Sinclair is female selection for Canadian Players of the Year award

The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Christine Sinclair is the female selection for the 2009 Canadian Players of the Year award. Sinclair 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%).



Sinclair of Burnaby, BC wins the award for the fifth-consecutive year. Her 2009 co-winner – a selection from the men’s national team – will be announced on Friday.



“Christine is a superb leader for our national team,” said national head coach Carolina Morace. “I would like to pass along my full congratulations to her on yet another fine season.”



In 2009, Sinclair joined FC Gold Pride for the inaugural season of Women’s Professional Soccer. She led the team with six goals (tied for fifth in the league), 58 shots (third in the WPS) and 27 shots on goal (third in the WPS). Three of her goals came in three consecutive starts from 31 May to 17 June. She won WPS Player of the Week honours in Week 8 and was selected to the year-end WPS All-Star Team.



At the 2009 WPS All-Star Game on 30 August, Sinclair scored both second-half goals in a 4:2 victory over Umeå IK in St. Louis, MO.



At the international level, Sinclair scored four goals in seven games, leading her country in goals scored for the ninth time in 10 seasons. In each year of her international career she has scored at a rate of more than a goal for every two games played. Her four goals came in three consecutive games as Canada finished second at the 2009 Cyprus Women’s Cup, falling 1:3 in the final to England.



Sinclair is Canada’s all-time leader with 99 goals in 132 career appearances. In 2009, Sinclair passed Charmaine Hooper for most career starts (129) and tied Andrea Neil for most career appearances (132). Sinclair is also Canada’s all-time leader with 11,706 minutes played.



Earlier this week, Sinclair’s national teammate Chelsea Stewart was named a co-winner of the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year award (along with Nana Attakora) while Abigail Raymer was named a co-winner of the Canadian U-17 Players of the Year award (along with Russell Teibert). Sinclair’s co-winner of the 2009 Canadian Players of the Year award will be announced on Friday.



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



FINAL LIST / LISTE FINALE

Female Nominees from the Women’s national team

1. Christine Sinclair (32.6)

2. Karina LeBlanc (21.3)

3. Erin McLeod (8.3)

4. Diana Matheson (7.9)

5. Candace Chapman (7.6)

6. Rhian Wilkinson (6.5)

7. Kelly Parker (5.9)

8. Carmelina Moscato (4.8)

9. Martina Franko (2.1)

10. Sophie Schmidt (1.0)



CANADIAN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2008 – Julian de Guzman & Christine Sinclair

2007 – Dwayne De Rosario & Christine Sinclair

2006 – Dwayne De Rosario & Christine Sinclair

2005 – Dwayne De Rosario & Christine Sinclair