Remembering Sam
Longtime official left indelible mark on local soccer program
Sam Riddell, a longtime soccer official in Truro, left his mark on the sport locally and touched the lives of many people who shared his passion for the game.
During late May I received several telephone calls regarding highly thought-of local sportsman Sam Riddell. The popular former soccer referee passed away May 13, days after a freak accident at home.
Riddell, 95, of Truro, was a cheerful contributor who made many friends in local soccer. Longtime coach Glen Fisher first crossed paths with Riddell in 1993.
“We had just moved back to Truro with young kids,” Fisher recalled. “The soccer program was in the early stages when Andy Kenny, Bob MacLeod and I got involved. That’s when I first got to know Sam Riddell.”
The Central Colchester Soccer Association was formed and for more than 15 years, Fisher and Riddell worked closely together for the betterment of local soccer.
“Sam’s forte was officiating soccer,” Fisher said. “Sam showed up, he listened, he commented on a few things and he got heavily involved overseeing the refereeing.
“Sam formed a referees association and he worked with us tirelessly. Sam was a tremendous asset for local soccer. He was a big part of the success of the local soccer program.”
Fisher, who coached local soccer for more than 15 years, said everyone knew Sam.
“He was very well known and had such a nice way about doing things. Sam developed many young referees and besides his local programs he ran referee programs for Soccer Nova Scotia. Sam was just a gold mine for local and Nova Scotia soccer. He loved the game, he loved mentoring, Sam was such a
great man, always positive and always offering support.”
When the CC Riders were formed during the mid 1990s, Fisher and Riddell played a part. The competitive branch of the CCSA flourished from the beginning. As the years passed by, Fisher and Riddell’s friendship grew.
“One of the best stories Sam shared with me was when he was officiating soccer in the national or competitive league in Toronto. Sam had to keep the peace with several different ethnic groups which was not an easy chore. Picture the Portuguese playing a very competitive group of Romanian players. In Sam’s words, he described what happened late in the game.
“I knew a trolley stopped at the north end of the field so late in the game I’d get myself in position so that I was at the north end of the field. I’d blow the play dead with three bleeps of the whistle, then I’d run like heck, board that trolley and get the heck out of there.”
Ashley Simms, the chairperson for the Truro Sport Heritage Society, thought very highly of Riddell.
“I was fortunate to meet Sam during my early soccer years.
Sam officiated our games in junior high, senior high and senior women’s. He was the kind of referee who got to know all the local players. Sam earned all of our respect. He was very fair, he would share a joke with players and he’d provide coaching regarding a call a young player might not understand.
“Sam was very passionate about soccer – his love for soccer always put a smile on my face. I loved it when I saw Sam at the field.”
It was 27 years ago – 1990, that Riddell and his wife Betty moved to Truro from Mississauga, Ont. In 1997, the couple took a trip back to Ontario.
“The Mississauga Sports Council inducted Sam into their sports hall of fame,” Betty said. “We both went up, although Sam was a very humble man he was really tickled about being inducted for his contributions to soccer. To make it better – the longtime mayor of Mississauga, Hurricane Hazel McCallion, made the presentation to Sam.”
While sharing a few soccer memories, Betty recalled a national game in Toronto.
“This one game, a fan threw a brick at the referee, I’m glad it wasn’t Sam.”
A veteran of the Second World War, Riddell was born in 1921 in Donamena, Ireland. He joined the Royal Air Force in England and served as an aircraft mechanic from 1939-1946.
During the 70th anniversary celebration of D-Day during June, 2014, in Bayeux, France, Riddell formed the armour guard and shook hands with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth ll.
“Sam had an interesting life,” said Betty. “He raced pigeons, he definitely had a huge passion for soccer. In fairness, Sam touched a lot of people.”