A frosty February day but the Hammer of Sparx Pod is just getting warmed up. Jordan Hamilton and Dom Samuel take the time to talk as they step off the training pitch. Are they ready for the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament to start? Are you? I know I am. Let's get fired up on this episode of the Hammer of Sparx

What is it like to be a young start in a new league who's been planning his career since the age most of us were eating paste in the back of the classroom? Join me today for my chat with Kwasi Poku to find out.

Here is a young man who has jumped in to the fray with a first ever appearance against a Mexican Juggernaut. He has travelled to Europe to improve his game and played some huge games in big Canadian academies.

He is what Soccer in Canada is all about. Come along and learn a little more about rising star, Kwasi Poku.

Yo! We got the one and only David Choiniere on the podcast!

Yeah that David Choiniere, the guy who scores in the biggest games, like the Finals or at the Azteca.

But we dug deep to get to the important stuff.

How did he know soccer was the game for him? Why did he roll the dice on a start-up league and then double-down when his contract was up? Does he like the Choiniere song the supporters sing when he scores?

We get to the nitty-griity on Season Two's first episode. So join us!

The Hammer of Sparx is back. We've learned that soccer podcasting has a bit of a learning curve. This year we are better than ever, which is a bit of a low bar, because last year we were fighting just to keep the cat out of the "studio" and learning the craft in just about every significant way imaginable.

But we still managed to create some compelling conversations with local soccer icons.

And this year is gearing up to be even better. Have a listen to our little 2024 Season Primer. We are planning to add to our lineup of Forge player interviews with a few other pieces and projects. But the main draw remains the same, fun, intimate and honest conversations with some of Forge's finest.

So please tune in to this shorty episode to find out what lies ahead. I really think you'll be glad you did. Now hurry up and get here April!

(No wait, hurry up and get here Concacaf Cup, right? One step at a time!)

What a coup for the hammer of Sparx. On this Episode the podcast expands its reach with an interview with former canadian Men's National Team Player p- Tesho Akindele. Tesho talks to us about his time with the national team and the opportunities it provided him. He connects with us over his relationships with Forge players he met while playing for Canada: Jordan Hamilton, Manjrekar James, Ashtone Morgan and of course Kyle Bekker.

We also get to hear about Tesho's unlikely pathway to professional success and the importance of supporters groups. And it is this last area that leads us to my favourite part. The importance of creating communities.

Tesho is using his platform to promote something dear to his heart - Urbanism. He drops a lot of knowledge and passion on his projects. And it has inspired the podcast to aim higher. This is the first, Wider Than the Pitch eppisode, which we hope to grow into its own podcast. So welcome in on the ground floor.

So tune into the Hammer of Sparx Pod with very special guest, Tesho Akindele.

Terran Campbell has one season down with Forge. How is he fitting in? What does he do with his down time? How does he stay focused on the prize when he is already a 2x CPL Champ and one of the all-time goal scorers in league history?

You'll have to tune in to find out.

Hint: He is a really cool guy.

I enjoyed sitting down and finding out more about this young man, one of the few interviews I've had with someone who started his soccer journey in Beautiful BC.

(Don't take it easy on your 'home' team next match Terran!)

Get hyped for Derby Day with a little after practice catch up with Kyle Bekker (Finally got him!) and Ashtone Morgan. The glamorous life of footballers and getting ready for York!

Today we go a different route. The executive path. The Hammer of Sparx sits down with Forge FC's Jelani Smith to get a taste for what it means to work behind the scenes building a champion. And while he gives all credit to Bobby's coaching and the boys getting it done on the field, he deserves his share of credit for doing what it takes to allow everyone to focus on the footy.

We talk growing up as a footy player, seeing the world thanks to the beautiful game, the decision to go behind the pitch and how Guyana has benefitted from Jelani's footy prowess. A little bit of everything here.

I really enjoyed this look at the game from a different viewpoint. And I also want to shout out Nico Correa at Forge for making this possible so quickly.

I hope you enjoy this one.