For 75 years and counting, a soccer ball has been a staple in Ralph Owens’ life.
At 82, Owens, a native of Liverpool, England, is a major figure in Salmon Arm’s soccer community, and he continues to make his mark on the sport through mentoring local referees.
It all started when Owens was just seven years old, in grade school in Liverpool. He decided to try soccer, as there weren’t many other sports to choose from in England, and since then it’s been a match.
“It’s just the best game in the world,” he says.
Modestly, Owens says he hasn’t received many medals for his soccer skills, but his first one came in 1947, when his team, The Speak United Liverpool team, was victorious and took home gold at the Speak United Cup.
Making his career as a travel agent, Owens spent his time playing on various business house teams, before deciding to move to Canada in 1966.
He recalls getting off the bus at 5 a.m. in Salmon Arm, where he has made his home since, bringing his love for soccer with him.
Owens has been a prominent soccer player, ref and coach in Salmon Arm – a place that he says has a great soccer presence.
The walls in his home are adorned with photos of his family. Two plaques from the Shuswap Soccer Association hang on his wall, recognizing him for his contribution to soccer in Salmon Arm, in 1983 and 1984.
His soccer presence in Salmon Arm started when he joined the Okanagan Mainline team in 1966, before playing in the Shuswap Minor Soccer League in 1979. From there, he moved on to coaching, refereeing and, eventually, became a referee mentor.
Owens said he started reffing, coaching and mentoring as he thought it was time to give something back to the sport he loves.
“It’s a chance for me to teach the young guys,” said Owens. “The whole objective of a ref is to see players have a good, clean, fair game, and you can’t play competitive soccer without a referee,” he said, noting the major drawback he sees in soccer players is a lack of teamwork. “In coaching, you have to explain to the kids that it’s a team game, you’ve got to play it all together.”
Owens’ major stint refereeing, and notably one of his favourites, came with the annual Shuswap Soccer Men’s league tournament each August long weekend, which he officiated for 30 years.
The tournament is host to one of his favourite soccer memories, when he, his son Gary and his grandson Travis all refereed the tournament together.
With three children and six grandchildren, Owen’s love for soccer has made its way up the family tree, and that’s something he cherishes.
“I like to share experiences with my kids and grandkids,” he says, mentioning that Gary still plays.
And Gary isn’t the only one who still kicks a ball around.
Owens himself is still taking to the field every Monday night, playing in a drop-in recreation and exhibition league and, when he’s not playing soccer, he keeps busy by playing pickle ball and table tennis.
He hasn’t stopped mentoring referees either, helping out at Shuswap Youth Soccer’s Shore N Score Cup in July where he even raced up and down the field as an assistant referee. As has been his practice for years, he also helped mentor youth referees from April through June during the spring league.
Owens says he enjoys the exercise soccer gives him and the connections he has made through the sport, noting it’s been great to get to know other soccer enthusiasts such as Tom Brighouse and the late Eric Walters.
“I just enjoy it so much, it’s good to get out and kick a ball around.”