NSSL - A Brief History

The Nova Scotia Soccer League – A Brief History
With the demise of the Atlantic Soccer League in 1982, the formation of the Nova Scotia Soccer League (NSSL) was established in time for the 1983 season. It was to take its place as the premier level for Senior Men’s Soccer in the province.

Initial members of the league in 1983 were Dartmouth United Oland, Dartmouth Croatia, H.H Marshall’s, Valley Cochranes, Dartmouth United Ocean Contractors and Halifax King of Donair

At the 1984 Soccer NS Annual General Meeting, the NSSL was directed to establish youth and women’s divisions. The winner of each division would also be declared Provincial “A” Champions in their category, and go on to represent Nova Scotia nationally. The decision led to the organization of under-14, under-16, and under-18 boys and girls divisions, as well as a Senior A Women’s division. This decision further enhanced the standing of teams in the NSSL and lead to them becoming the focal points for soccer in throughout the Province.

Some Notable NSSL Women
Sally Pirie – In 1986 she was selected to the 1st Women’s National squad.

Gunn Baldursson - the second Nova Scotian to be selected to the national women’s team. She is considered by many to be the most talented female ever to have played soccer in Nova Scotia. She represented Canada in a tournament in Winnipeg in 1987 but she died tragically in a car accident in November of that same year.

Other NSSL female ‘headliners’ of note include Janice Cossar, Lynne Robertson, Dana Holmes, Carla Perry, Cindy Montgomerie, Belinda Campbell, Stephanie Johnson, Suzanne Muir, Allison Tuton, Kate Gillespie, Suzanne Gerrior, Mary Beth Bowie, Katie Radchuk and Sarah Kozy

Some Notable NSSL Men
Craig Janc was on the men’s Olympic squad in 1989 and 1990. Lewis Page, John Evans and Mike Hasiuk have also enjoyed stints with the national program at the youth level.

In 1993, Neil Sedgwick became the 1st Atlantic Canadian to be selected for the Canadian team that competed at the World Student Games in Buffalo, USA.

Ante Jazic has become the most prominent player from Nova Scotia to play on the international scene. His professional career has taken him to Croatia, Austria, and Russia and he is now a mainstay with the Chevas USA in the MLS. In addition he is a 90 minute player with Canada’s National Men’s team.

Steve Hart is also another well recognized and prominent name in soccer – not only in Nova Scotia and across Canada but internationally as well in his role as head coach of the U17 National team and most recently Steve was named head coach of Canada's National Men's team.

Other NSSL male ‘headliners’ of note include George Kyreakakos, Mark Ellis, Ross Webb, Ron Buckley, Terry MacDonald, Milo Nagulic, Ed Beazley, Costa Ellis, Doug Hadley, and Phil Boyle.

Some notable NSSL ‘others’!!
The NSSL also has had numerous ‘builders’ of note including George Athanasaiou, Bob Sayer, Mourad Farid, Cathy Burke and John Coxon.

Coaches with long and distinguished track records in the NSSL include Wendell MacGibbon, Barry Thompson, Colin Wilson, Brian Shaw, Kathy Marshall, Manuel Escobar, Barry Finemore, Pat Nearing, Susan Marshall, Bob Rumscheidt and John Kehoe.

(adapted from ‘A History of Soccer in Nova Scotia” by John Ames - updated where beneficial)

In addition, the league and its teams could not have survived without the support of the many forward thinking sponsors including King of Donair, Athens Restaurant, HH Marshall’s, Halifax City Mazda, Tropicana, Elegant Flooring and EastLink Television.

We would be remiss if we failed to mention the support from our local and provincial media. Your stories and video clips keep us in front of the public. We appreciate your involvement very much and look forward to growing with you over the next 25 years.

During this season, and in particular during each of our 6 EastLink Telecasts, the NSSL will bring focus to many notable NSSL participants who played major roles in one category or another during the past 28 years.

As we are now into our 29th year of NSSL League operations, we wish to again thank one and all for their tremendous contributions to the game in Nova Scotia during the past 27 years and we now expect to be honouring the significant contributions of our current youth division players, coaches, administrators and sponsors when we come together again to celebrate the 2nd quarter century in 2032