The Canadian Soccer Association announced today the list of nominees for its 2011 Canada Soccer player awards. Canadian media and coaches will be asked to select two players - one male and one female – for the Canadian Soccer Association’s top prize, the BMO Canadian Player of the Year awards. The awards celebrate Canada’s top male and female soccer player in recognition of their 2011 achievements with both the national team and their respective club teams.
The Female Player of the Year nominees include four former Whitecaps FC players: defender Candace Chapman, midfielders Kaylyn Kyle and Sophie Schmidt, and striker Christine Sinclair. Voting for the 2011 BMO Canadian Players of the Year will be split evenly by Canadian media and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association’s national course at the B and A levels (including national team coaches).
On the youth front, Whitecaps FC midfielder Russell Teibert has been nominated for the Male U-20 Player of the Year award while Whitecaps FC women’s team players Jenna Richardson and Jaclyn Sawicki have both been nominated for the Female U-20 Player of the Year award. Teibert will be looking to add to his trophy case after previously winning the Canadian U-17 Player of the Year award in both 2008 and 2009.
Rounding out the nominees from Whitecaps FC are Bryce Alderson and Daniel Stanese, who have both been nominated for the Male U-17 Player of the Year award. Alderson, who was recently signed to the club’s MLS roster after graduating from the Whitecaps FC Residency program, will be looking to claim a second straight U-17 Player of the Year honour after winning the award last year.
Voting for the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year and Canadian U-17 Players of the Year will be split evenly by Canadian national staff coaches and all other Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association’s national course at the B and A levels. Coaches will be asked to consider each nominee’s success at the international and club levels, including performances at the CONCACAF and FIFA levels as well as the national competitions such as the annual Nutrilite All Stars.
