Canada Soccer announced on Thursday that five players from the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX Program in Partnership with BC Soccer have been called in to take part in a National EXCEL U-14/U-16 camp from Thursday, February 5 until Sunday, February 15. As part of the camp, Canada will participate in the U-17 Women’s NTC Invitational tournament at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Among the 20 players calledin by head coach Bev Priestman are defenders Emma Regan and Julia Grosso, midfielder Caitlin Shaw, and strikers Camila Gomez and Jordyn Huitema. All five players came through the EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League and took part in the BC Soccer Provincial Development Program.
Each of the five representatives from Whitecaps FC were on the Canadian squad that was on the 2014 CONCACAF U-15 Girls’ Championship in the Cayman Islands last year.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tMn1fou7h4U"></a> |
<b>Canada captures 2014 CONCACAF U-15 Championship</b> |
“This is another fantastic learning opportunity for all involved,” said Priestman. “Playing three very good opponents in a tournament setting will provide players with new and different challenges both technically and tactically but certainly across the other corners (physically, emotionally and mentally), things that only a tournament setting will provide and grow players.”
Canada will play their first match of the NTC tournament against defending FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Champions Japan on Wednesday, February 11 (3 p.m. PT). Up next will be a game against the host United States on Friday, February 13 (6 p.m. PT), with the conclusion of the competition coming on Sunday, February 15 against Mexico (1 p.m. PT). All matches in the NTC tournament will be streamed by U.S. Soccer.
“The focus will be to continue building on the National curriculum that we started late in 2014, whilst start introducing new content and then tailoring it to the different football problems we will face across all three teams at the end of the camp, it’s a great platform to apply and learn the content,” said Priestman.
The team is made of players taking part in the Women’s Regional EXCEL Centres across the country and are benefiting from the streamlined approach to developing young talent in Canada. As part of the Canada Soccer Pathway, the Whitecaps FC Girls Elite EXCEL Program in Partnership with BC Soccer is designed to ensure more of Canada's exceptional young female players find their way into the best competitive environments, so that our women's national team is provided with a steady stream of players meeting high standards to keep Canada competitive on the world stage.
This group will be looking to bolster their tournament experience and look to make a case for inclusion in the squad that will look to qualify Canada for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2016 that will be in Jordan.
CANADA
GK- Lysianne Proulx | CAN / Rousillon (Québec Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre)
GK- Marissa Zucchetto | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
D- Emma Regan | CAN / Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX Program in Partnership with BC Soccer
D- Kavina Ganeshan | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
D- Julia Grosso | CAN / Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX Program in Partnership with BC Soccer
D- Kayla Mostowich | CAN / Edmonton Strikers Soccer Club
D- Samantha Chang | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
D- Kennedy Faulknor | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
M- Sarah Stratigakis | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
M- Nahida Baalbaki | CAN / Lakeshore SC (Québec Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre)
M-Caitlin Shaw | CAN / Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX Program
in Partnership with BC Soccer
M- Fallon Rodrigues | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
M- Anyssa Ibrahim | CAN / CS Terrebonne (Québec Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre)
M- Vital Kats | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
F- Mya Jones | CAN / Calgary Foothills Soccer Club
F- Shana Flynn | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
F- Camila Gomez| CAN / Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX
Program in Partnership with BC Soccer
F- Jordyn Huitema | CAN / Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX
Program in Partnership with BC Soccer
F- Lauren Raimondo | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
F- Teni Akindoju CAN / Halifax Dunbrack SC (Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Nova Scotia)
