Forge partners with Volkswagen to support speqtrum Hamilton through proceeds from Pride match featuring the Pacific Football Club
The Forge Football Club hosted a Pride soccer match sponsored by Volkswagen with proceeds going to support speqtrum, a 2SLGBTQIA+ program through the Young Women’s Christian Association of Canada’s Hamilton chapter.
Focusing on community building and development, speqtrum provides services, events and skill workshops to assist queer and trans young people in Hamilton. speqtrum also offers programs such as weekly check-ins, peer support with staff to chat and provide services over online platforms.
On June 1, the team announced on Instagram post that their June 10 home game at Tim Hortons Field would be held in celebration of Pride month.
"I think it’s important for us to host [the Pride match] for a number of reasons, but the least of all just visibility and going the extra mile to prove that Tim Hortons Field is an inclusive space,” said Shannon Connolly, manager of community partnerships for Forge FC.
I think it’s important for us to host [the Pride match] for a number of reasons, but the least of all just visibility and going the extra mile to prove that Tim Hortons Field is an inclusive space.
Shannon Connolly, manager of community partnerships, Forge Football Club
The team also announced multiple promotional and merchandise opportunities through which fans could donate to the program. These include a “#BeTheChange Pride Package’’ which contained a ticket to the game, a commemorative pride Forge FC shirt, a charitable $10 donation to speqtrum and a $10 matching donation made by Volkswagen.
In addition to the package, $5 proceeds from the team’s Pride collection sales will also be donated to speqtrum for the remainder of the merchandise’s supply.
"Our mandate in our community department is always to focus on healthy, active and empowered youth . . . We immediately thought of speqtrum when we were looking for a partner for this match because they work really closely with youth and families,” said Connolly.
Our mandate in our community department is always to focus on healthy, active and empowered youth . . . We immediately thought of speqtrum when we were looking for a partner for this match because they work really closely with youth and families.
Shannon Connolly, manager of community partnerships, Forge Football Club.
The first 3,000 fans who attended the game were given a Pride Forge FC bandana as part of the team’s giveaway. Unique visual elements were present at the match, including custom corner flags as well as a rainbow-coloured armband for Kyle Bekker, the team captain for the Forge.
Per Connolly, approximately 200 tickets were donated to speqtrum on behalf of Forge and Volkswagen and given to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth from across Hamilton to attend the match.
Per Connolly, approximately 200 tickets were donated to speqtrum on behalf of Forge and Volkswagen and given to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth from across Hamilton to attend the match.
Playing against the Pacific Football Club, the Forge lost 0-1 after a late game goal by forward Djenairo Daniels. Both teams played a tightly contested game all throughout the match. After a scoreless first half, a misplay by Forge players Dom Samuel and Triston Henry allowed Pacific FC forward Daniels to notch a wide-open goal in the 85th minute of play.
Despite a 56.4 per cent possession rate for the Forge, the Pacific’s 16 shots and relentless offense managed to overpower the hometown Hammers and bring the visitors to victory. After the game, the Forge sit in third place in the Canadian Premier League standings with four wins, four draws and two losses.
The Forge continue to make donations to speqtrum with merchandise purchases from their 2023 Pride Collection along with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
C/O Wikimedia
New to the Canadian soccer scene, Hamilton Forge has already made a name for itself
Forge FC is a soccer club based in Hamilton that was founded in early 2017. It is the first major soccer club based in Hamilton and currently participates in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). In its first two years of competitive football within the CPL, Forge has won two of the three championships, proving to be a new force within the Canadian football community that is only going to grow larger.
Although the club isn’t even five years old, they have made some high-profile signings over the course of their existence. In 2019, David Edgar, a former English Premier League regular, signed with the club. Although nearing retirement, Edgar was at the time considered one of the most experienced Canadian center backs, having played 42 times for the country and scoring two goals.
In 2021, Forge signed another high-profile Canadian veteran, Dejan Jakovic, who played on high profile teams such as Red Star Belgrade and LA Galaxy before coming to Hamilton. What made Jakovic such a big signing was also his immense experience for the Canadian national team, where he was capped just over 40 times throughout his career.
Just recently, Forge reached its biggest success yet in qualifying for The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football Champions League by defeating Santos de Guapiles three to nothing at home, which guaranteed automatic qualification to the big tournament.
With the team at a current season break, the squad will return to play in mid February to play the Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The manager of ticket sales and youth soccer initiatives at Forge FC, James Hutton — a McMaster graduate — expressed his excitement at being a part of the club so early on in its existence.
“I have been a part of the club [since shortly] after it was founded and it has been remarkable to see how much it has grown over the past few years. We have aimed to spread the word about us in the community and it did a great job. We have more and more fans coming to our games and it’s great to see people getting involved in soccer here,” said Hutton.
"I have been a part of the club [since shortly] after it was founded and it has been remarkable to see how much it has grown over the past few years. We have aimed to spread the word about us in the community and it did a great job. We have more and more fans coming to our games and it’s great to see people getting involved in soccer here"
James Hutton, Manager of Ticket Sales & Youth Soccer Initiatives
When asked about the fanbase and how much it means to the club, Hutton didn't hesitate to explain the importance of the support they’ve been getting.
“People may think sometimes that we are taking fans away from other clubs but that is certainly not what we are doing. I think what Forge FC is doing in Hamilton is bringing fans to the sport — new fans that not only become our supporters but start supporting the national team as well. It was a very exciting journey so far and we are excited to see it progress,” explained Hutton.
Regarding the recent success in the CONCACAF Champions League, Hutton quickly expressed his excitement at the games coming up.
“Just qualifying for the big competition was amazing for everyone at the club. We all knew that we could win the CPL but we also knew that we could be dangerous in the continental competitions as well. We showcased who we were in that [three to nothing] win and I think we can do even more when we come back in February,” said Hutton.
When asked about how he feels now that Forge will be playing Cruz Azul, Hutton once again mentioned how fascinating an experience it will be.
“We will be playing against one of the best teams in North America. Not only that, but we will be traveling to one of the most remarkable stadiums, the Azteca. I personally can't wait to come up against them,” said Hutton.
Although Forge is currently on a break, it will return to the field for the Champions League thriller against Cruz Azul on Feb. 16 at the Tim Hortons Field. Just eight days later, they are set to rematch against the same club on at the Azteca.
By: Natalie Clark
Since graduating from McMaster in 2008, the Arkells have become one of Hamilton’s greatest accomplishments. “You write what you know,” mentions lead singer of the Arkells, Max Kerman, who accredits not only Hamilton, but McMaster, to the inspiration behind many of the band’s greatest hits.
“You write material based on your own life experiences; you’re trying to tell a story about a person, a friend, or someone you admire,” said Kerman.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsf4rhpF8fD/
The multiple Juno-award winning band’s career began in Hamilton where Kerman met the other members of the band. Their band name was even inspired by one of Westdale’s own street name; Arkell Street. Their first gig was played at the annual Battle of the Bands at McMaster in spring of their first year and a few of their songs feature campus landmarks such as the Brandon Hall residence in “Where U Goin”.
The Arkell’s music video sets and album titles have included places beyond campus including Cheapies Records, Jackson Square and even a Hamilton Street Railway bus.
McMaster and Hamilton are clearly places that the band admire. For Kerman, the buildings we spend long hours studying in, the neighbourhoods we settle into and the downtown spots we find excitement in paint the setting of his coming of age story, despite winding up there for other reasons.
“I went to McMaster because my high school girlfriend who was older than me was already there in the year ahead of me… I wanted to go to a school that wasn’t near my parents’ house, and McMaster took me in,” said Kerman.
Kerman went on to graduate as a political science major and describes his passion for politics as stemming from his family.
“My mom is a high school teacher and my dad is a social worker, which are two very community-based jobs…because I had this in my house growing up, it makes you think about how you are a part of a bigger thing,” explained Kerman.
He described political science as constantly asking questions about how we understand and figure things out together and how we coexist in this world. His education informed the way he sees the world and Kerman often translates this passion for politics into the band’s lyrics.
The Arkells have had more than a few hits with political messaging including “Knocking at the Door” which is inspired by The Women’s March on Washington and their most recent single, “People’s Champ”, is a protest against American President Donald Trump.
The Arkells are making their way across Canada and the United States this February to tour their new album Rally Cry. Their most local show will take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Feb. 16 with special guests Lord Huron.
“Getting the chance to play our new material is something we are most looking forward to, and when we were working on the songs in the studio, we were really thinking about how these songs would come off live,” mentioned Kerman.
The tour comes after their record-breaking show, The Rally, this past June at the Tim Horton’s Field. In true Arkells fashion, where better to have their biggest performance to date than in their hometown? As the Arkells continue to thrive, it’s exciting to see where their momentum will take them next.
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