Canada announces roster for camp in Cyprus

Canada’s women’s national team has announced its roster for its first camp of the 2010 soccer season, an 18-day camp in Larnaka, Cyprus that includes the team’s third participation in the annual Cyprus Women’s Cup. Coach Carolina Morace and her staff have invited 24 players to the camp as the team begins its year-long preparation for the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup.



“We know that our players are coming off a winter break over which time they have been away from their clubs,” said national coach Morace. “It is important that we play in tournaments like this as we prepare for the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup.”



Morace said that she will use the tournament to experiment with the team’s lineup to create different opportunities for the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, which is expected to be played this fall. The top two teams from the confederation final will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011 while the third-place team will play-off against the fifth-place team from Europe for an extra qualification spot for Germany 2011.



Canada’s camp will include five international matches: a friendly against Poland and four competition matches in the Cyprus Women’s Cup. Canada’s all-time record at the Cyprus Women’s Cup is five wins, one draw and one loss, including a first-place finish in 2008 and a second-place finish in 2009.



Of Canada’s 24 players in camp, captain Christine Sinclair is the most experienced. Last season, Sinclair tied assistant coach Andrea Neil’s all-time record of 132 appearances. Sinclair will break the record with her first international appearance in 2010.



Amongst the younger players in camp, goalkeeper Dayle Colpitts, centre back Myriam Bouchard, centre midfielders Laura Chénard and Desiree Scott, right midfielder Caley Miskimmin, and forward Kendra Flock are all hoping to make their international debut in February. One other player of note who is making a comeback to the national program is Cindy Walsh. A captain with Comètes de Laval, Walsh has gone 10 years in between national call ups.



Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, is looking to qualify for a fifth-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup. As part of its 2010 preparation, it will play at least two games at home, with dates, venues and opponents yet to be announced.





CANADA

G- Colpitts, Dayle | Unattached / sans club | Nasonworth, NB, CAN

G- Labbé, Stephanie | SWE / Piteå IF | Stony Plain, AB, CAN

G- LeBlanc, Karina | USA / Philadelphia Independence | Maple Ridge, BC, CAN

G- McLeod, Erin | USA / Washington Freedom | Edmonton, AB, CAN

D- Andrews, Sasha | Unattached / sans club | Edmonton, AB, CAN

D- Bouchard, Myriam | USA / Virginia Commonwealth University | Québec, QC, CAN

D/M- Chapman, Candace | USA / FC Gold Pride | Ajax, ON, CAN

M- Chénard, Laura | Unattached / sans club | Ste-Luce, QC, CAN

F- Flock, Kendra | CAN / University of Victoria | Calgary, AB, Canada

D- Gayle, Robyn | Unattached / sans club | Mississauga, ON, CAN

F- Julien, Christina | USA / James Madison University | Williamstown, ON, CAN

M- Matheson, Diana | NOR / Team Strømmen FK | Oakville, ON, CAN

F- Miskimmin, Caley | CAN / University of Manitoba | Winnipeg, MB, CAN

M- Moscato, Carmelina | ITA / U.P.C Tavagnacco | Mississauga, ON, CAN

D/M- Nault, Marie-Eve | Unattached / sans club | Trois-Rivières, QC, CAN

M- Parker, Kelly | GER / SC Freiburg | Saskatoon, SK, CAN

D/M- Raber, Sari | Unattached / sans club | Edmonton, AB, CAN

F- Robinson, Jodi-Ann | USA / University of West Florida | Richmond, BC, CAN

M- Scott, Desiree | CAN / University of Manitoba | Winnipeg, MB, CAN

F- Sinclair, Christine | USA / FC Gold Pride | Burnaby, BC, CAN

M/F- Timko, Brittany | GER / SG Essen-Schönebeck | Coquitlam, BC, CAN

D- Walsh, Cindy | CAN / Comètes de Laval | St-Bruno, QC, CAN

M- Wilkinson, Rhian | NOR / Team Strømmen FK | Baie d’Urfé, QC, CAN

D- Zurrer, Emily | GER / SG Essen-Schönebeck | Crofton, BC, CAN



Head of Delegation / Chef de la délégation : Mike Traficante

Head Coach / Entraîneuse-chef : Carolina Morace

Assistant Coach / Entraîneuse adjointe : Elisabetta Bavagnoli

Assistant Coach / Entraîneuse adjointe : Andrea Neil

Goalkeeper coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Massimiliano Colucci

Manager / Gérant : Daniel Michelucci

Equipment Manager / Gérant d’équipement : Maeve Glass

Doctor / Docteur : Dr. Andrew Pipe

Athletic Therapist / Thérapeute athlétique : Leonardo Raveggi

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Judy Russell

Translator / Traducteur : Joe Parolini