Jon Yaneff
CDS's Lexi Marton is hoping to represent Canada in the summer Olympics in Beijing in August.
For Lexi Marton soccer isn't just a sport, it's a lifestyle.
The Country Day School (CDS) student is hoping to represent Canada in the summer Olympics in Beijing in August as a defender for the Senior Women's National Team, which will officially select its roster of 18 players in mid-July. Marton is currently on the 24-player roster.
"If I am selected to be part of the roster going to the Beijing Olympics it will seem surreal to me," said the 18-year-old Marton. "It has honestly been my dream to represent my country playing soccer at an Olympic games since I can remember. To fulfill that dream at such a young age, I'll be incredibly honoured and ecstatic about such an amazing opportunity."
She made her Team Canada debut March 7 when she appeared as a midfield replacement with the team during their 3-0 win over Japan at the Cyprus Cup. Less than a month later, the team went to Mexico and play in the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying tournament.
This tournament was good experience for Marton, as she played a full game against Costa Rica, and watched as her teammates defeated rival Mexico to qualify for the Olympic lineup. The National team became the first Canadian team in 24 years and the first women's team in association history to qualify for the Olympics.
Currently Marton (originally from Aurora) is playing soccer full-time in Vancouver with the Vancouver Whitecaps (WLeague), and she is also training with the National team and the U-20 National Team. She is finishing her last six Grade 12 courses by correspondence with CDS, as teachers e-mail her work, and tests are proctored to her). She will be graduating from CDS in June, but will be unable to attend her Commencement because she will either with the Olympic Team in Korea for the Peace Cup or with the U-20 team at their pre-qualification camp for the CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Mexico for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which is held in Chile this fall.
Marton has also earned a full-scholarship to Penn State University to play the women's soccer team, which is a Top Ten ranked NCAA athletic program. She will be entering into the department of undergraduate studies in her freshman year (similar to general arts in Canada).
"We are thrilled that Lexi has chosen to join our Penn State soccer family," said Penn State Lions Head Coach Erica Walsh. "She is exactly the type of player, student and person we need in this program in order to win a national championship. We are so proud of all her accomplishments with the Canadian Soccer Association and wish her best of luck."
In Grade 9 (her first year at CDS) she was made team captain of the junior soccer team and they won the CAIS (Canadian Association of Independent Schools) and CISAA (Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association) National Championships.
"Lexi's performance on the soccer field was exceptional," said CDS soccer Coach and Director of the Middle School Walter Davison. "She brought strength of character and commitment to every practice and game, and led the team as captain with a sincerity that inspired her teammates to shoot for the personal best both on and off the playing field."
"It was an awesome experience and I can't thank Mr. Davison enough," declared Marton.
Since then, her soccer commitments outside the school have taken the majority of her time and she was disappointed to end her CDS athletic career.
"I am so thankful to have had such supportive teachers who understood me as a complete person," she said.
Besides school and international soccer, Marton has played basketball, volleyball, ball hockey, flag football and tennis and has played club soccer for the Toronto Lady Lynx, Vaughan Azzuri and now the Whitecaps. Also with Ontario she won a gold medal at the 2005-06 U-16 Girls' National Soccer Championships.
What is it that pushes Marton to achieve her many goals?
"It's just a burning desire within me and my own need to strive for excellence," she exclaimed. "I feel unsatisfied when I have given anything less than my best, whether it be in soccer or school. One day I'd like to be the captain for the National Team."
