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News January 06, 2013

Canada WNT infuses youth to experienced squad

Three teenagers from last year’s #canw17 team and three players from last year’s #canw20 team included in trip to China PR.

In an address to media on Friday, Canadian head coach John Herdman discussed the inclusion of youth players to his lineup for the upcoming 2013 Youngchuan Women’s Cup in China PR. The 21-player Canadian squad includes three 1995-born players from last year’s U-17 team and three 1992-born players from last year’s U-20 team.

“We are working on a design to allow us to develop talented players that can step in at the highest level,” said Canadian head coach Herdman.

In all, the 21-player Canadian squad features eight young players that have yet to participate in a major “A” tournament, including a pair of 1991-born players that first joined the Canadian youth program in 2006. The eight young players are 1991s Tiffany Cameron and Bryanna McCarthy, 1992s Adriana Leon, Christabel Oduro and Shelina Zadorsky, and 1995s Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence and Nichelle Prince.

The eight young players have already benefitted from some 1,153 days as part of the national youth program, with as many as 243 days to one-time U-20 captain Zadorsky. All eight players have also all participated in either a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup or FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Buchanan, Lawrence and Prince are still eligible for the next FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2014.

“Some of our our young players are technically good enough to keep up with the likes of Japan and France, but there is not yet a plethora of them,” said Herdman. “If we can get a group of (youth) clubs committed to creating a development environment, that will give us a greater pool of players.”

For the upcoming 2013 Yongchuan Cup, Canada’s matches are 12 January against China PR (14.00 local / 01.00 ET on 12 January / 22.00 PT on 11 January), 14 January against Korea Republic (19.00 local / 06.00 ET / 03.00 PT), 16 January against Norway (17.00 local / 04.00 ET / 01.00 PT). All three matches will be played at the Yongchuan Olympic Center.

Following the Yongchuan Cup in January, Canada will participate in the 2013 Cyprus Women’s Cup from 4-14 March (with the schedule yet to be announced).