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In Canada, other sports like hockey and basketball are so much better covered and discussed at the youth level and I wanted to bring the same sort of “exposure” to the soccer culture here in the country I was born and raised in.
Marcus Hanson
Founder
First Touch Football Canada
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My role as the founder/CEO of FTF Canada is to make sure we are operating at the highest level possible consistently.
We have a great team that does a lot of fantastic work in the fields of marketing, business development, soccer operations, and collegiate recruiting.
So, a typical day would be to make sure we are either hitting our short-term goals or taking the necessary steps to successfully achieve our long-term goals.
First Touch Football Canada is a Digital Sports Media & Events Company that provides exposure and opportunities for youth Canadian athletes.
Our services include Individual Exposure Combines, Showcase Tournaments, Highlight Video/Tape Creation, Social Media Management, 11v11 Game Recording, Marketing Consultation, Photography, Videography, Event Planning, and Advertising.
What inspired me to create FTF was the lack of exposure players were receiving in this country despite the tremendous amount of talent that exists here in Canada.
In Canada, other sports like hockey and basketball are so much better covered and discussed at the youth level.
I wanted to bring the same “exposure” to the soccer culture here in the country I was born and raised in.
I think what sets us apart from other Digital Sports Media and Events companies is our willingness to relate to the “player.”
All of us on our team either played or were involved with youth soccer in Canada. As such, we know exactly what we enjoyed and what we wish was better.
So, now that we can push those initiatives forward through FTF and make a real difference is the reason why we will always (in my humble opinion) set ourselves apart from others who might come or people who have tried to imitate us.
Relationships. That was the one thing I learned as the captain of an NCAA Division 1 team.
We had people on the team that had different interests, and goals, and came from different backgrounds.
But as the captain, you have to be able to ‘relate’ to everyone and build ‘relationships’ with every single member of the team as they follow your lead.
This helps me today because I’m able to implement this same thing with my team as we are all different and also relate to the different types of organizations or people we deal with on a day-to-day basis.
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My playing career definitely impacted why I wanted to start an events company because when I was younger, I would remember all the travel tournaments in the US and Europe my parents would take me to and the amounts of money they would have to spend.
I always had a feeling that there was a market to provide that type of value from an “exposure” standpoint “locally”. So, the idea of running events or providing exposure to Canadian Soccer players was always in the back of my mind.
Then during my Masters Degree, I did an internship with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats organization. For those who know the Ti-Cats well, you would know they’re very closely linked to the Canadian Premier League through their ownership group.
So, in 2019, I was able to receive first-hand knowledge of how quickly the game in Canada was about to grow.
At that moment, the idea I was “sitting on” — FTF Canada — started to take shape in my head and I was able to execute the project with the help of great partners.
In my opinion, the most important trait of an effective leader is "quality communication."
Without being able to properly communicate with your staff and others whom you interact with on a daily basis, your leadership won't run at peak efficiency.
My personal goal for myself is to just successfully maintain the operation of FTF as a “main pillar” in Canada Soccer from a leadership standpoint until I retire.
We have many company-related goals that we strive for every day, but personally, for me, it’s just about correctly leading us down the right path with the people I started this journey with.
Marcus Hanson, Founder of First Touch Football Canada, aims to bring better exposure for football players in Canada. Having played the game himself growing up, Marcus knew what he needed to do to address the lack of exposure Canadian football players were experiencing. His internship with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats helped him gain a grasp of just how the game was about to grow in Canada. Serving as an NCAA Division 1 captain at the University at Buffalo for three years, Marcus values building relationships and quality communication as he continues to lead FTF into becoming a "main pillar" in Canadian soccer.
If you’re looking for consulting or need someone to plan, produce, and execute your live and/or virtual event from inception to production, Costante Group is your solution.