WNT: First clubs provide active start to elite future

Christine Sinclair remembers her first season in organised soccer. She was four years old playing for the South Burnaby Metro Club Bees. Her Burnaby team finished last after scoring one goal and losing every match. Yup, that was a big “0” in the win column.



Yet, Christine’s first season provided an active start to an elite career in Canada’s favourite summer sport. By 16, she made the jump to the national team – at the time the youngest player in Canadian team history. Ten years on, she remains one of Canada’s best female athletes and is again a nominee for the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award.



At the club level with FC Gold Pride, she led Women’s Professional Soccer in assists before finishing the season with a team trophy in the WPS Championship Final (she scored two goals in the final). At the national level, she helped Canada win the 2010 Cyprus Women’s Cup and is presently helping Canada in its qualification efforts at the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Cancún, Mexico. She scored four goals in Canada’s big 8:0 win over Guyana on Sunday 31 October.



Every player on Canada’s team started their career at the minor level. Here is a look at the first club of Canada’s 24 players in camp in Mexico.



British Columbia:

Gurveen Clair – Sunshine Coast YSA

Karina LeBlanc – Golden Ears Angels

Sophie Schmidt – Abbotsford

Christine Sinclair – South Burnaby Metro Club

Brittany Timko – Coquitlam City Panthers

Emily Zurrer – Cowichan Valley



Alberta:

Stephanie Labbé – Spruce Grove Saints

Erin McLeod – St. Albert



Saskatchewan:

Kaylyn Kyle – Silverwood Rangers

Kelly Parker – Saskatoon Eagles



Manitoba:

Desiree Scott – Maples Cougars



Ontario:

Candace Chapman – Ajax United

Jonelle Filigno – Mississauga

Robyn Gayle – Mississauga Dixie Hearts

Christina Julien – Williamstown

Kara Lang – Oakville SC

Diana Matheson – Oakville SC

Brooke McCalla – Pickering SC

Carmelina Moscato – Dixie SC

Melissa Tancredi – Ancaster



Québec

Josée Bélanger – Coaticook

Marie-Eve Nault – Gazelles de l’ATS

Rhian Wilkinson – Lakeshore



Colorado

Chelsea Stewart – Real Colorado