HENRY
WHAT’S IT TO YA?
Henry Standage is a journalist, producer, and creative strategist at Bonus Track whose love of the game traces back to his English roots. His passion for the game was built during his early days of house league and continued to grow as he grew up playing in Canada. We caught up with Henry to talk about how he fell in love with the game, his excitement about the world coming to Canada this summer, and more.
What’s your first football memory?
My parents are both English, so when we moved to Halifax when I was five, I remember trying out different sports. And then we tried soccer, and I remember my first House League game dribbling through a team and scoring. And my dad was like,’ oh, this is the thing’. Then I just started playing every morning, and every weekend, watching with my dad and that kind of became our routine.
I moved to Kingston when I was nine, and I think like most parents, my parents were really worried about me being able to make friends. During my first recess, the grade 4s—which I was in—played the grade 5s, and I scored a goal at recess and got carried on the shoulders of my friends back to class. So my first memories of the game are me immediately having a place wherever I was, despite moving a lot as a kid.
So, you fell in love with football in a hockey country. Have you always followed it, or was it more just playing?
I mean, we were huge Manchester United fans, so I had every Wayne Rooney jersey every year growing up, and that was my thing. With my parents being English, watching England was also huge in our house, so growing up, I'd get taken out of school during the World Cup, and my parents would tell the school it was for “religious reasons” in the note.
What’s your first football memory?
My parents are both English, so when we moved to Halifax when I was five, I remember trying out different sports. And then we tried soccer, and I remember my first House League game dribbling through a team and scoring. And my dad was like,’ oh, this is the thing’. Then I just started playing every morning, and every weekend, watching with my dad and that kind of became our routine.
I moved to Kingston when I was nine, and I think like most parents, my parents were really worried about me being able to make friends. During my first recess, the grade 4s—which I was in—played the grade 5s, and I scored a goal at recess and got carried on the shoulders of my friends back to class. So my first memories of the game are me immediately having a place wherever I was, despite moving a lot as a kid.
So, you fell in love with football in a hockey country. Have you always followed it, or was it more just playing?
I mean, we were huge Manchester United fans, so I had every Wayne Rooney jersey every year growing up, and that was my thing. With my parents being English, watching England was also huge in our house, so growing up, I'd get taken out of school during the World Cup, and my parents would tell the school it was for “religious reasons” in the note.
What have been some of your fondest memories playing yourself?
When I was nine, I made the Nova Scotia provincial team two years younger, so that was big. Then I moved to Kingston and played a year up my whole life in Kingston. My goal in high school was to move back to England and try to become a professional. I think my dad would say I was maybe, like, Cesc Fàbregas with more athleticism. But still to this day, I play on a men's league team that verges on semi-pro. So it's still something I do every week because it makes me more confident the next day at work. Playing at a high level, playing with other guys who really know how to ball.
With the World Cup coming here, how does it feel to be a Canadian soccer fan who’s loved the game your whole life?
It feels like if you're a Canadian soccer fan, we're building the plane while it's flying right now. Both literally—where you look at the BMO Field upgrades—but also the fact that if you're a soccer fan who knows your stuff, you’re gonna have friends who actually care to ask you about the game over the next few months. It’s a great opportunity to really try and get them invested in the game. Over the next six months, how can we get other people who are traditionally hockey or basketball fans invested in the game because it's in our backyard. That’s gonna shape what being a Canadian soccer fan looks like in twenty years.
When I was nine, I made the Nova Scotia provincial team two years younger, so that was big. Then I moved to Kingston and played a year up my whole life in Kingston. My goal in high school was to move back to England and try to become a professional. I think my dad would say I was maybe, like, Cesc Fàbregas with more athleticism. But still to this day, I play on a men's league team that verges on semi-pro. So it's still something I do every week because it makes me more confident the next day at work. Playing at a high level, playing with other guys who really know how to ball.
With the World Cup coming here, how does it feel to be a Canadian soccer fan who’s loved the game your whole life?
It feels like if you're a Canadian soccer fan, we're building the plane while it's flying right now. Both literally—where you look at the BMO Field upgrades—but also the fact that if you're a soccer fan who knows your stuff, you’re gonna have friends who actually care to ask you about the game over the next few months. It’s a great opportunity to really try and get them invested in the game. Over the next six months, how can we get other people who are traditionally hockey or basketball fans invested in the game because it's in our backyard. That’s gonna shape what being a Canadian soccer fan looks like in twenty years.
If you were to build out your dream 5-a-side Canadian team (you can include yourself if you want) who would make the squad?
At Goalkeeper, give me Dayne. Then we’ve got me and Owen Hargreaves at the back. I know Owen and I can both attack, but we’re gonna have us two back there. Then we’re gonna have Eustáquio in that pivot spot right in front of us. So that triangle, we’re keeping the ball all day. And then we’re gonna go with Phonzy, obviously. And do I get one more?
Sure, make it 6-a-side.
Okay, give me Phonzy as an attacker, and give me... Tajon Buchanan. The thing about this formation, everyone can cover for each other. If me and Hargreaves go and attack, Phonzy comes and plays a little D.
What does “we all speak footy” mean to you?
“We all speak footy” means I could go anywhere in the world, and if I see a bunch of people playing football on the street, without knowing the language, I can connect with them through gestures, through my expressions, through the way I laugh when somebody nutmegs someone, or someone dives. Being able to speak footy literally means that in 95% of countries on earth, you can go, and if you love the game, you’re gonna be able to have a connection with people.
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At Goalkeeper, give me Dayne. Then we’ve got me and Owen Hargreaves at the back. I know Owen and I can both attack, but we’re gonna have us two back there. Then we’re gonna have Eustáquio in that pivot spot right in front of us. So that triangle, we’re keeping the ball all day. And then we’re gonna go with Phonzy, obviously. And do I get one more?
Sure, make it 6-a-side.
Okay, give me Phonzy as an attacker, and give me... Tajon Buchanan. The thing about this formation, everyone can cover for each other. If me and Hargreaves go and attack, Phonzy comes and plays a little D.
What does “we all speak footy” mean to you?
“We all speak footy” means I could go anywhere in the world, and if I see a bunch of people playing football on the street, without knowing the language, I can connect with them through gestures, through my expressions, through the way I laugh when somebody nutmegs someone, or someone dives. Being able to speak footy literally means that in 95% of countries on earth, you can go, and if you love the game, you’re gonna be able to have a connection with people.
