Player Profile: Matt Stinson

Homegrown talent Matt Stinson has climbed all the way up the soccer ranks to the professional level. He doesn't want to stop there.

           Right from birth, a child’s personality begins to form and strong characteristics prevail. From the day he was born on September 9, 1992, Matt Stinson was both competitive and determined. He wanted to be the best at everything, whether it was playing tag at recess or being the first student to finish a math test. It was also clear from a young age that Matt displayed a lot of raw athletic talent. One day when Matt was about six years old, he was playing at a friend’s house, whose father happened to be his older brother Jeff’s soccer coach. 
 
            “My brother’s soccer coach Arthur Avanesi saw me kick a ball in his backyard when I was hanging out with his son Alex. After he saw me kick the ball he decided to start a team around me! He told me I would become a soccer player!” 

            A future superstar had been born. 

            Stinson has always been one of the most competitive people I have ever met. That competitiveness translated into rapid success on the soccer pitch. He joined the Clarkson Comets Soccer Club and played there for several years. But Matt’s athletic ability wasn’t just limited to soccer. He played hockey at a competitive level as well. He was a member of a very skillful squad for many years and I had the pleasure of being his teammate. 

            After winning the Eastern City GTHL AA Championships with the Hillcrest Summits in 2005, Stinson played one final year of hockey. Coincident with hockey, his soccer skills really started to excel. Both sports demanded a lot of time and energy. Matt had to make a tough decision, because he really believed that he wanted to excel at one sport and be the very best he could be. In the end, it was a difficult choice, but one that he wouldn’t later regret. 

            “Choosing soccer over hockey was tough, but I knew I had more of a future in soccer. I felt I was a more natural soccer player, but in hockey I was playing on pure athleticism. I’ve never looked back on my decision, it’s been a fun ride.” 

            Matt continued to play very well on the soccer field as he graduated from Grade 8 at Willowdale Middle School. The local high school in his district was Northview Heights Secondary School. Fortuitously, the school had a special athletic program known as APGA (Academic Program for Gifted Athletes). This program provides academic support throughout high school for elite level athletes to accommodate their need for training and excellence in their sport of choice. Matt and his mother Sylvia knew this program was perfect for him. Matt and I were classmates and often studied for tests together. When not training at our respective sports, we hung out a lot. 

            Just before entering grade 10, Stinson signed to play with the Toronto FC Academy Club. This enabled him to practice with the club and train like a pro at the tender age of 16. Even with his extremely busy soccer workout schedule, he performed admirably in the classroom. He was an honour roll student for two full years while taking business and science courses. 

            “APGA was great. The support from all of the teachers and all of my classmates was awesome. It really made high school enjoyable for me.” 

            As a result of his soccer achievements, Matt was named team captain of the U18 Academy squad. It was at this point that he first legitimately thought that he could make it as a professional. 

            “When the TFC took interest in me in the Academy I gained a lot of confidence. I was always pretty sure that I would get a scholarship but didn’t know about going pro.” 

            Another important decision that he faced was selecting which post secondary school he would attend. Many schools had actively recruited him to join their squad and he visited several campuses. His final choice was an extremely tough one, but he elected to attend Winthrop University, one of the newest schools in South Carolina. 

            After only one season at Winthrop, he was forced to make another life changing decision. He was very successful throughout his school’s season, as he was named team MVP and earned an All-Big South Conference Second Team honour. At just 18 years old, teams at the professional level were courting his services. He was faced with a huge dilemma. Should he stay in school, or start pursuing his professional aspirations right away? 

            “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be a professional soccer player. Sure I’m young, but might as well start now. This chance isn’t going to come everyday. You can only live life once.” 

            At this point, it was early February 2011. I hadn’t spoken to Matt in a while, as I knew he was very busy. I remember one day I was in the car with my family and the radio was on. It was 680 News’ Sports Report. I was kind of zoning out and not really listening to the update. The anchor provided hockey highlights and then moved on to other sports. “In soccer news, the Toronto FC edged the Red Star Belgrade 1-0 in preseason action in Antayla, Turkey. Matt Stinson had the lone marker.” I shook my head in amazement and wondered whether I’d actually heard the report correctly. Immediately I sent Matt a text message and learned of his recent soccer successes. 

            “Trying to go pro man. Close to a full time spot on the TFC. Will keep you posted,” he later texted me. 

            A few days later, the story broke that Stinson had signed a deal with the Toronto FC professional squad. I remember his Facebook page absolutely exploded with many congratulatory messages from friends and family. At this time, Matt was in Guatemala trying to help Canada qualify for the U20 World Cup. Unfortunately, the team lost in the semi-finals, but that meant Matt was coming home. 

            After getting in touch with Matt several times, I attended a Toronto FC game. He wasn’t dressed, but it was a great experience at BMO Field. After the game, some fans were huddled outside the stadium anxiously awaiting a Matt Stinson autograph. When I saw this, I was thinking, “Wow, my boy’s made it!” Although Matt has advanced through the ranks at an extraordinary pace, he doesn’t want to stop here. 

            “It’s always been a dream of mine to play soccer in Europe. That’s the home of soccer. All of the guys known in soccer- the David Beckhams, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo- all started their careers overseas. They’re now some of the most popular people in the world.” 

            While this may seem like a bit of a stretch, Matt has no shortage of confidence and belief in himself. 

            “I’ve always been a hard worker. I’ve made it this far. I think that if I keep up my attitude and my work ethic, as well as get some luck, maybe I’ll get a chance to play in the English Premier League.” 

            The way Matt Stinson has progressed, Canada could boast homegrown talent on the world soccer stage, which is something that currently doesn’t exist. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that kids around the world will look up to him as a soccer idol in the very near future.