Award nominees announced for annual Canada Soccer Player Awards

Canada Soccer has announced the list of nominees for the 2016 Canada Soccer Player Awards, with voting open today for both media and coaches. At the top of the list are the nominees for the 2016 Canadian Players of the Year award, celebrating the top male and top female footballers from the 2016 calendar year.

Voting for the 2016 Canadian Players of the Year award is split between media and coaches from coast to coast to coast across Canada. Voting is open from Monday 28 November to Thursday 8 December.

Canadian coaches also have the opportunity to vote for both the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year and the Canadian U-17 Players of the Year. Voting for these two categories will be split between national team coaches and other coaches, including those with Canada Soccer Coaching A & B Licences.

This marks the 24th year since the Canada Soccer Player Awards were introduced in 1993. The Awards recognise player performances with both the national teams and their respective club teams. Announcements for this year’s awards, including the Canadian Para Soccer Player of the Year, will run from 9-16 December.

New this year, the Allstate Canadian National Teams Good Hands Award will recognise the top save by Canada Soccer’s National Team goalkeepers during international play. Canadian soccer fans can vote for their top save of the year via CanadaSoccer.com starting from 5-11 December. The winner will be announced on Monday 12 December.

All fans who vote for their top save will have the opportunity to be entered to win a Canadian National Team signed jersey.

SCHEDULE:
9 December – Canadian Para Soccer Player of the Year
12 December – Allstate Canadian National Teams Good Hands Award
13 December – Canadian U-17 Players of the Year
14 December – Canadian U-20 Players of the Year
15 & 16 December – Canadian Players of the Year

Also new this year is the 2016 Canada Soccer Moment of the Year. From 17 to 31 December, fans will have the opportunity to choose from a top 10 list of moments from the past 12 months on CanadaSoccer.com. Throughout the holiday period, fans can follow as the top moments are featured on Canada Soccer’s digital channels: Twitter (@CanadaSoccerEN), Facebook (www.facebook.com/canadasoccer), YouTube (www.youtube.com/canadasoccertv) and Instagram (@canadasoccer). From there, they can vote for their favourite moment on CanadaSoccer.com.

Fans who register with their vote will be eligible for #CanadaRED prize packs, to be distributed ahead of the announcement of the 2016 Canada Soccer Moment of the Year on 5 January 2017.

Canadian Players of the Year

Voting by Canadian media and coaches, selecting first choice, second choice, and third choice. The award celebrates Canada Soccer’s top footballers in recognition of their 2016 achievements with both the National Team and their respective club teams. Winners to be announced on 15 and 16 December.

Canada Soccer Men’s National Team Program (#CANMNT)
Name / Club / City in which they grew up
– Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas | Calgary, AB
– Scott Arfield | ENG / Burnley FC | Livingston, SCO
– Patrice Bernier | CAN / Impact Montréal FC | Brossard, QC
– Milan Borjan | BUL / PFK Ludogorets Razgrad | Hamilton, ON
– Marcel de Jong | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC & CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Newmarket, ON
– David Edgar | ENG / Sheffield United & CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Kitchener, ON
– David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Queen’s Park Rangers & WAL / Cardiff City | Brampton, ON
– Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK | Brampton, ON
– Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC | Brampton, ON
– Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC | Brampton, ON
– Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC | Edmonton, AB
– Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad FK | Victoria, BC
:: Past Winners

Canada Soccer Women’s National Team Program (#CANWNT)
Name / Club / City in which they grew up
– Janine Beckie | USA / Houston Dash | Highlands Ranch, CO
– Kadeisha Buchanan | USA / West Virginia U. | Brampton, ON
– Sabrina D’Angelo | USA / Western New York Flash | Welland, ON
– Jessie Fleming | CAN / London Nor’West SC & USA / UCLA | London, ON
– Stephanie Labbé | USA / Washington Spirit | Stony Plain, AB
– Ashley Lawrence | USA / West Virginia U. | Caledon East, ON
– Diana Matheson | USA / Washington Spirit | Oakville, ON
– Sophie Schmidt | GER / FFC Frankfurt | Abbotsford, BC
– Desiree Scott | USA / FC Kansas City| Winnipeg, MB
– Christine Sinclair | USA / Portland Thorns FC | Burnaby, BC
– Melissa Tancredi | SWE / KIF Örebo DFF | Ancaster, ON
– Shelina Zadorsky | USA / Washington Spirit | London, ON
:: Past Winners 

Canadian U-20 Players of the Year

Voting by Canadian coaches, selecting first choice, second choice, and third choice. Winners to be announced on 14 December.

Canada Soccer Men’s U-20 Program (#canm20) – players born 1997 or later
Name / Club / City in which they grew up
– Tristan Borges | NED / sc Heerenveen | Toronto, ON
– Thomas Meilleur-Giguère | CAN / FC Montréal | L’Assomption, QC
– Shamit Shome | CAN / FC Edmonton | Edmonton, AB
– Ballou Tabla | CAN / Impact Montréal FC | Montréal, QC
– Kris Twardek | ENG / Milwall FC | Ottawa, ON
– Luca Uccello | CAN / Toronto FC II | Richmond Hill, ON
:: Past winners

Canada Soccer Women’s U-20 Program (#canw20) – players born 1996 or later
Name / Club / City in which they grew up
– Gabrielle Carle | CAN / CS Lévis-Est | Lévis, QC
– Jessie Fleming | CAN / London Nor’West SC & USA / UCLA | London, ON
– Alex Lamontagne | USA / Syracuse University | Whitby, ON
– Marie Levasseur | USA / University of Memphis | Stoneham, QC
– Victoria Pickett | USA / University of Wisconsin-Madison | Barrie, ON
– Bianca St-Georges | USA / West Viginia U. | St-Charles-Borommée, QC
:: Past winners

Canadian U-17 Players of the Year

Voting by Canadian coaches, selecting first choice, second choice, and third choice. Winners to be announced on 14 December.

Canada Soccer Men’s U-17 Program (#canm17) – players born 2000 or later
Name / Club / City in which they grew up
– Jonathan David | CAN / Ottawa Internationals SC | Ottawa, ON
– Alphonso Davies | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Edmonton, AB
– Gabriel Escobar | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-16 Residency | Vancouver, BC
– Terique Mohammed | CAN / Toronto FC Academy | Scarborough, ON
– Noble Okello | CAN / Toronto FC Academy | Toronto, ON
– Matthew Roberts | ENG / Swansea Academy | Milton, ON
:: Past winners

Canada Soccer Women’s U-17 Program (#canw17) – players born 1999 or later
Name / Club / City in which they grew up
– Julia Grosso | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite | Vancouver, BC
– Lysianne Proulx | CAN / AS Varennes | Boucherville, QC
– Emma Regan | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite | Vancouver, BC
– Deanne Rose | CAN / Scarborough GS United | Alliston, ON
– Sarah Stratigakis | CAN / Aurora United FC | Woodbridge, ON
– Hannah Taylor | USA / Eastside FC | Edmonds, WA
:: Past winners