The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Simeon Jackson is the male selection for the 2009 Canadian Players of the Year award. Jackson was honoured in a vote shared by Canadian media (50%) and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association’s national course at the B and A levels (50%).

Jackson of Mississauga, ON wins the award for the first time. His co-winner Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, BC – announced yesterday – is a five-time winner of the prize.

“This is a fantastic achievement for Simeon,” said Canadian national head coach Stephen Hart. “He had an excellent club season and performed admirably at the national level. Full congratulations to Simeon.”

In 2009, the 22-year old striker helped Gillingham FC earn a promotion to League One in England. In the second half of the 2008-09 season, he scored nine goals in 25 League Two appearances, including three goals in the final two playoff matches to earn Gillingham FC the promotion for the 2009-10 season. It was on 23 May 2009 in front of 53,706 fans at Wembley Stadium that Jackson scored the winning goal of a Gillingham FC 1:0 victory over Shrewsbury to secure the promotion. Jackson scored on a header in the 91st minute of play.

Just one week later, he made his international debut with the Canadian national team in a 1:0 victory over Cyprus in Larnaka. Again, Jackson scored the lone goal of the match, this one the first of his international career.

Over the summer, Jackson represented Canada at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He helped Canada reach the quarter-final stage. He was called up again in November for a pair of friendly matches in Europe, thus earning him seven national appearances by year’s end.

As for the start of the 2009-10 England League One season, Jackson has been in fine form through the first 18 games of the season. He has scored 10 goals including an opening-day hat trick against Swindon Town on 8 August. He scored two additional goals in League Cup matches against Plymouth and Premiership opponent Blackburn. The 25 August goal against Blackburn was Jackson’s second of the year against a Premiership opponent; his first was a 4 January 2009 goal against Aston Villa in FA Cup action.

While the media across the country and coaches from the community levels to national teams honoured Jackson and Sinclair as the top national players, Canadian coaches honoured two pairs of teenagers earlier this week in other 2009 player award announcements. Nana Attakora (Orangeville, ON) and Chelsea Stewart (The Pas, MB) were named co-winners of the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year award while Russell Teibert (Niagara Falls, ON) and Abigail Raymer (Victoria, BC) were named co-winners of the Canadian U-17 Players of the Year award.

Fan voting for the 2009 CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices, meanwhile, runs through 20 December 2009. Fans can still make their two selections (one male, one female) at CanadaSoccer.com.

FINAL LIST
Male players from the Men’s national team
1. Simeon Jackson (18.2)
2. Dwayne De Rosario (17.6)
3. Julian de Guzman (17.4)
4. Mike Klukowski (10.9)
5. Will Johnson (10.7)
6. Atiba Hutchinson (8.2)
7. Nevio Pizzolitto (7.5)
8. Ali Gerba (3.9)
9. Kevin McKenna (2.3)
10. Ethan Gage (0.6)
10. Charles Gbeke (0.6)
10. Tomasz Radzinski (0.6)

CANADIAN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2009 – Simeon Jackson & Christine Sinclair
2008 – Julian de Guzman & Christine Sinclair
2007 – Dwayne De Rosario & Christine Sinclair
2006 – Dwayne De Rosario & Christine Sinclair
2005 – Dwayne De Rosario & Christine Sinclair

MORE CANADIAN PLAYER AWARD WINNERS
www.canadasoccer.com/history/Canada_awards.asp