Canada Soccer recognizes past Players of the Year

As part of the Canadian Soccer Association’s centennial year and in advance of selection of the 2012 BMO Canadian Players of the Year award, the Association has honoured “missing” winners that were previously not recognized. The retro winners were selected with the help of past Canadian national coaches for 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004. Coaches were asked to consider performances at both the club and international levels. 

The yearly co-winners are Mark Watson and Janine Helland for 1997, Jim Brennan and Geraldine Donnelly for 1999, Craig Forrest and Christine Sinclair for 2000, Paul Stalteri and Andrea Neil for 2001, Pat Onstad and Charmaine Hooper for 2003, and Paul Stalteri and Christine Sinclair for 2004.

Also now recognized in the Canada Soccer record books is 2002 co-winner Jason deVos (who shares that year’s honour with Charmaine Hooper). Per voting at the time, deVos had the most votes amongst men’s footballers in 2002. Behind Hooper and deVos, the 2002 runners up were Sinclair and Tomasz Radzinski.

The 2012 BMO Canadian Players of the Year will be announced Tuesday 11 December (female) and Wednesday 12 December (male). The annual award was first introduced in 1993 when Alex Bunbury was voted the first-ever Canadian Player of the Year. One year later, both Craig Forrest and Charmaine Hooper were selected 1994 Canadian Players of the Year, with Hooper the first women’s footballer selected.

Since 2005, the Canadian Soccer Association has annually selected two Canadian U-20 Players of the Year (male and female). Since 2007, the Association has annually selected two Canadian U-17 Players of the Year (male and female). The 2012 Canadian U-17 Players of the Year will be announced on Sunday 9 December while the 2012 Canadian U-20 Players of the Year will be announced on Monday 10 December.

In 2012, the first-ever Canadian Para Soccer Player of the Year will be announced on Friday 7 December.

Throughout the 2012 calendar year, the Canadian Soccer Association has celebrated its national teams and players in its centennial year. Earlier this year, the Association recognized two All-Time Canada XI teams and Canada’s Top-10 Greatest Moments.

CANADIAN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2012 – TBA
2011 – Dwayne De Rosario and Christine Sinclair
2010 – Atiba Hutchinson and Christine Sinclair
2009 – Simeon Jackson and Christine Sinclair
2008 – Julian de Guzman and Christine Sinclair
2007 – Dwayne De Rosario and Christine Sinclair
2006 – Dwayne De Rosario and Christine Sinclair
2005 – Dwayne De Rosario and Christine Sinclair
2004 – Paul Stalteri and Christine Sinclair
2003 – Pat Onstad and Charmaine Hooper
2002 – Jason deVos and Charmaine Hooper
2001 – Paul Stalteri and Andrea Neil
2000 – Craig Forrest and Christine Sinclair
1999 – Jim Brennan and Geraldine Donnelly
1998 – Tomasz Radzinski and Silvana Burtini
1997 – Mark Watson and Janine Helland
1996 – Paul Peschisolido and Geraldine Donnelly
1995 – Alex Bunbury and Charmaine Hooper
1994 – Craig Forrest and Charmaine Hooper
1993 – Alex Bunbury