Canada Soccer confirms departure of Bev Priestman

After five years with Canada Soccer, Bev Priestman will be leaving her position as National EXCEL Director U15-U23, Women’s National Team U-20 Head Coach and Women’s National Team Assistant Coach at the end of August.

Priestman joined Canada Soccer in 2013 as the Women’s U-14 and U-17 Excel Program Director and continued to work within the EXCEL Program throughout her tenure. Under Priestman’s leadership, Canada Soccer reached the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2014, won the inaugural CONCACAF Girls’ Under-15 Championship in 2014, and placed third at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship in both 2016 and 2018.

For Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team, Priestman served as a Technical Assistant for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™, CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2016, the Rio 2016 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, and the Algarve Cup 2018.

“Over her five years at Canada Soccer Bev has been instrumental in helping shape the EXCEL system that develops players for the Women’s National Team program,” said Peter Montopoli, Canada Soccer General Secretary. “Under Bev’s direction, Canada Soccer’s U-14 to U-20 players have been given the tools and direction they need to make the next step on their Women’s National Team journey. We wish Bev the best in her future endeavors.”

About Canada Soccer’s Women’s National EXCEL Program
Canada Soccer Women’s National EXCEL Program brings together the best with the best at the national youth level, throughout each year. Operating across the U-14 to U-20 age groups, the program is designed to deliver an aligned talent structure and system that progresses more top players to Canada’s Women’s National Team. Major competitions which are viewed as staging posts to assess development, allows for the development of the Women’s EXCEL Team Playing Model and tournament processes and expertise, ultimately preparing players for when they do progress up the system.

Additionally, the most talented U-14 to U-18 players are offered a specialised daily training environment through the Regional EXCEL Program, which is delivers Canada Soccer’s national curriculum year-round through a two tiered talent system, with three Super Centres streamlining Canada’s National EXCEL Players into training environments in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec from smaller provincial licenced Centres.