The Next Wave

The Canadian’s women’s soccer team finishing the CONCAF Championship tournament with not only qualifying for the 2019 Women’s World Cup of Football, but also doing it in dominating fashion by outscoring their opponents 24-3, including a 12-0 thrashing over Cuba. Finishing the tournament, losing to the US in the CONCAF Championship Final, the Canadian Women’s team is ready to head to France in less than 8 months time to represent Canada on the biggest stage of football (soccer). True Canada will be represented by their veteran stars like Christine Sinclair, Diana Matheson, Sophie Schmidt, and Stephanie Labbe, but the majority of this team is part of the next generation of Canadian Women’s football stars. When the Women’s World Cup of soccer starts in June, 75% of the current roster will be under 30 and multiple players were just teenagers when Sinclair and team Canada won bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London, England, being inspired by the veteran skills of Sinclair, Matheson, Schmidt, and others. With Sinclair not only setting records in Canadian football history, but as an inspirer to the next wave of star players that currently represent Canada, it is an indicator of the impact that Sinclair has played. With the current young stars on the roster, Canada has young players ready to step up on both sides of the ball. Kadeisha Buchannan has shown to be a tough test for opposing teams with her superb defensive skills; she plays excellent to ensure that Canada does not get scored on easily. Going forward, she will be a huge part of team Canada’s defence, especially with only turning 23 years old next month. On the defensive side of the ball Buchanan highlights what is a talented and young set of players, as players age range is from 18 to 29 years old, including Emma Regan who is the defensive star for Canada at only age 18. With other players like Lindsay Agnew, Allysha Chapman, Ashley Lawrence, Shelina Zadorsky, the defense will be one that is tough to beat. Both Diana Matheson and Sophie Schmidt are veteran anchors in the national team’s mid field as players like Rebecca Quinn, Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, and Gabrielle Carle are learning lots from the Olympic veterans on how to play a two way game of not only helping the defense out, but to be the ones to start an offense attack for the offense. With the veteran Stephanie Labbe being the last line of defence in the net, as the number 1 goalie, she is mentoring a talented young goalkeeper in 23 year old Kailen Sheridan. With Labbe playing with Swedish club team Linkoping, combined with Sheridan playing Sky Blue FC in the US, there is a great foundation of skill to utilize for both goalkeepers to use as they represent Canada on the national stage. With Christine Sinclair being named Canadian Soccer Player of the Year 13 times, 2 time Olympic Bronze medalist, and leads Canada with the most international goals with 177 goals, and is only 7 back of American, Amy Wambach as the most all time international goals, Sinclair has lots to offer to a young and inspiring group on the offensive side of the pitch. This includes teenagers Jordyn Huitema and Deanne Rose, who are respectively 17 and 19 and look to become superstar scorers, just like the veteran Sinclair. With Sinclair and the two teenagers, also on the offensive side of the ball are Adrianna Leon, Nichelle Prince, and Janine Beckie. The 5 forwards with an average age of 21.8 years, these 5 young and inspiring athletic ladies will have lots to learn from the legendary Sinclair to help out offensively for team Canada. All 20 of these women who currently represent Canada from coast to coast are demonstrating and improving their skills, not only for team Canada, but also for club teams at the University and Pro levels across Canada, the US, and club teams in England, France, and Sweden. These 20 Canadian women football stars are ready to represent Canada in France in June 2019, to not only aim to win the World Cup tournament with their next wave of young star players, but inspire future waves of football star players to represent Canada on both the men’s and women’s teams. Look forward to your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments section.

Photo Courtesy of TSN