Two-time defending national champion Calgary Callies have once again qualified for the BMO National Championships Challenge Trophy competition. The Calgary Callies won the 2009 Mike Traficante Cup, clinching the team’s fourth-consecutive Alberta provincial title with a 2:1 victory over the Edmonton Green & Gold.

Since 1999, the Callies have qualified for nine of 11 BMO National Championships senior men’s competitions. The Callies have struck gold in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2008.

In the 2009 final, Mark Slade and Felix Napuri scored for the Callies.

Coach Dave Randall’s starting XI featured Dave Harrison in goal, Andre Duberry, Allen Jovica, Liam DeSilva and Neto Miguel on defence, Chris Kooy, Brett Colvin and Cenek Patik at midfield, and Felix Napuri, Mark Slade and Milan Timotijevic up front.

On the Callies’ 19-player roster, four new names have yet to win a Challenge Trophy: Scott McCorkill, Neto Miguel, Greg Perez and Alex Strbac. Gone from the 2008 lineup are Cody Cook, Ben Duffy, Santino Geatano, Drew Milne and four-time champion Steffen Holdt.

The Saskatchewan Soccer Association will host the 2009 BMO National Championships this 7-12 October in conjunction with Saskatoon Adult Soccer Inc. Both the Challenge Trophy (senior men) and Jubilee Trophy (senior women) competitions will take place in Saskatoon, SK.

So far in 2009, British Columbia’s West Van FC, Alberta’s Calgary Callies, Saskatchewan’s Huskie Alumni, Manitoba’s Hellas SC, Québec’s Beauport, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Prince Edward Island's Avondale IslanderAs and Newfoundland Labrador’s Holy Cross have qualified for the Challenge Trophy competition. British Columbia’s Surrey United, Alberta’s Edmonton Victoria, Saskatchewan’s Saskatoon NATA, Manitoba’s South End United, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Nova Scotia’s Halifax Dunbrack and Newfoundland Labrador’s EPR Kirby/The Dock have qualified for the Jubilee Trophy competition.

BMO Financial Group is proud to support soccer at all levels across Canada, from grassroots to Canada’s national teams. Starting with sponsorship of more than 400 Canadian youth teams to the title support of elite youth players at the BMO National Championships, through to the professional-team support (Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and sponsorship of the Canadian men’s and women’s national soccer teams, BMO Financial Group is serious about Canadian soccer. For more information on BMO’s support of soccer in Canada, visit bmosoccer.com.