022 Canada Summer Games, Frank DeChellis is responsible for the presentation of the on-field tournament: ball retrievers, results, rosters, equipment, benches, etc.
But off the field, the head coach of the Niagara College Knights Men’s Soccer team has spent the last two years involved with meetings and planning sessions for every area in every sport at the Games.
In tandem with Canada Soccer, DeChellis and co-lead Poppy Gilliam, who sits on NC’s Board of Governors, are managing both the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments at Youngs Sportsplex, including overseeing training session slots at the venue and remote sites. The men’s tournament took place during the first week and the women’s is being played during the second.
“I was originally the [men’s] lead and Poppy was the [women’s],” DeChellis said. “We were on the same page with similar experience and we got along from the start; we didn’t want the experiences of one week to be lost for the second week. We decided to co-lead both weeks.”
DeChellis, who holds a Canadian Soccer Association ‘A’ license–the highest coaching level attainable in Canada–has been coaching for more than 30 years. In 2018, he led the Knights to their highest win total in program history, while also leading the team to their fourth consecutive OCAA postseason appearance.
But no sporting event he’s ever been involved with compares to the magnitude of the Canada Summer Games.
“Not even close,” he said. “Our function as sport co-leads is one of many functions for the soccer tournament at Youngs Sportsplex. There are teams for venue, transportation, food, tickets, fan experience, technology, media, medical, official languages, etc. And this is happening for all 22 sports. Its huge!”
Even greater than the opportunity to be part of such a significant sporting event, DeChellis is using his time as co-lead to learn and share that knowledge with others.
“I am learning a ton to share with friends at local soccer clubs,” he said. “And people from local clubs are getting involved for their own development.”
For Gilliam, the rewards of being a part of the Canada Summer Games are many.
“The most rewarding part, hands down, has been connecting with people: coaches, athletes, athletes’ families, fans and all the wonderful volunteers [and] knowing we have created a fantastic environment for the athletes,” said Gilliam, an elementary school principal with the District School Board of Niagara. “The calibre of soccer has been outstanding and level of compete exceptional. I have also enjoyed being part of a close-knit team working with Frank and Kelsey (from Canada Soccer) for several years now to bring this event to fruition.”
Gilliam has enjoyed a successful soccer career of her own, starting in high school and into university where she earned a scholarship to Brown University. There she led the Brown Bears to two Ivy League championships. As team captain, she led her team to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1994. She used her fifth year of eligibility to play for the Brock University Badgers, where she led the team in scoring.
Giving back to her community is something Gilliam said she’s always been compelled to do, and getting involved with the Canada Summer Games was another opportunity to do that.
“What better way to do this than be part of the Canada Games in a sport that has given me so much in life,” she said. “I feel honoured to have been part of something amazing for our community and beyond and the legacy it leaves here in Niagara.”
The men’s soccer tournament wrapped up at Young’s Sportsplex on August 12. The women’s tournament started August 16 and runs through the final day of the Games on August 21.
