The Edmonton Aviators may have been a blip in the history of the Canadian soccer. But two of their alumni will make a return to Commonwealth Stadium — where the Aviators played their one and only home season schedule, back in 2004 — when the Canadian women’s team opens the World Cup against China on June 6.

Born at the wrong time. Born under a bad sign. If Selenia Iacchelli had any luck at all, she might be as familiar to Canadian women’s soccer followers as Diana Matheson, Sophie Schmidt or Desiree Scott. But, Iacchelli had to wait till she was 27 years of age to break into the Canadian soccer mainstream. Her story is remarkable; filled withbroken limbs, career-path changes and a love of frozen yogurt...

“For me, this was definitely a flashback,” said Labbe. “From the Aviators to the Alberta team, I was going back to my roots. Definitely, in 2002, when the under-19 championship was here, that was my first exposure to the national team. I was in the stadium watching them. Now, to be back here, with the national team, it feels like I have come full circle.”

When players I’ve covered over the years earn major awards, I don’t think about the stats they’ve accumulated over the courses of their careers. I think about the moments I remember the most vividly, the marks that these athletes made on my brain.

And, in Janine Helland, not only are the women’s national teams of years past recognized, but also the Edmonton Aviators.

But Thanksgiving Monday’s national club championship final between Royal-Select Beauport and Edmonton Scottish was a compelling Cup final, the kind of game you’ll talk about years from now. Beauport, down to 10 men, triumphed over a Scottish side laden with former NASL and USL players.

So, how did Ongaro latch on to the Chinese job? A year ago, he was coaching both the Canadian national futsal and beach soccer programs. Ongaro is also a FIFA instructor, and tours countries around the world. That brought him in contact with a lot of federations who have fledgling beach soccer programs. He got lots of coaching offers, but China was a bit more, ahem, persuasive in its pitch.

Canadian defender Diaz Kambere, a former Vancouver Whitecap who also had a one-game stint with Toronto FC back in 2008, has joined FC Edmonton as a trialist.

FC Edmonton unveiled its new all-white road kits and its sponsor, Sears Financial, at a media event Thursday. A new blue home kit is still to come, and there are plans to work on a special third jersey. Toronto FC used its grey kit as a third jersey in Nutrilite Canadian Championship games last season. The Montreal Impact tried a pink jersey during NCC games.

They were shorthanded in a 7-6 season opening loss in Calgary; but the Edmonton Drillers will be at full strength for their 2011 Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League home debut this Saturday, The Drillers will play a doubleheader against Winnipeg Alliance. Drillers head coach Kevin Poissant said that because the CMISL was late in releasing the schedule, it was hard for the team to find enough players to send a competitive squad down to Calgary. The fact that kickoff for that game was set for 2 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve didn’t help matters.