Canada WNT announces roster for Olympic Qualifying

Canada has announced its roster for the upcoming 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Vancouver, BC. Head coach John Herdman has selected 20 players that will compete in the eight-team competition from 19-29 January, with all matches to be played at BC Place. Only the top two teams from the continental championship will qualify for the London 2012 Olympics.
“The team is very excited to show Canada what they can do in Vancouver,” said Herdman. “The players have been training for this chance to represent Canada and they are fully deserving of their selection.”
Group stage matches will be held from 19-24 January with Canada facing Haiti (19 January), Cuba (21 January) and Costa Rica (23 January) in Group A. The top two teams from the four-team group advance to the semi-final stage. Teams competing in the opposite group are Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico and defending champion USA.
Both semi-final matches on 27 January will determine next year’s London 2012 Olympic participants. The finalists then advance to the CONCACAF championship match on 29 January.
Canada’s 20-player roster for the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament features 14 players who won gold at the recent Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Five of the other six players were all FIFA Women’s World Cup players, all of whom missed the Guadalajara 2011 tournament because of either club or school commitments or injury.
The one player making her international competition debut is Chelsea Buckland, a striker from Surrey, BC. Buckland made her international debut on 15 May of this year in a 1:1 draw with Switzerland. She scored her first international goal on 22 November in Canada’s 2:1 win over Sweden.
Buckland and Lauren Sesselmann were both international rookies in 2011. Canada’s most experienced player is goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, who has
competed internationally since 1998. Captain Christine Sinclair, who joined the national team in 2000, is the program’s all-time leader in both appearances (168) and goals (120).
Canada’s roster also features 11 players who participated in the last CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in April 2008, helping Canada finish second in that continental championship. Ten of those 11 players also represented Canada at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, helping Canada reach the quarter-final stage before bowing out in extra time to eventual Olympic champion USA.
Finally, Herdman’s 20-player roster also includes 13 players who won gold at the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in November 2010.

At that last CONCACAF championship just over a year ago, the top four finishers were Canada, Mexico, USA and Costa Rica.

Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, will open camp in early January in California. The team then arrives in Vancouver on 14 January before the opening match on 19 January. All CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament matches will be broadcast by Sportsnet.

CANADA
GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Sky Blue FC
GK- Erin McLeod | SWE / Dalsjöfors G.o.I.F.
CB- Candace Chapman | USA / Sky Blue FC
CB- Carmelina Moscato | SWE / Piteå IF
CB- Shannon Woeller | USA / Rutgers University
FB- Melanie Booth | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
FB- Robyn Gayle | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
FB- Lauren Sesselmann | USA / Atlanta Beat
FB- Chelsea Stewart | USA / UCLA
FB- Rhian Wilkinson | NOR / Lillestrøm SK Kvinner
M- Kaylyn Kyle | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Diana Matheson | NOR / Lillestrøm SK Kvinner
M- Kelly Parker | USA / Atlanta Beat
M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / magicJack
M- Desiree Scott | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Brittany Timko | Unattached / sans club
F- Chelsea Buckland | USA / Oregon State University
F- Christina Julien | CAN / Ottawa Fury
F- Christine Sinclair | USA / Western New York Flash
F- Melissa Tancredi | SWE / Piteå IF

CANADA A-Z
Booth, Melanie | 1984 | Burlington, ON, CAN | Burlington Youth SC
Buckland, Chelsea | 1990 | North Delta, BC, CAN | Walley SA
Chapman, Candace | 1983 | Ajax, ON, CAN | Ajax United
Gayle, Robyn | 1985 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | Mississauga Dixie Hearts
Julien, Christina | 1988 | Williamstown, ON, CAN | Williamstown
Kyle, Kaylyn | 1988 | Saskatoon, SK, CAN | Silverwood Rangers
LeBlanc, Karina | 1980 | Maple Ridge, BC, CAN | Golden Ears Angels
Matheson, Diana | 1984 | Oakville, ON, CAN | Oakville SC
McLeod, Erin | 1983 | Edmonton & Calgary, AB, CAN | St. Albert
Moscato, Carmelina | 1984 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | Dixie SC
Parker, Kelly | 1981 | Saskatoon, SK, CAN | Saskatoon United SC
Schmidt, Sophie | 1988 | Abbotsford, BC, CAN | Abbotsford
Scott, Desiree | 1987 | Winnipeg, MB, CAN | Maples Cougars
Sesselmann, Lauren | 1983 | Green Bay, WI, USA | St. Bernard Elementary School
Sinclair, Christine | 1983 | Burnaby, BC, CAN | South Burnaby Metro Club Bees
Stewart, Chelsea | 1990 | Denver, CO, USA & The Pas, MB, CAN | Real Colorado
Tancredi, Melissa | 1981 | Ancaster, ON, CAN | Ancaster
Timko, Brittany | 1985 | Coquitlam, BC, CAN | Coquitlam City Panthers
Wilkinson, Rhian | 1982 | Baie d’Urfé, QC, CAN | Lakeshore
Woeller, Shannon | 1990 | Vancouver, BC, CAN | Douglas Park

CANADA
Head Coach / Entraîneur-chef : John Herdman
Technical Assistant : Rob Sherman
Goalkeeper Coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Andrew Olivieri
Technical Analyst / : Andrew Peat
Soccer Scientist / : Cesar Meylan
Team Manager / Gérant d’équipe : Daniel Michelucci
Equipment Manager / Gérante de l’équipement : Maeve Glass
Staff / Personnel : Sian Bagshawe
Mental Trainer / : Ceri Evans
Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Judy Russell
Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Karla Van Beveren