Keesic sending ‘Chills’ in semi-pro soccer camp

Gord Keesic has such a passion for soccer that he would play it for free–even at the professional level.
Keesic, 24, was one of 22 players selected to suit up for the first-year Thunder Bay Chill soccer team, which will compete in the Premier Development League this season.
If you ask the Fort Frances native how much he’s getting paid to play his favourite sport, he admits he doesn’t know. In fact, he doesn’t even care.
Instead, just having the chance to play “semi-pro” soccer is all he can ask for.
“I went to the tryout sort of as a walk-on,” said Keesic, who helped Tagg’s win a Borderland league crown here last summer.
He kept in shape during the winter by playing for the Fusion in an indoor soccer league in Thunder Bay, which he said helped him with conditioning–and quite possibly got him noticed at the Chill’s tryout.
“This has sort of just happened. I only heard about it just last year but it could be a stepping stone to a professional career.
“Hopefully, I can impress,” he stressed.
Keesic definitely has impressed Chill head coach Tony Colistro and assistant Pino Tassone so far. In fact, he was the only non-Thunder Bay player to make the lineup.
“We have been very impressed with Gord’s style of play,” Tassone said Tuesday afternoon. “He is in very good condition and we have been very impressed with his skills, especially for someone coming from a small town.
“Someone there has done a good job teaching him,” he added.
The Chill will open their 18-game season schedule May 13 against the Rockford Raptors, then will play their home opener at Fort William Stadium on May 27 against the Wisconsin Rebels.
They will be competing in the Heartland division along with the Chicago Sockers, Des Moines Menace, and the Twin Cities Tornado.
Despite this being their first year in the league, the Chill are confident they can finish in the top two in their division and gain a playoff berth.
“The team is a mixture of quite a few young players,” said Keesic, a midfielder. “Skill-wise, we have some really good players.
“I don’t know the quality of the competition but we’ll be looking to play it safe, and hopefully win consistently in our first few games,” he added.
Tassone agreed, saying he feels the team will be competitive.
“Hopefully, we can win a few games, that’s our first goal, and then we hope to finish in the top two [in our division],” he said. “The commitment the players have made is very intense in conditioning and their work ethic.”
Keesic can attest to the work ethic. The former Brock Badger star from 1994-98 has been hearing the roosters call at 6 a.m. the past several weeks for his 6:45 a.m. team run which lasts until 8 a.m.
After that, it’s off to school as he aims to graduate with a Bachelor of Education degree.
“It’s been quite a commitment,” he admitted.
But it could be a commitment that pays off for a few players who may have visions of taking their game to the professional level. Tassone said the league is to help players make the transition to the pros.
“That’s the reason we’re doing this,” he noted. “It’s to give players the future exposure of playing in a professional league.”
And guys like Keesic, given the opportunity, probably still would play for free.