It was to be a highlight match on the Valour FC 2020 schedule – a Canada Day matinee showdown with Canadian Premier League champion Forge FC.

And Valour FC boss Rob Gale has no doubt about the scene that would have been painted at IG Field…

“I really believe we would have had 15,000 fans in the stands,” began Gale earlier this week. “We’ve worked hard to build something here in the community and there’s a family feel to this club.”

Gale’s voice dropped off here and for a moment and the conversation turned silent save for the chatter of players following a training session. And that, in a nutshell, is where Valour FC, the CPL and much of the sporting world are right now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has put so much on pause.

So, in between lamenting about what has already been lost this season and wondering aloud about what may be ahead in terms of salvaging a 2020 schedule through a possible hub city/tournament-style format, many on the Valour squad and in the CPL are stepping back momentarily for a bigger-picture look at things.

And that includes being thankful for the simple existence of Canada’s domestic league and the opportunity it provides.

“It’s great for young Canadians like myself because of the opportunity we get in this league,” said Valour defender Raphael Garcia. “I remember last year we played York 9 here on Canada Day… it was just a fantastic experience. Me growing up in Ottawa it’s always a big party on Canada Day.

“And so being able to do the thing you love on a holiday like that is special.”

Garcia came to Valour from the Montreal Impact Academy. His timing was perfect, as the CPL opened its doors to give players like him – now just 21 – a chance to grow their game in Canada rather than attempt to seek work abroad.

“A few years ago when I was with the Impact and looking into my options my coaches mentioned there was going to be a Canadian league and I could barely believe it,” said Garcia. “Nobody knew if it was going to work out and some players didn’t know if they wanted to go.

“Also, coming from an MLS system every generation you are going to get one or two players that are going to sign with the first team. But I can name 11 players that were in the starting 11 for the Academy when I was there that are either playing in the CPL or with Montreal, including Yohan (Le Bourhis) here. We didn’t have that opportunity to play in Canada before… but all of them are good enough to play professionally.”

Fraser Aird’s route to Valour FC follows a much different path. Signed by Rangers at the age of 16, the Toronto product has spent most of his professional career in Scotland – save for an 18-match loan to the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2016.

Still just 25, Aird is hoping to re-energize his career in the CPL and, in the process, open some eyes again at the national team level, where he has made eight appearances, most recently in 2017.

“Last year I was keeping tabs on my friends in the league and I would see highlights on Twitter and Instagram,” said Aird. “It seemed like it got a good write-up last year after everyone was unsure how it was going to be.

“It’s definitely a good league for Canadians trying to make their name in a domestic league. It’s closer to the national team coach, and you can see a few boys got called into the team last year. The standard is obviously there and it’s going to take some time to work on the league because, if we get going, this would only be the second year.

“It’s great. I wish I had had this for myself growing up and it might have changed my path in my soccer career. But for the young boys on this team it’s great for them.”

Clearly, Aird, Garcia, Gale & Co. would rather be in the meat of the CPL season right now instead of worrying about the future. It’s with that in mind that Gale occasionally tries to remind his squad to live in the moment.

“Everyone and all sports fans might be frustrated right now, but look at the blessings we have out here,” said Gale. “We’re still in the job and doing something we love. We’re starting to get together in a new type of normal.

“Plus, we’re in the greatest country in the world. Look at what we’ve done with the pandemic and what the leadership from the provinces, to the league, to the ownership and the teams have done to ensure they are doing all the right things to give us the opportunity to come back.

“We have to be grateful we’re Canadian and we have this league now in our country. Sure we would have loved to have been playing on Canada Day, but sometimes you have to remember where we are, what we’re doing and everything we’ve got going for ourselves right now.

“And there are billions of people right now around the world who would like to be in our shoes.”