Canada Announces CONCACAF Women’s Roster

Canada has announced its roster for the upcoming 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Cancún, Mexico. Coach Carolina Morace has selected 20 players for the eight team tournament which kicks off for Canada this 29 October against Trinidad and Tobago. Canada also plays Guyana on 31 October and host Mexico on 2 November. The semi-final stage will be played on 5 November and the championship final on 8 November.

Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, has been training in Cancún since mid-October, leaving Canada shortly after a 3:1 victory over China PR on 30 September. All of Canada’s matches at the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier will be broadcast by CBC (CBCSports.ca, bold and CBC Main Network) as well as CONCACAF TV.

Canada’s captain is forward Christine Sinclair while the veteran of the team is goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc. Sinclair, the five-time Canadian Player of the Year, was recently named one of 10 finalists for the 2010 FIFA Women’s Player of the Year. LeBlanc, meanwhile, is the last active player from Canada’s victory 12 years ago at the 1998 CONCACAF Women’s Championship.

Twelve of Canada’s 20 players have taken part in a CONCACAF women’s championship ("national A") before. Six of the young call-ups have taken part in a CONCACAF women’s youth championship, while Christina Julien and Brooke McCalla are taking part in their first ever CONCACAF tournaments.

Chelsea Stewart and Jonelle Filigno are the two youngest players on the team. Both are recent Canadian U-20 Players of the Year (Filigno in 2008 and Stewart in 2009).

Coach Morace waited until the last day allowed to make her final selection because of the competition and improvements within the camp. Unfortunately, a pair of key players could not recover from injury in time and were therefore not included on the final list. Midfielder Kelly Parker and right back Brittany Timko were both late cuts because of injuries. Teenager Gurveen Clair from Washington State University was the last goalkeeper cut. Also in Cancún but not named to the final team was goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who suffered an injury in club play earlier this season.

Canada’s average age is just under 25 years old, or roughly four months older than the Canadian team that finished second place four years ago in 2006. Only seven players from that 2006 team were named to the 2010 roster, although Timko and McLeod were of course omitted in 2010 because of injury. Canada has qualified for four consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cups and hopes to make it five straight through this 2010 championship in Mexico.

CANADA

1- GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Chicago Red Stars | Maple Ridge, BC, CAN

2- D- Emily Zurrer | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Crofton, BC, CAN

3- F- Josée Bélanger | CAN / Amiral de Québec | Coaticook, QC, CAN

4- M- Carmelina Moscato | Unattached / sans club | Mississauga, ON, CAN

5- D- Robyn Gayle | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Mississauga, ON, CAN

6- M- Kaylyn Kyle | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Saskatoon, SK, CAN

7- D- Rhian Wilkinson | NOR / Lillestrøm SK Kvinner | Baie d’Urfe, QC, CAN

8- M- Diana Matheson | NOR / Lillestrøm SK Kvinner | Oakville, ON, CAN

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

10- F- Christina Julien | CAN / Ottawa Fury | Williamstown, ON, CAN

11- M- Desiree Scott | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Winnipeg, MB, CAN

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

13- M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / University of Portland | Abbotsford, BC, CAN

14- F- Melissa Tancredi | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Ancaster, ON, CAN

15- M/F- Kara Lang | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Oakville, ON, CAN

16- M- Jonelle Filigno | USA / State University of New Jersey | Mississauga, ON, CAN

17- M- Chelsea Stewart | USA / Vanderbilt University | The Pas, MB, CAN

19- F- Brooke McCalla | CAN / Master’s Futbol Academy | Pickering, ON, CAN

20- D- Marie-Eve Nault | CAN / Ottawa Fury | Trois-Rivières, QC, CAN

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

Head of Delegation / Chef de délégation : Clive Wilkinson

Head Coach / Entraîneure-chef : Carolina Morace

Assistant Coach / Entraîneure adjointe : Elisabetta Bavagnoli

Assistant Coach / Entraîneure adjointe : Andrea Neil

Goalkeer Coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Max Colucci

Video Coordinator / Vidéaste : Sian Bagshawe

Fitness Coach / Préparateur physique : Mario Familari

Team Manager / Gérant d’équipe : Daniel Michelucci

Equipment Manager / Gérante de l’équipement : Maeve Glass

Nutritionist / Nutritionniste : Pietro Braina

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Judy Russell

Massage Therapist / Massothérapeute : Nicole Stephen

Translator / Traductrice : Deborah Ferrero