The Final Whistle.

There once was a Canadian boy that would dream the sweetest dreams a childhood could ever ask for. A dream that filled his mind with big hopes and ambitions, but little did he know these dreams were the foundation that built a burning desire inside of him. At the age of 24 I was given a chance to live my dream, a journey about the unknown but definitely an experience that nobody could ever look back on. On August 7th I arrived in the motherland of my parents, Scotland. A case with clothes, a bag full of kit and the hope of a chance all packed up. Preparing for the trip physically and mentally was a battle, but I knew deep down that was going to make me stronger for what was about to take place in the future cause it was only about to get harder. The first week in the country was the start of this battle with previous trial/ training arrangements cancelled due to unknown reasons? The following week however was a little more positive with sessions at Forfar and Cowdenbeath, which gave me a good insight on different professional environments. Little did I know on the 28th I'd be signing my first contract ever with Cowdenbeath F.C.

It was an interesting negotiation, an opportunity to showcase my talent for £30 per week obviously another income would be needed as well. The price was a bit embarrassing, but the chance of a lifetime was one of those priceless moments that rarely comes your way, especially for Canadians. The idea was to get in, gain some experience and if I did well maybe a possibility of moving up to a division 1 side was in the picture. The coach shook my hand after my signature was added to paper and said to me " Son, this handshake is my word." His word of promise that if I was good enough, he wouldn't stand in the way of my chance along with increasing my wages to help me get by. I was happy that I had managed to sign on in such a quick time frame and was looking forward to prove myself each opportunity I got.

When a player is new to a club without a previous reputation the other players are curious to see the talent of the new signing. My first chance came against Raith Rovers in the Fife cup where we ended up going into penalty kicks after a 1-1 score at the final whistle. I managed to make a save in the do or die moment for Raith that put them out of the cup. It was a good feeling to build some confidence off to carry me through until my next chance came. A little bit of time passed after this, with games in the reserve division and weekly training sessions and then it was already October. Middle of October to paint the picture, Cowden was visiting Arbroath that weekend. Our team was doing well and moving up the table each weekend. I found myself in my usual position on the bench, spectating the play, when all of a sudden in the second half our starting keeper takes a knock to the head after cutting of a near post cross. With a 1-0 lead to protect, my first SFL match was on its way! The atmosphere was good fun being by the Arbroath fans, hoping to see their team clinch an equalizer. This proved to be difficult from the spectacular defending by the players, which gave us the victory. The following week I found myself in goals again after an early morning phone call on match day. This weekend was a big match because we were playing Brechin who were sitting in second place. If we won, we would switch positions in the table. The game ended 0-0 what probably was one of the most boring games to watch from what i heard.

Well what happened? So far, its just been a tale about a Canadian boy and the chase after his dream. Every tale has a beginning, middle and end, as well as a bright side and a dark side. This is where the trouble began off the field. Our worlds economical state is no secret, many people scraping by on minimum wage and minimum hours or benefits. For myself a new country meant a new start, I knew I would face some challenges along the way and hard times, but I would do my best to get beyond them and survive. I was desperate to find a job, doing almost anything, at any wage. I found it difficult and empty as I had nothing to show for my attempts through phone calls, resumes and online applications. The clock was ticking, as I had to find something to help support me for weekly groceries and rent. I was living off my £30/ week wages at Cowdenbeath for my groceries and my cousin helped me out a lot by not charging me rent until I got settled in. The possibility of not being able to stay cause my income was so poor had become a great concern for me at this point. My practice boots had a massive rip in the side that just barely got me through sessions as they were ready to pop at any moment. I tried my best to keep my mind on what was happening on the field, but when I was down, the phone would ring.

Any time of day, no matter what day of the week, except Sunday...A magical man of Scotland would call me. Each time I hung up the phone after talking with him my spirits would lift as he re lit the desire and hope of what I was trying to achieve. His thoughts and hard work were the things that help push me to do my best as I didn't want to let him down. He became my only friend in Scotland during these lonely 3 months. A man who I only heard his voice, but never met eye to eye even once. His support, knowledge of the game and the way things worked behind closed doors were the things that made him so magical. However, there was a special characteristic about him that made him unique in his ways, which was his witty comments. I'll never forget when he told me that when I get my chance all I have to do is go out and play " super man for the day." A few times he'd mention he was 102 years old when he referred to his experience in the game of football. A man who has climbed the mountains of Scottish football, from the lower division right up to the topflight, he's truly seen it all. Without his support and friendship, I would have never even left Canada, just one of the many.

The last Thursday of every month is when players at Cowdenbeath have a smile on their face and not because it's the last session before our match day on Saturday, but because it's pay day. However 2 weeks later into November I still found myself asking for my wages from October. The club is aware of my struggles off the field, so why did this follow? The tension stressed me past my limit to the point where its effected my performance. For me when a player can't receive his £120 wage for the month, which the club made by selling pies at halftime, the situation has to be re evaluated and there is a possibility that the coach doesn't care. The most comforting thing is having a comfortable home with opportunity away from football back in Canada.

It began as an ambition that started by packing up my life and moving to another country. A standard was set, within a month I signed a professional contract in the lower divisions of Scotland. I saw things from a side of the game that the newspapers don't cover. The whole journey has been special with every save along the way. I just want to finish this off with saying thanks to the many people who supported me along the way. Especially my family, friends and to the readers who travelled with me through this story while it developed. Just promise me next time you close your eyes at night and have a dream, that you remember it might only be a finger tip away.

All the best and good luck to the Blue Brazil boys on the rest of their journey to promotion.



_______________
l Cameron McKay l


THE END

Match Fitness.

An empty stadium can be a beautiful thing with only the field staring back at you. When you look out into an open stadium you can only picture what the stadium atmosphere is like when its full. The flood lights shone bright lighting the whole stadium. A peaceful comfort through the warm up on this mildly cold damp night for a game. Dunfermlin's squad is put together of full time footballers who train Monday-Friday mixed with some of the 1st team players as well. Our side trains a couple nights a week, which also included a couple 1st team regulars to get some more match fitness in. It took our side a little longer to switch on in the first half a couple saves early on in the match kept the team in the game. At the half we found ourselves down 1-0. The boys lifted their heads after a good team talk in the change room to sort some things out. Not too long into the second half we equalized on a header crossed into the near post. At this point in the game the guys had more confidence and played at a better level. Dunfermlin found 3 more goals in the second half with 2 break aways and a cracker of a strike that dipped top corner, taken from outside the 18. At 4-1 the drive behind the team just wasn't there anymore. To be fair it could have been about 9 or 10-1, but that's what the reserve league is about, getting your match fitness and some practice in for the first team games if you can get your chance. This weekend the first team looks to continue down the road to success as we're on the road to Clyde.

Cowdenbeath 1-4 Dunfermlin (Reserve Match)

Derby Day

It's an experience that you love to be a part of whether it's in the stands or on the field. The classic hate for that one team, no matter who they play. Years of making history, wins, losses and mixed emotions from the results of each time you meet on the pitch. East Fife was in town this past weekend, sitting just 4 points below us. The league is still very tight and anyone can win on any given day. This was the biggest number of fan support I've seen at any game this season, which made the game more interesting. More importantly this weekend was another chance for my club to move up the table. Our game was played at 12pm instead of the usual 3pm due to a race car event on afterwards. The game got off to a quick start with the scoreline being 2-1 in favour of Cowdenbeath after a back and forth affair of goals within the first 20 minutes. After half time I didn't feel my team was going to lose. Near the end the other keeper was forced into making a couple good saves that locked up the 3 points for us. Later on in the afternoon Brechin tied and Sterling lost which placed us in 2nd place and moved 3 points out of 1st. In a few weeks time we will get another crack at the top of the table leaders and hopefully we will continue down the road of success to be number 1.

Cowdenbeath 2-1 East Fife

Superman For The Day.

A wise man once told me that there is a new magical man in Scotland and he's looking for an opportunity to prove himself. You never know when the chance will come and there is always the question of "will you take it when it comes?" The whole week there was something special building up inside the team. A chance to take over 2nd place in the tables and an opportunity to get closer to being number 1. On Friday night I had spent some time talking on the phone with someone I would say is the true magical man of Scotland. He always calls when things seem to be getting tough and always manages to restore the belief in what I'm trying to achieve. On your journey to success and your dreams you will struggle, but when you get there, you'll look back on those difficult times and remember, the battles you won on and off the field to get there. Another call just after that conversation came from the keeper coach himself, just asking me how I was feeling and to wish me luck. At that point I wasn't sure if I was going to be starting in goals against Brechin. The phone rang on Saturday morning and when I picked up, the gaffer asked me how I was feeling. I told him I felt good and I would be ready, just go out there and do my thing. Probably the most short and sweet conversation he's ever had with any player as I'm not one to talk the talk, I'd rather show it on the field. A little flash back occured to me about a conversation I had with the magical man of Scotland where he said to me, "big man, when you get your chance, all you have to do is go out and play super man for the day." I took this along with my thoughts of what I had to do to be at my best. Once I finally got to the changeroom the announcement was made that I'd be in goals, from that point on it seemed like forever before I could get my warm up in. Not because I was nervous, more so because I was ready to show my coaches and teammates what I can do. I had a really good warm up, everything felt natural and anything that came into me I was going to hold onto. This match was special for myself being my first starting debut, but more importantly my team was looking to move into 2nd place. I felt confident from the start to the finish because I knew no matter what happened the guys infront of me were going to be solid right through to the final whistle. I came out for a cross and could hear the defender getting in the way of a Brechin striker, I've never felt so protected taking a cross. The match itself wasn't a top performance, definately not the level of play that Cowdenbeath is able to produce on the field. With 10 minutes left in the match Brechin had their best chance to clinch the 3 points forcing me to make 2 saves in a row before my defenders cleared the ball. I appreciated the efforts of the players infront of me as they cleared most of the possible threats through the entire match. When the final whistle went, a few heads dropped because all week the team thought about beating Brechin and moving up in the table. Even though I was disappointed that we didn't come away winners on the day, I felt I couldn't have performed any better on my debut infront of the home crowd. As the team gathered in the changeroom after the match I had some thoughts wishing my family back home in Canada and girlfriend could have been in the stands to share this with me, as they know everything that has gone on behind the scenes to get this far on my journey. I guess this is one of the feelings you deal with when you're playing outside of your home country. On the plus side it will be hard for my dad to yell at me for my errors from behind the goal now, just like I was 9 years old. Another week begins and the chase continues to get to the top, but there is all the possibility to get there. Fife derby next week against East Fife.




Cowdenbeath 0-0 Brechin

37 Minutes of Heart.

You've sat on the bench for 53 minutes of the match and watched every minute of that game with hopes of walking away with 3 points. The other keeper playing cuts off a hard driven ball to the front post and seems to be rather routine until you see the ball dribble out of his hands and end up in the back of the net, followed by a celebration of a happy striker who thinks he's managed to tie the game up 1-1. The ref has whistled the play dead and decided to claim a foul on the keeper as the striker made contact with him, the only problem here is the keeper is not getting up. Infact the stretcher is coming out and he's coming off. "Cam get warmed up, you might be going in," was all I heard before I found myself jogging down the touch line trying to get loosened up before I stepped over that white line. The chance I have been waiting for, the one I've been training for since I stepped off the plane a few months ago now. A little talk with the coach to help me get settled in, up to the linesman for a quick stud check and down into the goals with the Arbroath fans, who were waiting to tell me how great they thought I was. Before the game our coach talked about how supportive we are as a unit, if one player is having an off day, the next player beside him will be there to help lift him and support him. This is definately one of the few teams I have played for where I've seen such a tight bond. Through my 37 minutes of play my teammates gave me tons of support as we worked for one another to claim the 1-0 victory. I've played infront of 3,000 fans down in the USA with the Des Moines Menace of the PDL but the atmosphere in this match was way louder as the passion was driven behind the fans of the Arbroath, with the belief that they could take advantage of this freshly substituted keeper. The guys infront of me played absolutely solid, clearing anything that came into the box only allowing two shots, with one of them being off side. The decision for the referee to end the game seemed like forever but it was a pleasure to hear when it went and to see nothing but my teammates lift their hands in the air with joy. It's always a great feeling to go into a match knowing that the guys infront of your are solid players. This was a good taste of what it's all about and I look forward to the next opportunity when it presents itself. Hopefully it will be from the 1st minute one day, I don't fancy myself as a supersub, but it was definately been another story to tell about my adventure over here. A high intense finish to a 37 minutes end in a match where the lads played with their hearts and gave it everything to maintain their 3rd position in the table. A big game next weekend, with a win could push us up into second position.

Cowdenbeath 1-0 Arbroath

Team Effort.

Every time you step onto the field you prepare to play your best. You put your kit on and play for the badge on that jersey. As the game goes on the fans show their support and you don't want to let them down. It goes deeper then the club and the fans though, its about the people in that dressing room, whatever it takes you don't let any of them down. From your teammates, to the coach and supporting staff because everyone is there for the same reasons to try and achieve something great together. Our competition was Peterhead this weekend. Throughout the match I felt our team played well as a unit. It can be great football to watch when we keep the ball on the ground. Everyone was winning their battles on the field but more importantly we didn't play down to the other teams level. You can see the level and confidence rising within one another as each game passes us by. A couple of the guys had good strikes on the day which found the back of the net. This pushes us up one place into 3rd spot, which is great and hopefully we will continue to do well on the pitch. Every week is important to win 3 points, but the next couple weeks are really important. Next weekend we see Arbroath who are 3 points behind us but also have a game in hand and then the following week we'll get a chance to take a crack at Brechin who are just ahead of us in the table. For a team who wasn't suppose to be in the 2nd division we're doing well. Just take it a week at a time and get the results and hopefully the team will continue to play well.

Cowdenbeath 5-0 Peterhead

Scotland and The Stadium With Turf?

You wouldn't believe it until you've seen it. Some players hate it, while others don't mind it. In Canada its become more common as our seasons don't allow us to play outdoors all year round. I must say though Scotland is one country where I never expected to see astroturf used for match day. The Blue Brazil headed to Stenhousemuir this past weekend with visions of another 3 points to help rise up in the tables once again. The season is still very young but the spread amongst the teams is still very tight. One win can bring you closer to the top, with a little bit of luck. When I walked into the stadium I was looking at the pitch only to realize a little bit of Canada had followed me across the waters as well. I was surprised to see turf being used in Scotland as they have some of the best fields I've played on, Canada just doesn't seem to understand how to maintain a proper pitch. Very high winds for the game, crossing in the warm ups was just taking the ball out of the air and throwing it behind the goal. My team took a 1-0 lead in the first half when the keeper had a bit of a blooper. From my view it looked like he just dropped it into the back of the net himself. Everyone felt pretty comfortable with the lead in our hands going through the tunnel at halftime. In the second half a 1v1 situation forced the Stenhousemuir keeper off his line, only to play the man and not the ball, resulting in a penalty. The penalty was well taken, which pushed Cowden up 2-0. Nothing was really created by Stenhousemuir to pose a threat in the 2nd half and when the final whistle went it was offical that we were going home with 3 points in our pocket. This result pushed the team up into 4th in the table, with a couple teams having a game in hand. It can be a good thing to have a game in hand, but you can't count the points you haven't earned just yet. So now the pressure is on those teams to win, as we look to climb higher next week when Peterhead comes to visit us.

Cowdenbeath 2-0 Stenhousemuir

Braveheart Defending.

A team is a squad of players that come together to work for success. Only those performances on the field will make the decision about whether or not success is achieved. Every game has a beginning, middle and end. It starts with 11 players who cross over a white line with courage, pride and most importantly belief in themselves and fellow teammates. Tonight was another special night at Central Park as it had a little feeling of dejavu. You could say it was almost a replay of the fife cup, but this time we only had 90 minutes to take care of business. Perfect weather conditions for any match in my opinion, some keepers hate it others don't. When I was younger I remember telling my mom that I loved the weather this country had to offer and that I hoped one day I'd get a chance to play here. Some people wouldn't say tonights match is special, but every time I play Raith it is. A little story behind the story, when I came over to Scotland looking for my chance to play professional fooball the idea was to train with Raith during the day while trying to find a team at the same time. My first week was filled with bad news as they wouldn't allow me to come out at all. Little did I know our paths would cross again, but before every game we meet I think about that feeling of rejection. It reminds me that apparently I was just a Canadian who wasn't good enough, according to them. It didn't take long for my side to find the net in the first half. We played well as a unit keeping good shape in the back during the first half. At halftime the coach gave positive encouragement about how the players had performed over the first 45 minutes. He warned them about the second half to keep the level of play up and to not let down just because a couple good things have been said within those walls. Raith realized they had a bit of work ahead of them for the next 45 minutes. Getting the equalizer was the first thing on their list. Towards the last half of the match the pressure increased as the ball was mostly played in our end. Multiple corners and solid defending as a team kept the clean sheet alive. This was a good match to be a part of, one reason being our team won and kept a clean sheet, but it also put me 2-0 up on Raith as far as head to head. As we gathered in the changeroom after the match the coach talked to us about the game. It was clear that on a weekly base we can't afford to defend like that for the last part of the game. A solid team effort in the end, which was titled "Braveheart Defending." The full time whistle went, hand shake were made and both sides found themselves crossing over that white line again, this time they knew the result of the game.

Cowdenbeath 1-0 Raith Rovers (Reserve Match)

The Test.

The big games are always the most important ones during the development of a successful season. You can learn a lot from these matches, no matter what the result is. Today Stirling Albion was coming to Central Park, where the guys were ready for a tough match. You could feel the excitement and energy in the changeroom before going out for warm ups because everyone knew today we had to be at our best as individuals and most importantly as a team. Excitement came early on in the match when our team went ahead 1-0. The tempo for the first 20 minutes was intense. Players were getting stuck in on every challenge whether it was in the air or on the ground. Passes were being connected and to be honest, I felt comfortable with how the team was playing on the pitch. The wind was in Albions advantage in the first half, with a punt from the keepers hands, the ball travelled down the field to cause problems in the back resulting in Albions first goal. Our team lost its tempo from that point on and allowed the other team back into the game. Just before the half Albion found the go ahead goal, which little did we know at the time would be the winning goal. My teammates learned a lot about our team today, but this is only the start. The character of the players showed today and the coaches will have made mental notes about that, the real test will be about how we bounce back next weekend. Do we let this bring us down and call it a season or do we keep our heads high and push to get back up the table. I think we have what it takes, but it's a team game. Next week will be another chapter to this story, but from what I saw today, we have every possibility to be successful in this league. Some people will say we failed todays test, I disagree as the real test lies within each player in that dressing room today. We've seen the top to the bottom, now we just need to get at them all and take our points with each match we play.

Cowdenbeath FC 1-2 Stirling Albion

Victory or Defeat

Football... The game that brings people from around the world together. It's about hopes, dreams and glory. It's a team game where players who are passionate play with their emotions from time to time and can taste love and hate in 90 minutes. It can take you to the top or leave you sitting on the bottom with an empty heart of frustration. When people think about the game, they think about the sold out crowd in the huge stadium; the players who walk out onto the field and instantly become a childhood hero for young children all over the world. It's all picture perfect and seems like these people live in a fantasy world. What they don't know about these players is what they did to get there. What they had to sacrifice in order to have one shot at the dream of a lifetime. In the beginning of my tale a ball brought smiles and joy. At the moment I'm finding the opposite, on and off the field. My team is a part time professional club in the lower divisions of Scottish football. I'm an average Joe by day, footballer by night, on Tuesday, Thursday and game day on Saturdays.



Today the reserve side matched up against East Fife's reserve side, where we ended up losing 3-2. I was disappointed in the result obviously because I'm not even a fan of letting in 1 goal, who can blame me I'm a keeper. I felt the frustrations off the field beat me up a little bit mentally, as I want to continue along this path to see where it takes me.If you have fear, you have to face it, find a way to defeat it. Tomorrow is another chase, with a different reason. It's something I have to do in order to give myself that chance to achieve something most people only get when they close their eyes at night. Who knew this story would truly be about getting so close to the end before it really started? Luck will change because I am a believer...plus it's only a finger tip away.

Cowdenbeath 2-3 East Fife (Reserve Match)

A Little Ambition....

On the bus we got to make our way out to Dumbarton for this weekends match. The lads knew it was an important match to take three points, as it would push our squad up the table. Dumbarton came out looking a little flat and were exposed at the back on a few occasions early into the match. We went into the changeroom 2-0 up and the message from the coach was to not let down. The second half was more memorable for the 25 yard strike that put our team up 3-0. As the whistle blew for full time we knew that we made some kind of gains in the table. When we gathered for post match eats, the team found out we jumped from 8th position in the table to 5th. It's still very early in the season but we're closer to the top of the table now and it's still very tight within the whole league. A win alone can push a team up a couple spots. So now there is a little excitement to do well because the thought of division 1 football is in the back of everyone's minds as well as the taste of success. Plenty of hard work to get through first, as the season is still young.

Cowdenbeath FC 3-0 Dumbarton

(Ross County Stadium)

Earlier on in the week the reserve side had a match out in Ross County where we went down 2-0 by halftime. This was a game of two halfs, I felt that we had a couple chances that could have turned the game around if we had put them away in the first half. The second half was a better performance as the team found better shape and played more like a unit. As we all know you have to show up to play 90 plus minutes, no matter how long bus drive is before the game. This upcoming Tuesday the reserve side will see East Fife at our grounds for a 730pm kickoff.

Cowdenbeath 0-2 Ross County (Reserve Match)

The First 3.

A new team, a new league, a new country, but most importantly a new opportunity to grow as a goalkeeper and person. Many things have happened on my journey to get this far, they will only make me stronger to carry me further as this is only the begining. Today Clyde FC was our challenge at Central Park, they have been off to a slow start this season finding themselves near the bottom of the table as well. My teammates and staff have been keeping very positive over the past couple of weeks knowing that the first 3 points were just around the corner. The weather was unreal for Scottish tradition, looked like a perfect summers day in Canada. We ended up going up 1-0 before the halftime. The team knew that the 3 points were ours for the taking depending on how we performed in the second half. The game was a little scrappy from time to time, but that's how the game goes sometimes. I was glad to see the team play through the full 90 minutes to clinch the first win of the season, definately lifts a heavy load from our backs and gives the fans what they deserve. Although I didn't play any minutes today this week has been another important one for me. I've been settling in with my new club this week a little more and starting to talk a bit more with some of the guys. They're all very easy to get along with and some tend to be quite the character from time to time. We tend to be quite the young side but I feel there is a tight bond, which will help the squad as the season progresses. Although my bum was sore from sitting on the bench today, I felt a part of the team in its first victory of the season. Next weekend we take a road trip to Dumbarton and another chance to travel up the table!

Final: Cowdenbeath FC 1-0 Clyde FC

A Childhood Dream, a Professional Save.

Every child who dreams about the game begins their dream by visualizing themselves walking out of the tunnel. They picture themselves playing for their favourite team in the whole wide world and as they run out onto the fresh cut pitch, they hear the thundering roar of the crowd and that's where the emotions end. The other night my dream came true infront of 185 fans, on a perfect night for Scotlands reputation of wind and rain. It was the Fife cup semi finals and Raith Rovers came to our park for the match. I felt good in the warm up taking in some skipping balls to adjust to the weather conditions of Scotland. I feel sorry for the person who had to wash the white track top as a result from the warmup, white's usually not the choice of colour for keepers. The team gathered in the changeroom before the kickoff and it was clear what the message was on that day. All we had to do was go out there and enjoy it, take advantage of our opportunity to show our coach that we can play and deserve a spot in the starting 11. Through the tunnel, past the fence and over the race car track to the pitch, which was perfect for play. During the first half it felt like most of the pressure was in our end with a couple opportunities to get a strike on Rovers goal as well. Raith scored just a few moments before half time with a strike from 20 yards out to the backside of the net through traffic. Once the ref blew his whistle I was curious to see how the guys would react in the second half. The second half showed the team's character as we battled back together, everyone was doing their job. We managed to equalize with just a few minutes before full time, on a cracking goal driven to the back post! The match had ended not to much after that and we headed straight into penalties. Raith took the first kick and managed to sneak it by. I was thankful that all my teammates hit the target and did well to make it very difficult for the Rovers keeper by putting a lot of pace on the shot. Raith found themselves in a position having to score in order to continue on. The striker stepped up to the spot to do his part. I on the other hand was feeling pretty good because all the pressure was on him and for a keeper to make any sort of save in penalties could make him the hero. He placed his kick to my right and as I made motion to dive to my right I knew I had the save made before my hands got to the ball. There's something special about going the right direction as the shot in pk's because you have all the opportunity to make the save, probably one of the best feelings in penaltys. The team managed to put Raith Rovers out of the Fife Cup, which was a good result for us as they are one division higher then us. I was happy with how the team played as a unit and despite going a goal down in the first half they never gave up. A few of the boys picked up some bad knocks after the match but we worked hard for one another. It was definately a good game to have my first experience with Scottish football and I'm definately looking forward to spending more time on the field with the lads. There's not too many pros that can say their first game involved penalty kicks.

Final Score: Cowdenbeath 1-1 Raith Rovers (4-3 pks) (Fife Cup)

Cam

A Hand Shake of Promise, A Signature of Commitment.

Friday August 28th, 2009....A phone call can change your life, from the minute you pick up and say hello, to the last words of talk to you later. This phone call was a special one that I have been hoping for ever since I got off the plane in Scotland, the one that would open the doors of opportunity. The coach of Cowdenbeath F.C asked me to come up to the club to sign a contract with the club on this day. I'd like to thank the people who have helped me on my journey and been behind me all the way, the support you give me is the drive that pushes me further everyday.

Today (Aug 29th) I dressed for my first game with my new club. Our opponents for today was East Fife at their stadium. A nice pitch on a clear day but very windy. When I walked into the changeroom today I loved the energy amongst the team and everyone was just happy that it was match day, the day where all your hard work from the week pays off. During the match I felt our team looked stronger. We got on the board first with a scramble infront of the goal from the corner kick in the first half. East Fife got themselves back in the game in the second half to give a final result of 1-1. I felt we should have claimed all 3 points, but that's how the game goes when you miss a couple chances. Despite being on the bench today, I really enjoyed the game day experience and just having a chance to mold with my teammates. As time goes by I will become stronger with those who choose to do battle with me on the park. I will keep you guys posted as the weeks go by. All the best.

Cam.

The Blue Brazil.

Another week has gone by and another week of waiting for the phone to ring. This time through a coached called me from Cowdenbeath (division 2), otherwise known as the blue brazil, which funny enough anyone I've asked doesn't know why. Tuesday night they played in the Scottish cup against Dundee, which ended up in a 3-0 loss for Cowdenbeath. It was going to be an interesting night before I even got to see the grounds as I had a tough time getting in. I'll never forget the moment I walked into this stadium as I noticed a fence going all the way around the field and more importantly the fact that there was some form of a track around it. Unlike many facilities where a running track may be around the soccer pitch, this was totally surprise. This track was for racing cars around! I couldn't believe it, so when I got home I went onto youtube to check it out and it was just that. The Thursday night I attended training with the team, which was interesting as well. We ran a lap of the field for warm up quick stretch and to hear nothing but ''ok Cam get in goals.'' I was surprised that the coach was stepping right into a shooting drill without even getting a feel for the ball first. Practice went well, knowing that there was potential to get a game on the upcoming Saturday, pending on international clearance. Unfortunately I didn't receive any clearance, which wouldn't surprise me being from Canada, the csa always does this, takes their sweet time. So no games just yet, kind of getting itchy for one as it's been a while since I've properly kicked someone. I'm hoping that this week will be more productive on the field and I'll be closer to finding a team. I'll hopefully have some more information soon. Click the link below to see the entertaining field! Take care,

CENTRAL PARK COWDENBEATH

Cam

First Save.

It's been almost a week and after a little bit of phone tag I've finally managed to get my first training session in with a club called Forfar Athletic. When my cousin dropped me off at the field it was a bit funny because none of the players were there, but there were some younger children getting ready for practice. It was a bit funny cause there was some slight hesitation that someone had set me up for a laugh. The team did finally show and I met with the manager. Then my favourite part of joining a new team, sitting in the changeroom with that awkward silence because you're a loner and don't know anyone haha. I don't find it difficult at all to understand what people say over here but when you're in a concrete cell (changeroom) and you have about 5-10 different people talking at the same time then it becomes a bit troubling. I was really glad to be back on the pitch and training again. Myself and two other keepers trained with the keeper coach for a majority of the session and then took in some shots with the rest of the team for the last part of the session. After the session I spoke with the coach who was pleased with my performance and said that I've done well for myself. He wants me to stick around and we'll see where this yellow brick road goes.

Flight To The Dream.

The day has finally come! Many people have asked me if I'm getting excited about what lays across the ocean. Up until the drive to the airport I had no emotion. Now they're scattered everywhere as if I were struggling to open a pack of candy and it exploded everywhere. The excitement is building as I get closer to begining the chase. An interesting point was made by my girlfriend as she took me to the airport. We were talking about how i feel like I'm on the plane all the time and then she says to me, "it seems like everytime your on a plane your life changes its path." I remember in grade 5 I did an assignment on becoming a pro footballer. From that point until now alot of things have happened on the field and off, great times and bad. I'm confident about this opportunity because the fight of a warrior, a leader, is in my blood; just look at my parents that's who they are. I can't appreciate anything more then the people around me. Friends who believe in me, a family who loves me, teammates who battle with me, coaches who challenge me and those opponents who try to stop me from tasting success. Come Monday I will have my first training session and my first step across the white line where the path to reality begins. As they say shoot for the moon, land amongst the stars. Until Monday, from the keeper who catches strikers dreams, take care of yourself and others.

Cam

The Kickoff.

Welcome to my world, my dream. It's about a game of glory, where dreams can start from the very first touch of a soccer ball. Unlike most my world is a little different. It started with a pair of gloves and spoiling the dreams of scoring goals for others. I've decided to start this little project to share with you my adventure and travels to achieve something that we all have. "One finger tip, to make the next save," is about the hard work and challenges along the way to try and become a professional goalkeeper in the game the world loves, soccer! In my world one finger tip can be the difference between victory and defeat. It's about the chase to prepare yourself for the next save, remember it could only be an inch away. I look forward to this challenge in my life, August 6th (Scotland) has become a deadline for me to prepare for one last chance for the dream to become reality. I'd like to thank those who have supported me and I know you will continue. I also look forward to those who join me in my chase. Take care.

Yours in goal,

Cam