Denis Huck

Denis must have sport coursing through his veins. He’s been involved in it for more than 20 years. From managing sport stadiums to coaching and raising successful soccer players himself. He’s been involved with Soccer Nova Scotia since 2012 and has served as chair of the board for the BMO Soccer Centre and acted as venue lead for the North American Indigenous Games.

Now we can add Chair of the 2023 National Soccer Championships to his list of accolades. During the National Championships, top adult female and male soccer players from across Canada ascended on Halifax for the 5-day tournament. Most of the matches were played at Halifax Commons, which meant easy viewing for Haligonians and fans who travelled in for the event.

WHY HE DID IT

Denis was involved in the National Soccer Championships in 2013, when it was last hosted in Halifax. That experience stayed with him when planning for 2023. “I left very comfortable taking control”, said Denis. “I also had a lot of great people to work with at Soccer Nova Scotia and in the volunteer sector. We had a lot of fun. That’s the key. Have fun while you’re doing it.”

Denis also thought bringing events like this to Halifax was important. “Local individuals get a chance to see the top athletes in Canada play and it helps bring more people to Halifax to see our beautiful city.”

BIG OUTCOMES

The National Soccer Championships saw 500 athletes participate (10 women’s teams and 20 men’s) and thousands more came out to cheer them on. In total, the event contributed more than $1.16 million to our local economy. Thank you to everyone to attended and helped bring the event to life.

“It was a great experience. You get to work with some great people. Although it was very time consuming, we had a lot of fun doing it,” said Denis.