New start time for Cavalry all part of the challenge

The time … it is a changin’.

At least, it is for Cavalry FC’S season-opener Thursday.

The Calgary soccer club’s first kick of the Canadian Premier League’s second season is now an evening start, bumped from the originally scheduled earlier time.

No matter, because the Cavs say they’re ready for The Island Games in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

“The wait’s been too long,” said Cavalry midfielder Sergio Camargo. “Everybody’s getting restless.” Everybody’s adapting, to boot. Thursday’s time shift — a seven-hour one for the Cavs up against Forge FC (6 p.m. MT, Onesoccer. ca) in a rematch of last year’s championship series won by the club from Hamilton — is the latest amendment in a soccer season rocked by change.

Of course, the campaign was postponed back before it opened in April because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Then came the long wait and physical distancing protocols implemented for team training until, finally, the CPL’S Island Games were announced mere weeks ago.

With all eight teams now stationed — safely in a bubble — in Charlottetown, evening matches over the next month-plus of the schedule have been made possible by the league setting up lighting at UPEI Alumni Field, where all of the matches in this tournament-style second season will take place.

“It has been a challenging process, but like all things Canadian Premier League, we just make it happen,” said CPL spokesperson Micki Benedetti. “We were able to get stadium lights up and operational on Monday night and test the new technology for the first time and were very pleased with the results, which puts us in a position to test this on Thursday for our Island Games season opener.”

So … yes, another alteration in such a strange season is afoot.

But the Cavs know that adaptation is the key to this trip.

Given the unfamiliar surroundings and bizarre set of circumstances, getting comfortable in the Island Games bubble might take longer for some players and teams than others in this eight-team event.

The fact the Cavs have been together longer than others and enjoyed a penchant for gelling quickly during the maiden CPL season should give them a leg up in P.E.I.

“It’s going to be about which teams are finding rhythm first,” said Cavalry Gm/head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “We’re fortunate we’ve maintained a really good core of players from last year and guys that were with me for two or three years prior to that with the Foothills PDL side.

"We know each other. We trust each other. We’ve got a really good chemistry that we’ll be there for each other no matter what, because we have to expect there’s going to be some challenging times there because we haven’t found that rhythm yet.

“The team that does find that rhythm consistently in P.E.I. is the one that will win it.”

To that end, the Cavs are a club that challenges itself on a daily basis. Whether it’s the off-season, in training or in preparation for matches, Wheeldon Jr. likes to use the ‘whatever it takes’ approach to set his team up for success in whatever environment.

And this year has certainly thrown the CPL clubs curve balls with the COVID -19 crisis and, now, The Island Games.

“When we first started our pre-season in March, we had what we called ‘The Amazing Race’,” said Wheeldon Jr. “The lads slept onsite and did things around Spruce Meadows in the winter that was different — we were pushing character. We always try to do that, because I think there’s growth where there’s discomfort.

“For us, this (Island Games) is another chance for us to grow and to step up and look out for each other.”

For what it’s worth, his players are drinking the Kool-aid.

“The mental part of this is going to be huge,” said Cavs captain Nik Ledgerwood. “The teams that can gel together and stay positive throughout the tournament will definitely have a better chance of being there at the end.

“There’s no egos and no negativity. We’re going to be one of the teams that sees the positive in everything no matter what happens.”

Sounds like the right mix of attitude and physical preparedness to deal with the situation at hand.

“It’ll be a long tournament,” added Wheeldon Jr. “We know there’s going to be really good moments, and we know there’s going to be moments that challenge us. I think it’s important that we have the togetherness we have. And we have to make sure we know our players and our staff are human beings.

“But we have a solid group that gets along well.”