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    Guest

    MLS’ 2013 season in 13 questions

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    It’s far from an extensive list, but here are a few issues that will be solved in the next 12 months in North America’s top flight.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    1) Can and will Wondo continue on his blazing trail?
    San Jose’s striker Chris Wondolowski tied the league’s record with 27 goals last season, but let’s not forget he also piled up 62 goals in the last three seasons. So unless he’s injured or he’s the victim of circumstances he can’t control, we’ll see him pick up another 20-odd goals again in 2012.
    2) Galaxy’s Dynasty?
    If Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane plays the way he did in the second half of last season, every bets are off in 2013 for LA to capture a third straight MLS Cup. This club is still ran by one of the best coaches in the history of MLS and the arrival of Italian keeper Carlo Cudicini from Tottenham improves this team in one of its weaker areas.
    3) SKC and the next Champions League
    Sporting Kansas City is one of the four U.S. sides entering the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League tournament after winning the 2012 U.S. Open Cup, the Eastern Conference title and placing second in the Supporters’ Shield race. The club has set things in motion for a big and ambitious future, let’s see if they can translate that into success with our Latin and Caribbean neighbours.
    4) Who’s the next Beckham?
    Probably no one, but let’s not forget LA’s on sale and the club brass said their market needs star power to succeed on and off the field. Lampard looks like a fleeing candidate, but what about Kaka or Drogba or another big name to sell tickets and jerseys in Lalaland?
    5) Can a MLS side go through Mexican opposition in the elimination round of the current CCL?
    For a second straight year, three MLS clubs (Houston, Seattle and LA) made it to the quarter-final round of the CCL. All three have shown glimpses of success on the continental scene before, but it will be a tough sell for Houston against MLS-killers Santos Laguna. The best chance probably rests with LA, paired with Costa Rica’s Herediano while Seattle faces first-timer Mexicans Tigres UANL.
    6) Can TFC do worse?
    This will be a tough act to follow after the catastrophic 2012 campaign, but with Paul Mariner’s job insecurity following Kevin Payne’s arrival and the fact this will be (once more) a brand new starting XI, who knows? Let’s be positive and say things can only go up from here for the Reds.
    7) Consecutive playoff appearances for the Caps?
    If the Scots fire up and Martin Rennie’s system kicks in gear, Whitecaps fans will rejoice in 2013 and return among the Western Conference Top 5, especially if RSL is timid on the market and focusses on rebuilding for the future.
    8) Will the French Connection do the trick in New York?
    As it will be the case in Montreal, the choice of an European as head coach could either end the streak of unsuccessful foreign coaches in MLS or simply continue the under-par performance offered by the Red Bulls. Juninho’s hiring is somehow telling us the club is running after short-term solutions whereas this club is once again a few pieces away from putting some silver in their trophy case.
    9) Who will own NY2?
    Speaking of the Big Apple, the other soap opera of the year will probably be the hunt for the owner of the 20th MLS club that will set ground in Queens. Mayor Bloomberg recently promised to settle the stadium question in the coming months so it’s only a question of finding who will fit best the League’s interest as owner of New York’s second club.
    10) Tagging along USL or NASL?
    American colleagues reports of advanced talks between MLS and USL for a farm-club type of association between D1 and D3 sides for the use of reserve league players that could lead to MLS clubs integrating their reserve league sides within the American third flight. However, one must not underestimate that the new NASL commissioner and Don Garber did work for the same NFL World in the past. Also, both Vancouver, Portland and Montreal did slam USL’s door a few years back to create the NASL (D2) and they will probably be more in favour with an association with the latter.
    11) Will Julian DeGuzman & Andre Hainault return and at what price?
    Still no news on the future of the two Canadians as we enter the New Year. Rumours did mention Bordeaux’ interest for Hainault last year and Houston still haven’t confirmed he’s returning. De Guzman still hasn’t closed the door to a European return while Schellas Hyndman declared he was ready to stick to JDG with a slimmer paycheck.
    12) Will Caleb Porter open the door to other NCAA coaches in MLS?
    Young promising coach in the NCAA with Akron, Porter walks in the steps of Sigi Schmidt (UCLA), Bob Bradley (Princeton), Schellas Hyndman (Southern Methodist) and Bruce Arena (Virginie), but will that set a new precedent as more and more clubs seem to look abroad for their new man in charge (think Chivas, Montreal and New York).
    13) Will the hiring of homegrown players be a growing new trend?
    The development of players within a club is an important step in the evolution of MLS and should also contribute to the improvement of US and Canadian national teams. The quality of that development is critical to the success of this trend since clubs will not continue to hire their young homegrown talents if this does not lead to better records at the end of the year.
    Guest

    NWSL draft and allocation update

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    A minor update from Sky Blue, one of the eight teams in the new women's league, about how players will be awarded to teams.
    Below the jump:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Canadian players involved have yet to be announced.
    Guest
    All good sports stories share certain similarities.
    Redemption – adversity must have been overcome.
    Villains – for there to be good there must be bad.
    The underdog – The protagonist must not be highly favoured to succeed
    Unexpected success – the story must end in triumph.
    The 2012 Canadian Soccer News Person of the Year meets all four of those criteria.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Yes, it was quite the year for John Herdman. The Englishman, who came to Canada via New Zealand, led the Canadian women from the depth of despair following the 2011 World Cup, to become the darlings of the nation in winning Olympic bronze in London.
    He was a breath of fresh air following the final days of Carolina Morace (winner of the 2010 CSN Person of the Year, it must be said). Morace quit on the women and shamefully walked away from players who had shown her remarkable loyalty prior to the World Cup disaster. She left the team in shambles, an emotional mess that would have been lucky to qualify for the Olympics, let alone win a medal there.
    When Herdman was hired many criticized the move. It was said that he was too inexperienced, would employ "long ball" tactics, was not famous enough and that the CSA had gone cheap again in hiring a guy from New Zealand (in the early days, Herdman was almost always referred to as a New Zealander).
    It turned out to be genius. Whereas Morace was a great coach who led the Canadian program out of the dark ages tactically (and thus was fully a justified pick for the ’10 Person of the Year), Herdman was a leader.
    He inspired the women and prepared them in a way that they had never been prepared before.
    In the past Canada hoped it could win. Under Herdman it believed it would win.
    Beyond the results on the pitch, Herdman also integrated himself into the country in a way that Morace never did. When he dropped to his knees at the end of the bronze medal game you knew it was sincere. When he hugged his kids following that game they were wearing Canadian kits. His accent may be Geordie, but he has a lot of hoser in him already.
    Obviously, you can never really know what someone is thinking, but it certainly seems like he cares about the future of the game here.
    The overall package is what tipped the scales in favour of Herdman over the only other candidate that was considered – his star player, Christine Sinclair. Ultimately, Sinclair’s brilliance is still mostly contained on the field. It was felt that Herdman’s reach extends beyond the pitch and he will more directly influence the next generation of Canadian women than Sinclair will. Herdman's influence will be pragmatic and technical, whereas Sinclair's will be inspirational.
    It’s telling that when the Americans embarked on their search for a new coach that Herdman’s name was mentioned in more than a few informed places. He likely remains the most respected young manager in the women’s game.
    He’s a treasure that the CSA needs to keep and a deserving choice for our 2012 Person of the Year.
    Guest
    It's a word that no fan of any team ever wants to hear: "rebuilding".
    For supporters of club teams, accustomed to the thrill of chasing trophies (or avoiding relegation) year after year, the idea of rebuilding is anathema to the ingrained mindset that this year is the most important year ever (until next year comes, anyway).
    But national-team play is different. Cycles are more stretched out, and the best coaches are the ones able to play the long game most effectively. So when women's national team coach John Herdman let the r-word slip on Friday, while discussing his squad's return to action at next week's four-nation Yongchuan Cup, it didn't raise any eyebrows -- nor should it have.
    The reality is that while the bronze medal at the London Olympics was a wonderful culmination of his first year on the job, there's a hell of a lot of work to be done if the team is to have similar success at the next big show: The 2015 Women's World Cup.
    "It's a young group," Herdman told the media, speaking of the 21-player roster he'll take to China. "But it's the start of a new journey."
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Indeed, only 12 of those 21 players were part of Canada's Olympic roster, and one of them -- captain Christine Sinclair -- won't even be playing, as she serves her four-game suspension for speaking out after the team's loss in the Olympic semifinals.
    "I didn't really have an option," Herdman said, when asked why an ineligible player was on the roster. "Christine wanted to be here. ... She knows how important it is from a leadership perspective to stamp her mark on the culture and impress on these younger players."
    When asked whether her absence would be a "blessing in disguise", in that it would give other players the chance to show what they can do, Herdman agreed without agreeing -- that is, he conceded it would be important for others to get playing time, but that he's "never, ever going to say it's a blessing to have Christine out of your team. She scores goals because she can."
    Still, if ever there was a time for Sinclair to have to sit a few out, this is probably an ideal one. Herdman spoke at length about the need for this tournament to be a "safe environment" for players to try things out and demonstrate their capabilities, without the fear of "ramifications".
    It's all part of the two main goals Herdman has set out for this team ahead of 2015: Developing a new tactical approach, and solidifying the flow of new players through the development system.
    "Steadily, we're progressing. You can start to see (we) are becoming a more possession-based team," said Herdman. "But there are still some gaps in our tactical approach.
    "We are trying to shift the mindset to a team that constantly wants to go forward... as well as trying to bring in some width, which is why we've opted to go with some young players that play in wide areas, as well as bringing in Jodi-Ann Robinson."
    One of those young wide players is Nichelle Prince, a standout from last fall's U17 Women's World Cup. Herdman called her an "unbelievable athlete" with "the ability to run at players" (a rare and welcome trait for any Canadian side) who, if she continues to develop, could be a big part of the Canadian equation in 2015.
    "She's not a finished article by any means, but she's certainly shown the signs."
    Prince is joined by U17 WWC teammates Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan. Lawrence, the two-time reigning Canadian U17 player of the year, has impressed Herdman with her positional versatility and "all-around game", while Buchanan has got "some real potential".
    Buchanan will be part of an especially young central defensive corps that includes Shelina Zadorsky (Canada's captain at last year's U20 Women's World Cup) and 25-year-old Emily Zurrer, who has 53 caps with the senior national team but missed the London Olympics with a hamstring injury.
    "This is a great opportunity for Emily to show some leadership," Herdman said, noting that veteran centrebacks Carmelina Moscato and Candace Chapman are both currently nursing injuries of their own.
    The influx of newcomers from the Canadian youth ranks -- a group that also includes U20 WWC alumni Christabel Oduro and Adriana Leon -- is no accident. Herdman said, quite simply, he needs to know what sort of talent pool he'll be working with over the course of the next three to four years, and will use the next six months as an exploratory time in that regard.
    "Sometimes to achieve winning, you've got to forget about winning," Herdman said when asked of his squad's prospects for the Yongchuan Cup, which also includes South Korea, Norway and the host China.
    The team will still bring those good old Canadian "non-negotiables" -- spirit, passion, energy -- but scoreboard success is secondary to experimentation, both by individual players on-field and in the grander player-pool sense.
    "Mistakes are going to happen," he said. But that's fine; Herdman is now seeking out "players who can really make a difference and add a new dimension... I'm really looking for those mavericks.
    "We're going to take the shackles off our front players to find those players who can make things happen up front."
    It was when asked for his thoughts on the Chinese team that Herdman eventually let the r-word slip.
    "They're no pushover," he said of the once-powerful side now ranked #17 in the women's game. "We're in a similar situation, both nations are rebuilding."
    But however verboten the idea of "rebuilding" may seem to some, consistently successful national teams are always rebuilding. Herdman noted that top teams such as Japan, France and the U.S. are able to constantly replenish their ranks with up-and-comers, a luxury that Canada doesn't yet have.
    So now, the hard work begins in trying to create that situation. Herdman and his staff face a number of burning questions, the answers to which will only start to become clearer once the Yongchuan Cup is done...
    Where will the future contributors to this team come from? Will Herdman be able to create stronger links between the youth standouts and the senior squad? Is the team capable of maintaining the level of expectation that was set after the London Games?
    What will the Canadian women's national team look like without Christine Sinclair?
    And, most importantly, will the Olympic bronze go down as the harbinger of a new era for the Canadian team, or a mere historical anomaly?
    ***
    Canada's roster for Yongchuan Cup
    vs. China (Jan. 12), vs. South Korea (Jan. 14), vs. Norway (Jan. 16)
    Buchanan, Kadeisha | 1995 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | Brams United SC
    Cameron, Tiffany | 1991 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | North Mississauga
    Gayle, Robyn | 1985 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | Mississauga Dixie Hearts
    Kyle, Kaylyn | 1988 | Saskatoon, SK, CAN | Silverwood Rangers
    Lawrence, Ashley | 1995 | Calendon East, ON, CAN | Brams United SC
    LeBlanc, Karina | 1980 | Maple Ridge, BC, CAN | Golden Ears Angels
    Leon, Adriana | 1992 | Maple, ON, CAN | Vaughan Azzuri
    Matheson, Diana | 1984 | Oakville, ON, CAN | Oakville SC
    McCarthy, Bryanna | 1991 | Ajax, ON, CAN | Ajax Warriors
    McLeod, Erin | 1983 | Edmonton & Calgary, AB, CAN | St. Albert
    Oduro, Christabel | 1992 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton United Flames
    Prince, Nichelle | 1995 | Ajax, ON, CAN | Ajax SC
    Robinson, Jodi-Ann | 1989 | Richmond, BC, CAN | Richmond 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
    Wilkinson, Rhian | 1982 | Baie d’Urfé, QC, CAN | Lakeshore
    Zadorsky, Shelina | 1992 | London, ON, CAN | Kitchener
    Zurrer, Emily | 1987 | Crofton, BC, CAN | Cowichan Valley
    .
    Guest

    In case you missed it

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The holidays can allow for many excuses. Missing a workout, eating too much and over, ahem, refreshing yourself to name a few.
    But what should not go begging is the fantastic work Daniel Squizzato did on his Checking in With #CanWNT series. All told, he spoke to 11 players from the squad and not always to the usual cast of characters you hear from. It's a great look behind the scenes of this team and what has gone on with them over the past year.
    If you missed a few, or checked out over the holidays, it's entirely forgivable. But take a few minutes now to get caught up.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Melissa Tancredi on building the CanWNT "brand", how she prepared for her massive showing at the Olympics, what it means to be in "Tanc mode" and what her future holds with the national team.

    Jonelle Filigno on heading right back to school after London, her quest to recover from a serious ankle injury in time for the Olympics and what it's like to learn first-hand from Christine Sinclair... and she breaks down her memorable goal against Great Britain.
    Diana Matheson on her long road to recovery in early 2012, winning a league championship in Norway, being peer-pressured into finally joining Twitter and why she celebrated her Olympic medal-winning goal the way she did.
    Kaylyn Kyle on staying focused at her first Olympic Games, finding her place in the Canadian midfield, the "ugliest fall ever" (that saved the bronze medal) and her love of that other kind of football.
    Rhian Wilkinson on the team's shared leadership role, getting to share the Olympics with her family, weathering the injury storm during London 2012 and throwing a ball at Sepp Blatter's head.
    Candace Chapman on her decade-long journey with the national team, the importance of psychological preparation ahead of the Olympics, and the "yin and yang" element of playing in the centre of defence.
    Lauren Sesselmann on how she ended up with the Canadian team (and how she fit in), the importance of versatility in the modern game, her aspirations as an actress and which CFL team she might consider supporting.
    Emily Zurrer on battling through the "toughest" year of her career (and what she's learned from it), the importance of playing on home soil and, of course, froyo and waffles.
    Carmelina Moscato on her whirlwind few months since London, her burgeoning coaching career and her thoughts on the Canadian program's future, and whether she's been able to successfully use an imposing, Brazilian-style single name on the field.
    Erin McLeod on sharing her experience with the next generation, learning about the true importance of teamwork, wearing different hats off the field of play and just what (if anything) the referee told her in that Olympic semifinal.
    Karina LeBlanc on spreading the Olympic excitement to as many people as possible, the importance of keeping things light in the locker room, the special responsibilities of being a goalkeeper and who's got the higher vertical leap, her or John Herdman.
    Guest

    Field Of Dreams: A 2013 Footballing Wishlist

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    Another year has come and gone. Another year older, another year wiser, another year wondering if we’ll ever win the Voyageurs Cup or a MLS Cascadian derby.
    As with every new year, we’re full of hopes, dreams, desires and too much chocolate.
    The dragon has gone, and we’re not talking about Long Tan. Now it’s time to get ready to shortly welcome in the Chinese year of the snake. And not just any old snake, but the Water Snake – surely an omen for a water named club like the Whitecaps!
    But will 2013 be a year of H<sub>2</sub>Woah or H<sub>2</sub>Oh for Vancouver?
    Last year we got together a mix of Caps players, pundits, writers and fans, sat them down with Gene Genie, who granted them <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?2634-A-Whitecaps-2012-Wishlist" target="_blank"><b>three Whitecaps wishes for 2012</b></a>, whether on field, off field, personal or a combination of all three.
    We thought we’d do it a little bit different this year, so the Genie is still granting three wishes for 2013 but this time around they’re allowed one Whitecaps wish, one wish for MLS or North American football, and one wish for one rule or thing they’d like to change in the game worldwide.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    To kick things off, here's my three wishes…
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    My Whitecaps wish is not simply just to win the Voyageurs Cup for the first time, I want us to then go on and have a deep run in the CONCACAF Champions League and still be in the tournament by this time next year.
    Would I take that over one playoff game and out? Hell, yeah. Would I take it over a deep playoff run? I’m not sure on that yet in all honesty.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    My wish for MLS and the game in North America is that all the powers that be get their heads together and get some proper and meaningful development games for the young talent that the Caps have.
    Ideally we’d be seeing reserve league match double headers (Sat/Sun) with every Western Conference weekend fixture (at the very least). It would be fantastic for travelling fans in particular to be able to see two matches for their money spent and I think help grow the interest in the no first team stuff.
    That would be my favoured option, but having another Whitecaps team to support in something like USL Pro, NASL or whatever would be close behind. Let’s hope something can happen and soon or the Caps risk losing even more of the talent they’re currently developing to overseas opportunities. Let’s also hope that games are scheduled at better days and times, where possible, to allow Caps supporters to not only read about the future, but to see it first hand.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    My wish for the world game is to change the stupid rule of booking a player for celebrating a goal.
    Are those in charge at FIFA so emotionally disconnected with the game now that they forget what the feeling of scoring a goal brings out in players and fans? Why would you want to put a cork in that?
    I sadly have to accept that carte blanche celebrations are probably a no-no, as someone, somewhere will spoil it for everyone by having some provocative statement written on their undergarments or will incite a riot for being too OTT in front of opposition supporters or will take money from a sponsor to give their product a plug in ambush advertising.
    Those I get, although really, does a booking make any difference as the offence has already taken place. Hit them in the pocket post-game.
    Scoring a match winner and running into the throng of your own loving fans should never merit a booking, whether you’ve whipped your jersey off or not.
    Let the players and fans bond and celebrate together, and let the passion and raw emotion remain in the game. Enough of it is already being continually sucked away.
    Ok, so off <i>my</i> high horse now. Let’s look at what others are wishing for in 2013…
    <b><u>Marco Carducci (Whitecaps Residency goalkeeper and Canadian U17 Player of the Year):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    My Whitecaps wish is that the first team build on their success from last season and go further into the post-season and that both residency squads qualify for the USSDA playoffs like we did last season.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    My wish for the game in North America is that we (the U17 national team) qualify for the World Cup in April and that the other youth and senior national teams are successful in the coming year.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    My wish for the global game is that simulation/diving is removed, especially in situations in the 18 yard box. Many games can be affected by simulation by players if the referee and assistants are unable to detect diving.
    <b><u>Peter Schaad (The voice of Whitecaps FC. Host of Whitecaps FC Daily on Team 1410):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    Easy. Host a playoff game. If the Whitecaps host a game in November, they'll have had another good year, which may include (gasp) an elusive win over a Cascadian rival. The buzz surrounding a playoff game in this city would be something special.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    I'd like to see resolution to the New York expansion situation. A shovel in the ground of a new stadium in Queens would be a huge deal for MLS. This has been speculation for so long...it would be a nice accomplishment, and then we can all move on to something else.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    FIFA needs to do whatever it can to stop simulation. Retroactive punishment has worked to a degree in MLS (although David Ferreira still got away with clipping his own heels and drawing a yellow from YP Lee back in July). The game is growing faster than any other sport...and the one thing that inhibits its growth, is the perception that soccer is a game of divers and cheats. Maybe MLS needs to take the lead, because it seems to be North America that has the biggest percentage of soccer bashers in the world...and it's all because of the flopping and rolling.
    <b><u>Steve Pandher (AFTN assistant editor):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    The one wish I have for the Whitecaps is a similar one that was unfulfilled from last season and that is for the Club to have more success in the Voyageurs and Cascadia Cups. In their two seasons as a MLS franchise, the Caps have yet to beat either Seattle or Portland collecting only three points in ten games. They have picked up a win against Montreal and Toronto, which came in the openers of each season, but that is about it. The Caps have made the final of the Voyageurs Cup the last two seasons but yet to win a game in four chances.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    On the national team front, I would like to have a chance to watch a friendly of a Canadian Men’s national team in Vancouver. It doesn’t have to be the number one side, as I’m willing to watch a U23 friendly or even the youth teams like U20 and U17.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    My world soccer wish would have better access to watch more league games from around the world on television. The loss of Serie A from The Score was a major disappointment, which became bigger when the new owner has no operational channel in Canada.
    <b><u>Christopher Vose (AFTN photographer):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    Challenge for the Supporters’ Shield
    In 2012, the Whitecaps jumped from 18th to 11th in the table, earning 43 points along the way. That was a fifteen point improvement on their previous mark. They’ll need at least that again to challenge for the Supporters’ Shield. Over the past ten seasons, it’s taken an average of 1.84 points per game, or 62 over a 34 game season, and never more than 2.00 and 68. That should be the goal. Boys, 68 points and you’ll be Champions.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    Back to the Balanced Schedule
    Simply put, the beautiful game deserves better. Last year, the League adopted an unbalanced schedule, and it suffered as a result. The unbalanced schedule depreciated the importance of the derbies, the Supporters’ Shield, and confused the table. Most think that the Western Conference had the better squads, but it was the Eastern Conference that took the most points between them. Don, let’s have a 36-match season.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    Tele Official
    When a match is being televised, an extra official should be present, watching the televised broadcast. This official would wear a headset, just like the rest. At the referee’s discretion, he or she may ask a simple yes or no question, and Tele Official will answer immediately with a yes, no, or I don’t know. This would not slow the game down one iota, and give the referee one more person, and several more angles, to consult.
    <b><u>Pierce Lang (Co-host of <i>West Coast Soccer Podcast</i>):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    My Whitecaps wish would be to see Caleb Clarke develop into a useful tool in MR's arsenal. He has all the tools and enthusiasm to take a big step in his career.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    I'm going to go with Caleb Clarke getting more game time in the bigs and getting a call up to the full national squad. Throw Ben Fisk out there against Edmonton while you're at it, I really want to see what these two "legit" homegrowns can do given the chance.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    Rule Changes? That's crazy talk unless they want to bring back the breakaway shoot out in regular season games so there are no ties ever. And use one of those oversized tennis balls only in the shoot out. Also, losing team has to line up on the goal line and let their own coaching staff fire shots at them. For 3 minutes. Can you imagine the first away shoot out loss on the east coast? Poor Napoleon with an ice pack on his ass when YP Lee goes to meet them at the airport. The word Classic comes to mind.
    <b><u>Steve Clare (Editor of <a href="http://www.prostamerika.com" target="_blank">Prost Amerika</a> - Cascadia's premier football website):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    No-one can say that the Caps didn't make progress in 2012! At the end though, the progress seemed to stall a little and they limped over the finish line and disappointed in the play-off match. My Whitecaps wish would be two fold:
    a) to see a steelier Whitecaps side that doesn't fold so easily under pressure.
    Within that, here are some subsections:
    I'd like to see a high profile forward actually settle in the side and start to build a lasting legacy of goal scoring achievements. Every time the Caps fans get a hero to laud, he leaves. More than anything, it's sloppy marketing. I'd also like the natural talent that Russell Teibert undoubtedly has to finally be unleashed on MLS.
    And lastly I'd like 'Big Bad Bob' Lenarduzzi never to change. It's perhaps hard from inside the Vancouver bubble to appreciate just how much of an asset he is to the sport, the city and the club; but it is highly apparent looking from the outside in.
    the second part of my wish is purely personal. I'd like somebody or something Scottish to actually succeed in Cascadia. I have a strong connection with the town of Larbert so I understand why anywhere on the planet seems like a metropolis to Martin Rennie.
    So I'd like to see Rennie, and if possible one of the Scots there rock this gig like Adam Moffat has impacted in Houston.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    MLS is doing well. I'd like to see the folk running it listen to supporters a tiny bit more as part of a slow and careful process of having them included on non commercial decisions. I'd like to see the Independent Supporters Council grow as well as the North American Soccer Reporters, of which I am the President. For MLS to evolve, there must also be strong parallel institutions not just weak rubber stamps to wheel out to give a fake impression of democracy. A strong independent journalistic sector and a strong voice for supporters can be an asset to the growth of our sport, far more than a danger to the current office bearers in institutions
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    Scotland to be given a five goal start.
    Seriously, I'd like to see an end to bigots and those filled with hate using football grounds as a launch pad for their lunacy, whether that be sectarian bigots in Scotland, or racists in St Petersburg. Football should be a force that unites people of all races and classes, not divides them.
    <b><u>Brett Graham (New President of Vancouver Southsiders):</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    As Meatloaf said "2 out of 3 ain't bad"; So two out of three of Voyageurs Cup, Cascadia Cup, and Playoffs (none-of this play-in BS).
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    MLS Reserve League gets expanded, to either a full schedule or as USL Pro Affiliates.
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    Leagues worldwide start handing out retroactive suspensions for diving.
    I also want to try some of Emily Zurrer's Waffles <i>(Ed – who doesn’t?!)</i>
    <b><u>A collective of football wishes from the Curva Collective:</u></b>
    <b>- Whitecaps wish:</b>
    Two words: stability and chemistry. We long for the first team to be shaped and formed as early as possible and for there to be a stability to the side. We would love for a deeper chemistry to develop within the squad. We’re headed into a third straight season where one of the keys things will be building cohesiveness in the locker room…we hope this is not an issue in July…or next pre-season. If this happens it will also allow for a stronger bond to continue to develop between players and supporters.
    <b>- MLS/North America wish:</b>
    Two more words: (increased) transparency and decentralization. It would be wonderful to know the actual figures behind the overly mysterious allocation money. Do we really need allocation rankings and weighted lotteries? Could more traditional methods not work in allowing clubs to acquire players (re)entering the League?
    <b>- The game globally:</b>
    One word: health. For the various governing bodies we would love to see them take bold steps to deal with some of the very serious issues, on and off the pitch, that marred the game in 2012. Corruption (matching fixing) would be a primary example. For clubs, we would love for them to be fiscally responsible. Too many put their existence in jeopardy by the way they live beyond their means. Some gamble and get away with it, but for others it has a long lasting impact on their club and ultimately its supporters. For players we hope they are able to be healthy. We are living in an era with outstanding players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (whether you appreciate them or the sides they play for is another issue). Some would argue that we are witnessing the greatest footballer of all-time (little Leo). We hope that injuries/health would not stand in the way of more of the same in 2013 and beyond.
    <center>******</center>
    So that’s the wishes of our esteemed panel. What would yours be? Share them below.
    Have a wonderfully happy, healthy and safe 2013 everyone. And may all your wishes come true.
    <p>
    Guest
    In this, the final edition of Checking In With CanWNT, we've got striker Melissa Tancredi. The 31-year-old from Ancaster, Ont. tells us about building the CanWNT "brand", how she prepared for her massive showing at the Olympics, what it means to be in "Tanc mode" and what her future holds with the national team.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    What have you been up to since the Olympics ended?
    A lot of things. I've been keeping pretty busy. A lot of appearances, speaking engagements, just showing up to different businesses and saying hello. A lot of camps, I've been getting into that. Erin (McLeod) and I started a camp called Grass 2 Gold, which has taken off a bit. We worked for West Van(couver Soccer Club) for most of December; end of November and December were coaches there. That's brought me back home.
    Erin mentioned that she found it important to get involved with Grass 2 Gold to help fill in the gaps when it comes to player development in Canada. Do you feel that it's having a positive impact in that regard?
    Absolutely, for sure. It became pretty evident that we were correct in our assumption that most coaches just let kids go out there and play, small-sided games and 11v11. There's nothing wrong with that, but we're also missing a huge opportunity to teach kids basic skills.
    So Erin and I brought a lot of that, a lot of speed and agility, plyometrics work, a well-rounded routine for kids to experience at a young age. We were probably exposed to it at 16 or 17. It's a chance to give them a head start, not leave out the basics, and hopefully help them become a more well-rounded player.
    You and some of your teammates have been with the national team for a long time, but now you're finding that you're suddenly household names in Canada. How have things changed for you personally since the Olympics?
    Well, it's pretty cool, I must say, to be recognized on the street just by anyone. That's pretty surreal. I definitely couldn't have guessed that happening after the Olympics. The fact that we're all a brand right now, for companies to latch onto, a lot of companies want to be a part of our journey, that's pretty incredible. It's different.
    We're actually treated like professional athletes. It's something we've wanted for a long time, and we definitely weren't expecting it, but we're embracing it. It's changing soccer in our country, for females especially, in a special way -- and we're glad to be a part of it.
    You said you're now treated like professional athletes; do you think that wasn't the case prior to the Olympics?
    I don't think many people recognized our team. Our team was not out in the public. It's always thought of as something that we didn't dedicate our whole lives to. But we train all year round, I don't think many people realize that. There's still people coming up to me saying, "wow, there's a Women's World Cup."
    That's obviously a battle we have to deal with, being in Canada and being a hockey nation.
    But I think now that we're more exposed and we have the funding as well, we're considered a professional brand, and we have to act like it and train like it. Times are changing, for sure.
    London 2012 was the tournament of a lifetime for you, one in which you scored four goals. Were you expecting to have as big of a tournament as you did?
    I knew that I was feeling good, fitness-wise. I think my problem in the past has been fitness. But I knew training in Sweden before coming in with the national team, I felt really good. I felt as a striker I was getting it, I was being a lot more dangerous than I was in the past. I think John (Herdman) allowed me to take more risks and do what I love to do, whether it be passing -- I love to pass, I love to assist -- it's just having a coach that allows you to be creative and allows you to take those risks in the final third and trusts you. That brought a lot of it out of me. I had fun out there. I've never had that much fun in a tournament, I actually enjoyed playing every single game, it was amazing.
    You did have a pretty sweet goal against the U.S. in a pre-tournament tune-up, did that help give you a bit of momentum as well?
    Yeah, I think so. Every single game, we were treating it as a preparation game, so we were treating it pretty seriously. You can date it all the way back to John's first day with us, against the U.S. That's when I started changing my game. Every game, I was trying to make an impact, and that was my main goal, to be an impact player at this Olympics -- not just to sit on the outskirts and enjoy the whole ambiance, but to go out there and give my all, and put this team on my back.
    You made a big impact against Sweden -- it was your brace that kept Canada in the tournament at all. What was your thought process in that game, especially after the team went down 2-0 early on?
    We came out flying, we came out dominating. And I pretty much had trust that we would do well. I don't think I had any problems with it. It was unfortunate we went down 2-0, we weren't expecting that at all, but we just stuck to our gameplan. Any other day, we would have just packed it up and just left the pitch, really. It felt like another 4-0 France game coming on, really.
    But we kept on our gameplan, and I knew right then and there that we would have no problem getting back into this game. It just so happened we got our chances and I ended up finishing two of them. We just kept creating, kept the pressure on. I really like that game, that one gets me excited because we never gave up. From the very first whistle we were out there flying and we never gave up until the end.
    Speaking of having fun, it must have been a boost having your family there. I remember seeing an "I (heart) Tancredi women" sign in the crowd a few times. Who was holding that one?
    That's my brother-in-law. He made that, I think, in 2009 or '10; it's been with him for a few years. He finally lost it in the subway in London. It's a goner. But the family was awesome, I think I had 11 people there watching me and cheering me on. It was an incredible moment to share with them; that was probably one of the best tournaments for them to witness. But it's always great to play in front of your family and friends. There was a huge Canadian following for every one of our games, it was pretty insane.
    I'm now picturing some random Londoner with the "I (heart) Tancredi women" sign up on their wall; they don't even know anyone named Tancredi, it's just a piece of Olympic memorabilia.
    (laughs) Absolutely. I'm sure it's making somebody happy somewhere.
    Now, athletes these days talk a lot about "beast mode", but a phrase I heard thrown around after the Olympics was "Tanc mode" -- is that something you think might catch on? Should we get t-shirts printed?
    I don't even know what that means! I'm trying to think of what that would mean...
    Well, how would we describe it? Let's say determination, enthusiasm, rugged play, timely goals... that sounds good, right?
    I'm for it, full throttle! I would like to be in Tanc mode, every day.
    You're always in Tanc mode, you are Tanc. It's your mode.
    (laughs) There's a lazy side of Tanc mode, don't get me wrong.
    Part of Tanc mode, as I said, would be that rugged play aspect, and that's led to a lot of confusion and allegations about a supposed incident in the semifinal against the U.S. So could you clear up, once and for all, what happened between you and Carli Lloyd in that game?
    I'm getting tired, honestly, of answering this question because there was no intent there at all. If there were, she would have been injured, obviously. I'm a pretty big girl. But I would never do that. I think people misinterpret my physical play, going out there and win a game and win the ball for my teammates. That's not me.
    There's no malicious intent in any of that. I'm not the player that goes behind the ref's back and takes out players, no. I'm going to fight you for the ball, that's my job. I want that ball. That has nothing to do it. I'm tired of answering it, there's nothing there.
    So that's definitely not part of Tanc mode.
    No, that's not Tanc mode.
    Given everything you've been through with this team, can you describe the feeling upon winning the medal and getting up on that podium with your long-time teammates?
    It's hard to explain it, but honestly it's extremely emotional. It's something people say you work four years for, but it wasn't even four years, it was my whole career. We've tried so long to bring back Canada soccer, and make it worthwhile for people to watch and make it a long-standing podium threat. This is just the beginning of it. It means so much for us to actually do something that any team hasn't been able to do since 1936.
    It's a milestone for our sport, it's a milestone for our country and to be a part of it is an honour. To do it with that team, that team was incredibly special. Not to mention, a bunch of my best friends. It's like doing the coolest thing on earth with the coolest people you know. It was pretty neat to be involved in something like that, and hopefully there's more to come.
    You hinted after the Olympics that you were done with the national team, but there you were in camp in December. So what does the future hold for you?
    You know, if you'd asked me four years ago, I would have been done after this Olympics. I'd pinned that as my swan song. But I feel great. I'm feeling the best I've ever played. I'm still young, in my own eyes. And I have a lot more to give to this sport, not because I want to be there for 2015 -- obviously I want to be there -- but I think I can learn a lot more.
    John and I have had the conversation where I've not reached my plateau in the "sponge factor" -- I can learn a lot more in my position, I can become a better player, I believe that I can bring a lot more to this team. And I will, hopefully, if I'm on the team in 2015. But that's my goal: I want to be a part of this team, and I want to still be an impact player when that time comes around.
    It seems this year has really reinvigorated the team, especially in terms of that desire to learn. Do you attribute that to the new coaching staff and new techniques, or is there anything else at play?
    I think it's everything, everything's just been a perfect fit: John, his staff, my teammates around me, everything's perfect. It's going in the right direction and it's rolling smoothly right now. When we came into camp, usually you'd have people who've been out partying, not in shape, not taking it seriously, kind of like taking a break after the Olympics.
    But if you look at our squad, we were pretty much where we left off in London: our fitness levels were high, if not even more in shape for some of us. The passion's still there, the excitement's still there, the enthusiasm's still there, and that's just proving to me -- and to John, hopefully -- that this is a team that's 100% on board with whatever he brings us.
    We're ready to go. Bring it on, let's bring on the next chapter, let's get even better. It's so awesome to see and be a part of, because I've never seen a team after such a big tournament -- usually you need some time off -- but this team's ready to jump back into it. That's pretty cool to see, especially if I'm a head coach looking at this team. We're going to be dangerous in three or four years.
    Given everything that went on in 2012, if you could try to sum up the year, what would you say?
    That is a tough one. 2012 was magical, honestly, it was absolutely magical, in the fact that you had all your down sides to it, but with every single feeling of awful emotion and sadness and regret and all these feelings that came aboard, if you look at what we've done and what we've achieved, it's magical. It's something that has changed the sport in this country forever now, and we've laid the foundation, it's something to grow on.
    .
    Guest
    Atiba Hutchinson is on top of the Eredivisie with PSV. He had a solid international year with Canada (although it was tarnished by 8-1) and seems to be on top of his game. It was clear to most of CSN’s voters that he was the No 2 choice to win the CSN Player of the Year.
    Who was No 1?
    Well, it shouldn’t be hard to figure out.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    She was the Sportsnet Athlete of the Year.
    She won the CP female athlete of the year.
    Oh, and she won the Lou Marsh Award, symbolic of Canada’s top athlete in 2012 in all sports.
    It would be kind of hard for CSN to not name her Player of the Year.
    Winning the Golden Boot at the Olympics is a historical achievement for a Canadian player and although it would have been nice to see her score in the bronze medal game it’s hard to find any argument against her being Canada’s top player of either gender.
    The one dissenting voice was the AFTN Canada votes. They had Hutchinson first. They felt that Hutchinson deserved the nod over Sinclair because of difference in the depth of field that they compete in – simply put, they felt it was much harder for Hutchinson to succeed at PSV than it is for Sinclair to compete in women’s international football.
    However, that opinion was not widespread. It’s hard to imagine a soccer player ever having the type of impact on the general Canadian public that Sinclair did in 2012. It will be hard for her to ever surpass the highs of this past year.
    Unless, that is, she can take things a bit further in 2015…
    We can only hope.
    Guest
    In the penultimate edition of Checking In With CanWNT, we've got striker Jonelle Filigno. The 22-year-old from Mississauga tells us about heading right back to school after London, her quest to recover from a serious ankle injury in time for the Olympics and what it's like to learn first-hand from Christine Sinclair... and she breaks down her memorable goal against Great Britain.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    You're back at school now, at Rutgers. How have things been going for you since the Olympics ended?
    It's actually been pretty cool. Once the Olympics ended, I was fortunate enough to go straight into my Rutgers season at school. Some might see that as a lot of soccer, but I love the sport and I was happy to come back into the season. Now that the season's over, I'm happy that I just get a break from the whole thing, because I was going for a straight six months of intense training.
    (The season) just ended about (in the middle of November), so I've had some time to relax now and just kind of enjoy myself a bit before I get started up with the national team again this January.
    Have you had some time now to reflect now on the fact that you're an Olympic medalist? Has it fully sunk in?
    It has, finally. I think it took a while just because the Canadian team, we've never accomplished anything like that in our history. So for something like that to happen for us is absolutely amazing, and for our country and all our supporters. It did take a while to sink in. I think most of the girls did have the opportunity to celebrate the medal and the win when they got home right after the Olympics. I didn't really have that privilege because I came straight to school.
    Now it's my time to let it sink in and enjoy it. I was actually at home last weekend (editor's note: interview recorded Nov. 29). My family just hosted a party for me to celebrate the medal and all that stuff, so it's my time to enjoy the victory.
    The holiday season must really be the time to parade the medal around to your friends and family, right?
    Yeah, I mean, for the most part everyone has seen it this past week that I've been home. I'm not really the person to wear it out everywhere and promote it like that. But everyone in my family's seen it, and it's such a huge excitement to see that medal in person.
    So it's safe to say you're not wearing the medal around on campus?
    No, I'm not at all, it's actually not even here with me at school. I don't really feel comfortable having it at school; it's at home with my family.
    Going back to the beginning of the year, it was a tough time for you, coming off major ankle surgery, not knowing if the Olympics would be possible. When you saw your team playing the qualifying tournament on home soil, did that give you extra motivation to do what you could to get back to fitness?
    Yes, of course... in my head they had already made it through even before the qualifying tournament had begun, because I just expect that of our team. Just watching all the games, and then watching them qualify through, it became more real and I got a bit emotional for two reasons: one, because I was so happy, it's always an accomplishment to go through in a big game, and the other part was just missing that feeling and being out there with the team and being a part of it all.
    But it definitely gave me that extra motivation to really get myself going again, knowing that it's real now, and I needed to get back on the team. That was my mind set.
    John Herdman said he wasn't going to include you on the Olympic roster as a courtesy, and that he'd only do so if you were fit and could contribute. So how gratifying was it to know that you earned your way onto the Olympic roster, rather than just being handed a spot?
    It was absolutely gratifying. I would never want to be a part of a team just being handed a spot. Obviously that's the great thing about it, it's that I earned that, and I know I had three months with the team before the final selection. It was close, I know for a fact it was close. Within the last week, it really came down to the last week of training whether or not I was going to make that final roster.
    I actually had a meeting with the coach, before he had made the selection, and it wasn't the best meeting. It came off as a little bit depressing, but it was really supposed to be a meeting that really brought that spark back in me. And so that last week, I just felt all the weight off my shoulders and went out there and played.
    I forgot my ankle injury and my mindset was just "go out there and play like you know how to play", and that's what I did for that last week, and that was the outcome. That's how it played out. I snuck through. I'm very fortunate to have been able to make that final roster, but at the same time, I know I'm very deserving of that spot as well.
    This was your second Olympic experience; at your first Olympics, you were only a teenager. How different was Beijing versus London, in terms of knowing what to expect on the Olympic stage?
    The first time, in Beijing, we qualified for the very first time, so that in itself was the big excitement. The difference was that in Beijing we were so happy just to be there, and then London, we weren't going to settle for just being there. We wanted a medal. The first time, it was awesome to be at the Olympics in Beijing. I was 17 years old, and just to be there was amazing for us. But this time around, we didn't want to settle for an experience, we wanted to go to the end.
    Were you surprised to see the way the team's performance seemed to capture fans' imagination back home?
    Yeah, and I really think the game against the Americans was such a big reason we had so many people behind us. As much as it sucks, the game against the Americans, I don't think it would have meant as much as us, getting the medal -- obviously getting the medal is so amazing -- but it gave it that extra excitement because we still had felt we were so deserving of that gold medal match.
    We weren't home at the time, obviously, but the amount of support that we were getting through emails, through social networks, just from everyone, just hearing people that weren't even from Canada that were there in London, just to see the amount of people we had behind us was absolutely amazing, and it definitely gave us even more motivation to medal at the Games.
    The goal you scored against Great Britain in the quarterfinals, I've got to ask: Is that a set play from start to finish, or is that just a magical moment that came together?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOHm9x3VwhI
    I wish I could say the ball was supposed to go to me, but it was not. It just happened to land where I was. So yes, it was a magical moment. The service was, I don't know exactly if it was supposed to go front or back post, but it wasn't supposed to come out to me. Thankfully I didn't have a mark on me. I'm not sure if they were marking zonally or what was going on, but my mindset was that I didn't have anyone on me. We had me, Christine and Tancredi were runners, and they only had Tancredi and Sinclair marked at the top.
    I believe that it happened for a reason, and I knew, just as it was coming to me, right before I was about to hit it, that it was going to take a little bounce. I hit it and, as it was going, if you watch the replay, I celebrated like a second later, because it literally just snuck in at the last second. It looked like it was going out, then it curved inside of the post at the last second.
    As it was happening, I didn't even think it was going in. It was pretty cool, because I've never scored in a big tournament. I've been to Beijing and then Germany for the World Cup and this was my first goal. So it was definitely meaningful to me.
    As a striker, what has it been like playing and training alongside a player like Christine Sinclair, and learning from her over the years?
    She's just someone that you need out there to be able to gain so much knowledge from, and learn so much more. The things you may think you know, you watch game film and you just pick up so many things. She's such a great player because she's so calm, she keeps the ball, she knows how to finish, she's fast. She does all the right things.
    Being a young striker, I've learned so much from her, just watching her play. It's amazing to have someone like that on your team who you can look up to, and have there in person for any advice, any help you need. She's that kind of person.
    So are you planning to graduate this year?
    I wish. I actually have one more season I'm eligible for. So I'm actually at school for a total of six years, just because I red-shirted because of my knee, first my ACL. And I've taken two semesters off, I believe, with national-team commitments. So I'm there for another year, I'll be graduating in May 2014.
    Looking beyond that, with the announcement of the new domestic professional league, is that something that you could see yourself getting involved in?
    Yeah, definitely. I'd almost prefer that, I'd definitely prefer that to going overseas, so I'm glad that is here and around, and I'm hoping it lasts by the time I get out of school. That's awesome to me, I'd love to stay in North America and play here after school. I have no desire of quitting anytime soon, I have a lot left to accomplish for myself.
    So you will be sticking with the sport and the national team in the years ahead?
    Yes, I will definitely be trying for the next Olympics and World Cup, which is hosted in Canada. After that, I'm not really sure, but that's my next goal.
    You're still a young player yourself, but when it comes to the national team, you're a young veteran. And now you're at the point where you'll be seeing new players coming in from the youth sides. Are you excited about what some of those players will bring to the senior team?
    I know there's so much talent on our youth teams, and it's exciting to know that, because John is someone who loves seeing new faces with talent. He's someone that constantly loves to bring in new players, and really challenge all the players. I know that we have a great future because there's so much talent below us.
    If you had to try to sum up 2012, what would you say?
    It's definitely been the greatest year in my life up until this point, with the achievements both individually, on a personal level, as well as what the team has accomplished. For myself, it's being able to persevere and come back from injury, and what the team has accomplished in making history is something I've never forget.
    Guest
    On today's edition of Checking In With CanWNT, we've got midfielder Diana Matheson. The 28-year-old from Oakville, Ont. tells us about her long road to recovery in early 2012, winning a league championship in Norway, being peer-pressured into finally joining Twitter and why she celebrated her Olympic medal-winning goal the way she did.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    You've had quite the whirlwind since the Olympics ended; where have you just come from (Dec. 11)?
    I just came doing some camps in Ottawa and then in Halifax. There was Christine (Sinclair), Karina (LeBlanc) and Rhian (Wilkinson).
    The national team played the friendly in Moncton earlier this year, and now visiting Halifax, do you sense there's a lot of excitement about the team in Atlantic Canada?
    For sure. I mean, I think we get recognized a little bit more since the Olympics, but the number of times people were stopping us on the street and congratulated us was amazing.
    Prior to that you'd just come back from Norway after winning a league championship with Lillestrom. What was that experience like for you?
    It's a team that Rhian and I have both played for before, so we went back at the end of the season. They were trying to win the league. They were in first when we got there, so that helped. We really wanted to go out, there are great people there, so we were really happy that we could do what we can to help them win. We'd come in second with that team a few times before, so it was really nice to actually get a win with them.
    Did it make the experience of winning the title even sweeter having Rhian with you as a teammate?
    Yeah, for us, that whole group of players, we've been there on and off for parts of four years, so we know them all very well. That club has never won the league before so it meant a lot to the players, the coaches and the club itself. So it was the overall.
    How tough has that been for you, making that adjustment and going overseas on numerous occasions?
    It's not ideal, obviously. It's very far, it's not easy being a six-hour time difference. Skype and all that makes it easy, but the time difference isn't easy, and if you're there for the whole season that's about eight months. You can be gone that long, out of Canada, which none of us prefer. I think we'd all like to be close to home, I think.
    At the Olympic qualifying tournament in January, you were left off the roster as your recovery from knee surgery was taking longer than expected. Watching the tournament take place, were you worried that you might miss out on the Olympics themselves?
    Yeah, that definitely crossed my mind. When I had my scope done, I thought it was just going to be a tear in the meniscus, so about six weeks and that's it. It ended up being more long term than that. I had microfracture surgery, which is normally a year before it's OK, and then it can bug you for a couple years after that. Karina LeBlanc also had it done before.
    End of March, I still wasn't running, so I was definitely getting worried then. But I have a really good athletic therapist near Toronto who was curing me not only physically but mentally, so that helped me a lot to keep me sane. And then once I started running, things started moving a little bit quicker, and I was back with the team in April. So then I knew I'd be alright. I just might be on a few more anti-inflammatories.
    Ah, what's another anti-inflammatory here and there, right?
    Exactly!
    In the last year and a half, we've seen a few of your fellow midfielders really emerge for the national team, specifically Sophie Schmidt and Desiree Scott. What's it been like for you to be around those two as we've seen them transform into regular contributors for the national team?
    Sophie's been an impact player on the team for a few years now. She's a fantastic midfielder, and she makes a huge contribution to our team. And Desiree Scott, what she's done in the last year has been incredible. I think it's just all about confidence for her, and once she realized she can do it at the top level, she just started doing it day in and day out, and dominating. They're really fun to play with, both of them.
    Credit to John Herdman too; he had every single one of us playing at our top potential. And I think especially for players like Desiree, it made a huge difference.
    Did you feel the London Olympics represented a chance for redemption after last summer's World Cup?
    Yeah, it did, but I don't think that was at the front of our minds. The main thing was just preparation and doing everything possible. John was kept so busy just preparing in every single way, whether it was video, keeping our bodies healthy, training, stuff like that. I don't think training was really at the forefront, just getting our personal best and getting results was.
    In the France game, obviously there's some redemption there, since they're the ones that beat us 4-0 last year, but more so it was just about the personal bests, and all the preparation that came with that.
    One of your teammates said the team was better prepared for a big tournament than ever before. Is that a sentiment you'd agree with?
    Yeah, we were better prepared, period. For everything, I think. There were so many things we didn't know we weren't doing before. John said, "you don't know what you don't know", and it's true, he brought in so many new things. We learned so much in the past year with him. His tactical parts were fantastic, we were preparing for specific teams in specific tournaments. Three weeks ahead of time we'd spend a week on one system, a week on another. Anything that came out, we'd be prepared for.
    The physical side, the mental side, we just did everything possible. John always said that we would be the hardest working team off the field, and I think for sure that we were.
    It seems as though it all came together at the perfect time, both on and off the field for the fans. You've been with the team long enough to know that soccer isn't usually at the forefront of the Canadian media. So what was it like for you to see, both during the Olympics and afterwards, the way the team had really been adopted back at home?
    We knew there was support there. We go and play and we've always had strong crowds, except when we play late on Wednesday night. We knew the support was there, we knew it would take us actually winning something at the top level for people to really get on board. People aren't going to keep backing a team that comes fifth or sixth. Canadians want to see a result, and they're going to back a winner, so we knew it was going to be up to us to really get more people on board.
    We didn't get a sense of how big it got, because we were in a bubble over there, but when we got back we just couldn't believe the amount of support we got and how big it got over here, it was unbelievable.
    I suppose seeing Christine win the Lou Marsh award is definitely another sign soccer is no longer being ignored in this country, right?
    I think so. I think there's no one more deserving than she is, so I'm so proud that she won that award.
    Christine Sinclair is now a household name in the country, and after the bronze medal game, so is Diana Matheson. Is that something you've gotten used to?
    No, it's still a little surreal. It's kind of interesting, as a kid... I didn't really have that crazy Olympic moment that kids are going to remember in five or 10 years when they go to the Olympics. But it's totally surreal that it was us that did it, you know? We know now how big that goal was, but it's still crazy that it was just us that did it. It doesn't feel real. Hopefully in the next couple of years, things will keep going and keep building towards 2015 and not drop back down again.
    Now, I need to ask about what came after the goal: Your celebration. The little bow, the robot arm. What was that all about?
    That was for one of our teammates, Robyn Gayle, who was in the stands. She joked earlier that if I scored I should do the robot. She hurt her hamstring earlier in the tournament, so he was an alternate at that point, she was in the stands with our two other alternates, Emily Zurrer and Christina Julien. So, yeah, that was for her.

    Had you been practicing doing the robot ahead of time?
    Ahhh, no. There was no practice. And I was hoping the cameras were off me by that point -- but apparently, one was not. Robyn didn't even notice it, so, there was no point, I guess.
    So it's safe to say that's the last time we'll be seeing you doing the robot, then?
    Ahhh, yeah. I don't think I'll do that one again. Well, who knows, maybe another medal on the line, you know, some friend or alternates, I'd do it for them. Robyn would have to think of something new, I guess.
    A lot of your teammates have been active on social media for a long time, but you only joined Twitter after the Olympic Games. Was that a matter of finally caving to peer pressure from your teammates?
    It was a little bit of peer pressure; I've seen them have fun and have jokes on Twitter which non-Twitter people don't know about, so it's part that. And it's part necessity too; we as players have to try and keep marketing ourselves to keep soccer in the public eye and maybe even create some new opportunities from this. It's just a way people can access me. We can share the camps. It was a little bit out of necessity and a little bit out of peer pressure. But it turns out it's a lot of fun, and I'm enjoying Twitter quite a bit.
    You weren't with the team at the most recent camp in December. Was that a matter of you taking some time to rest?
    Yeah, the players that were still playing professionally, or the NCAA players, had that camp off.
    You've spoken about how tough it is for yourself and other players to make constant journeys to Europe while keeping up national-team commitments. Is it safe to say you're looking to get involved in the National Women's Soccer League?
    Yep, I would love to be a part of that.
    How important is it for not just current national-team players, but younger Canadian players, to have a domestic option?
    For us as a program, it's important to have us more in one place, more on one schedule; logistically that makes a big difference. Personally, we obviously like being close to home as well, and we're a lot closer to Canadians too, so hopefully they can look over here and see us playing, and they can look up to the players close to home as they grow up.
    Ideally the league sticks around for a few years and we get some Canadian teams in there too. I think that would be the best case going forward, something like MLS where we have a few clubs across the country, then we have academies leading into the clubs. Then kids really role models and something to look forward to when they're growing up, and they have something to aim for?
    Do you already have your eyes on 2015?
    Yeah, I'll hopefully stick around for that and the next Olympics. That's the plan.
    If you had to summarize, in a sentence or two, what 2012 has meant, what would you say?
    It's been a roller coaster -- I've had some pretty low lows for the first half of the year, and then the highest of highs. It's just been surreal, and it's like you said, everything kind of fell into place, not just this year but everything prior. We've had all the right coaches, from Even (Pellerud) to Carolina (Morace) to John, all in the right order, everything happened the way it's supposed to, I think; it's just been incredible.
    And then everything in the Olympics itself -- the performance in the Japan game, and then slowly growing through the tournament, the Sweden game when we were down two goals in the first 20 minutes, coming back from that, the Great Britain game, and then the U.S. devastating loss... every single thing just added to the story. The whole thing is incredible and it's really hard to describe.
    That was a really long answer, so I'll just say: Surreal.
    .
    Guest
    When naming the Canadian goal of the year you have to take several things into consideration.
    Was the goal pretty? Was it important? Was it widely seen? Did it have a wide impact.
    It's rare that a goal will meet all the criteria. However, this year's came close.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It wasn't pretty. No, it was a scramble goal that featured a midfielder throwing herself away from the ball.
    However, it's unlikely that there has been a goal scored by a Canadian that has ever been as cheered by Canadians than Diana Matheson's bronze winning effort in extra time against France.
    A couple other goals were considered -- Doneil Henry's winner in Olympic qualifying, a goal that knocked the Americans out (and that goal was the preferred choice of our western voters) and Atiba Hutchinson's assisted winner against Panama. The ultimate failure of those two teams makes it hard to argue that those goals were more important than Matheson's.
    IOC copyright rules prevent us from embedding the goal, but if you want to re-live the magic go here.
    Guest
    On today's edition of Checking In With CanWNT, we've got midfielder Kaylyn Kyle. The 24-year-old from Saskatoon tells us about staying focused at her first Olympic Games, finding her place in the Canadian midfield, the "ugliest fall ever" (that saved the bronze medal) and her love of that other kind of football.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    What have you been up to since the Olympics ended?
    I've kind of been all over the place; it's been a roller coaster and a whirlwind. I've been traveling with sponsors, doing appearances and public speaking in North America. It's been a really cool experience, overwhelming at times, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
    Is that a part of this that you've found rewarding, doing appearances and talking to people?
    Yeah, absolutely. I love talking to people, I'm a really big social person. To have something we won so huge with our team, and being able to share it with our country -- it's an experience, a moment that you can't really explain to people. "How did it feel when Diana scored the goal?" It's a really tough emotion to explain, but it was one of the coolest moments of my life, and to share it with 20 of my best friends -- and I can honestly say that -- it's just a moment in my life that I'll definitely never forget.
    I'll do the old-lady thing, in my chair, still telling my grandchildren about how we won the medal, and they'll be like "shut up!" It was awesome.
    A lot of players on the team are very active on social media and getting involved with fans, and you're definitely one of them. Do you feel it's an important part of being a player, having that ability to market yourself and interact with fans?
    Absolutely. Those are the people that make you want to get up in the morning and train every day. Those were the people that were supporting us even when we weren't winning medals, when we were not even making it out of our group at the World Cup in 2011. It's really nice to be able to answer some of their questions or retweet something. It's funny, when you retweet something says to you, it makes their whole week, and sometimes their whole year.
    I just turned 24, and it's pretty overwhelming at times, because I come from a small town, I come from Saskatchewan where soccer players don't really come out of. And when you see a young girl tweet you and say she wants your jersey for Christmas, it's just remarkable. I think it just goes to show how many brilliant players we have on this team. Yeah, we have fun on Twitter, with the banter and all that, but we're very professional. That's the thing I love about our team, we do have a great fanbase with being professional and not being in the media for the wrong reasons.
    So what was the reaction like when you came home to Saskatoon?
    (laughs) It was crazy. I got off at the airport and I wasn't expecting anyone. Flying overseas, obviously we had a little bit of a party after we won the medal. Touching down in Saskatoon, tired, I just wanted to see my family, but there were tons and tons and tons of fans. There were congratulations, I signed things, they were wearing Canadian jerseys...
    I mean, I wouldn't have changed it. It took me a lot to go as far as I did, but it's just really cool to see Saskatoon get behind one of their local players and really follow the game. There were little eight-year-olds saying, "remember that game against Sweden? how did that feel?" So it wasn't just the last game they were watching -- even though it was a fantastic game -- it was the whole tournament.
    These were your first Olympics, after having been with the national-team program for a while. At what point did you realize the magnitude of what you were going to be a part of?
    I think everyone's different. When we first qualified, I was very excited and it was a proud moment, but I don't think it really hit me until after the Olympics how big it was to be named to the team and to play in front of thousands of people for your country at an Olympic Games. I don't think it really, still, has sunk in, winning a medal. People have asked "how does it feel?" -- there's just no words to describe it.
    I'm so proud and so thankful to be where I am, and to have the support from my family, our fan support and the player support, the coaching staff, our physiotherapist, our manager, it's just a great group of people. It's an awesome atmosphere to play in and hopefully it sinks in soon.
    By the time you're telling your grandkids about it, it will probably have sunk in.
    (laughs) Yeah, probably.
    At the Games themselves, was it everything you imagined it would be? Or were you so focused on the games themselves that the other stuff didn't really affect you?
    When I first walked in, it was a little bit overwhelming. We weren't really in the athletes' village, so it was like being in another town. We were so prepared and focused on wanting to podium, that was our goal. Everything else didn't really mean anything. You had big players like Marcelo walking around your hotel, but it was just another person to us. That sounds terrible, of course they're great players, but we were so focused and so driven that we knew if one person on the team got off focus it would wreck our entire plan.
    We were just very focused, and I think stems from our coaching staff and the players wanting to prove to Canada that we can podium, and we can keep podiuming, and we can be that world-class team in the top three all the time.
    Over the last few years, the team has seemingly solidified a midfield core, a group that you're a part of. Earlier this year, with Diana being out with injury, did that provide an opportunity for players like yourself to fully show and establish what you could do?
    Yeah, absolutely. I think the world of Diana Matheson, I think she's a fantastic player, and I want to emulate my game like hers. But obviously with her being out with injury, it gave a lot of young players a chance to show John what we had, our tools, to show him we could play at this level.
    It was really cool to see -- usually when you're out with injury, you think "oh, I don't want anyone to take my spot", but Diana was in the room with me, saying "if you change this aspect of your game, it could help you on the field" or "if you did this differently, this could help grow your game." For a player to pull you aside and want to help you grow your game while she's out with a major injury, that just goes to show how much the team is wanting to do to win.
    In the midfield I don't have a solid starting spot there, I'm in, I'm out, depending on what teams we play or systems we're playing. So it helped me out just to show John that I can play at this level.
    You and Diana will be inextricably linked in the moment of that medal-winning goal. So let's settle this for folks who've seen the highlight: Were you intentionally getting out of the way to avoid any chance of offside?
    I knew I was offside because at the last moment, when the ball came over to D, I did a look across and the defensive line took a step on me, and I was like, "oh shit". By that time I didn't have time to get in the line of play, and I knew that if I touched it, it's game over, it's not a goal.
    Honestly, I didn't know what was going through my head, I was like "just fall out of the way". It was probably the ugliest fall ever, but it worked, and I didn't get in the way, it didn't touch me, it wasn't offside. It was an awesome moment. I remember sitting on the ground looking at the ball roll into the back of the net, and I looked directly at the referee, because I didn't want her to think I was offside or in the play at all. She didn't call it, and I knew at that moment that we'd won.
    There were a lot of younger players brought into camp in December. What's it like now, seeing a new generation of players getting their shot?
    It's awesome. Obviously for us, you still want to work 10 times harder so they're not stealing your spot. We can just see in their eyes they're hungry, they want to make that 2015 team, and they'll really do anything. You can see it in testing, they're pushing themselves to the limits. It's nice to see.
    They came into camp in shape, and I know as a younger player, it's tough, you want to go to those parties instead of going to the gym and working out. But you see, you can tell with their bodies right now they were putting in extra stuff. They were really prepared for camp, so it's awesome to see. To have that young energy, it kind of gives us energy too, as in, "yeah, let's do this." It's great to have them in camp, and it's great to see old faces as well.
    How excited are you about the prospect of the 2015 Women's World Cup?
    Oh, I cannot wait, it is like a dream come true, honestly. I thought it was amazing making the 2011 World Cup team, but to hopefully make the 2015 World Cup team and play in front of our home fans, in our home country, and my friends and family, it would just be a storybook ending. And to win a medal at that tournament would just put the cherry on top. I'm really looking forward to it; it's going to be a hard four years, but I'm looking forward to that journey.
    It's been a tumultuous year on the club side in North America. But are you now looking to get involved in the National Women's Soccer League?
    Yeah. As of right now there's 16 Canadians that will be in that league, and I'm hoping I'll be one of those 16. I'm just working hard right now, because I would really love to stay in North America. I think it will be one of the best leagues in the world, with the U.S. players, Canadian players and some Mexican players. And just being close to home, it helps out a lot -- even though I love Europe, and I wouldn't have a problem going there. But it would be really nice to play in North America.
    This is going to seem like the most obvious question in the world, but you're a Roughriders fan, right?
    (laughs) I kind of have to be. If you're from Saskatchewan, you have to be.
    When I was speaking to Lauren Sesselmann, she said she's considering becoming a Riders fan because they're similar to her favourite Green Bay Packers. Will you welcome her on board if she becomes a Riders fan?
    Hell yeah! I'll buy her a jersey for sure! I could use a wine-drinking partner at the football games, or a beer-drinking girl, so yeah, I'd absolutely have her along with me.
    So the Riders bandwagon is open, and anyone who wants to jump on it is welcome to, in your mind?
    Well, Lauren for sure. Other ones, they might have to go through some testing. Definitely Lauren. I know she's a football fan, she's been helping me out with my NFL, so I'll definitely invite her on my CFL bandwagon.
    Is it like a cross-border exchange? Is she trying to convert you into a Packers fan as well?
    Yeah, basically. I kinda have to like the Packers. But I dunno, I'm just trying to get into the NFL stuff. Every Sunday night, Monday night, I'm texting her and asking "what does this mean? oh, OK, thanks."
    Looking back at 2012, if you could sum up your year in a sentence or so, what would you say?
    One of the best years of my life, that I'll never forget. Proud to be Canadian, and proud to share it with everyone. It's not really about the medal, I look at it as how much hard work we put into it leading up to the Olympics and how much hard work our families did, our friends, our supporters. That's kind of how I look at the bronze medal -- it's not about that hanging around my neck, it's about how much went into it and who helped us for it.
    .
    Guest
    The Canadian international striker also tells Radio-Canada he's open to an MLS transfer.
    Taking advantage of the winter break in Germany, Canadian international striker Olivier Occean is back in Montreal for the holidays and he did not mince his words in an interview he gave to Radio-Canada's Antoine Deshaies.
    One goal in 13 games is not really what can be called a shiny start for the 31-year-old Brossard, Quebec native who was transfered to the Bundesliga's Eintracht Frankfurt alongside Canadian Rob Friend after leading the Bundesliga 2 goalscoring race last season with Fürth.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]With two more seasons to his contract following this one, Occean is already preparing the ground for a homecoming, possibly in the summer of 2015.
    "The (Montreal) Impact is a possible club for me", Occean told Radio-Canada. "I hope there will be interest (on their part). I spoke to (sporting director) Nick DeSantis maybe twice in the last decade, but I hope we will soon be able to talk about my future."
    Occean also commented on how 2012 has been a disappointment for him on the international scene. The striker scored the opening goal of the qualifying campaign in Havana in June, but missed the 8-1 drubbing in Honduras after picking up a red card on the final home match of the round against the Cubans.
    He did not pity Stephen Hart's departure as the national team's head coach.
    "Looking at the training sessions it wasn't really top and lacked professionalism. He was like an amateur and did not seem to know how to manage the team. The sad thing is that we had a great group of players", Occean told Radio-Canada.
    The Canadian and his club are in the thick of the race for a Champions League spot, tied in third place on the table with Dortmund halfway into the season. The top three teams in Germany move on to the group phase while the fourth place club enters the competition in the qualifying rounds.
    Guest
    On today's edition of Checking In With CanWNT, we've got defender Rhian Wilkinson. The 30-year-old from Baie D'Urfe, Quebec tells us about the team's shared leadership role, getting to share the Olympics with her family, weathering the injury storm during London 2012 and throwing a ball at Sepp Blatter's head.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    What have you been up to since the Olympics ended?
    I've been keeping my head down. I got pretty much right back to work, headed to Norway. I did run some training camps with three other teammates, that we just finished. We were in Halifax and Ottawa. Just really hanging out with family, getting slowly back into training. I wasn't really in the mood to be running straightaway afterwards, so it takes a little while to get into full training mode.
    You've been back and forth from Norway as a player throughout the last few years of your career. What was it like going back there and winning a league championship (with LSK Kvinner)?
    It was fantastic. I first went over to Norway in 2005, and made such great friends. I knew how hard they work at a small club in that country. We were able to help them keep the momentum going -- they did all the hard work all year round, and we got to be there at the end. Diana Matheson went over there at the end to get some of the accolades, but it was really special to be there for that.
    You guys were the year-end ringers they brought in, then?
    I wouldn't say ringers, but definitely sometimes things get a bit stale at the end of the season. Just to bring someone else in just to liven it up again, give it a fresh look or feeling, I saw that going down.
    As you said, you and Diana have played in Norway for a few years now, while a number of your Canadian teammates play in Sweden. Is there something about the Scandinavian leagues that's conducive to Canadian players?
    Well, they have leagues. There's not many places Canadians can go to play. The Americans have had a league the last couple of years, but they limit the number of foreigners, so if you don't get into that league, your choices are really Scandinavia, Australia, y'know... Definitely I think it's positive for Canadians to go to Scandinavian countries, seeing as how it's so similar.
    So were you excited to hear about the National Women's Soccer League starting play next year?
    Yeah, I think it's great. The more players you can have in one league, meaning they're all on the same calendar, everyone in that league will be available for the same dates for national-team obligations, which is fantastic as well.
    Earlier this year, the national team played a friendly in Moncton, which was the first time the team has played in that city. What's it like getting the chance to play in a new part of the country?
    I love it. Whenever we've gone anywhere -- in general we go to Toronto and Vancouver -- the minute we go to other cities, you're reminded in a way that you're actually representing your country. To see all these kids come out, Moncton was really special, they filled that stadium. Little girls driving five, six hours just to come and see us. And that was before we'd really done anything.
    The last thing they knew is we came last in the World Cup, and they were still there supporting us. I think that was a great send-off for us, a reminder of who we're playing for.
    After the Olympics, you wrote "I am under no illusion as to why the team went from last in the 2011 World Cup in Germany to third at these 2012 Olympic Games. The reason can be ascribed to connectivity created by leadership." Could you say a little more about what that meant in the context of your preparation for the Olympics?
    The most obvious, and one you've probably already heard about is, is when John (Herdman) came in as coach with an amazing idea of what leadership was. He was an amazing example to us of leadership. He gave everyone responsibility for not only themselves, but the team itself. All of a sudden you felt accountable for what you were doing on the field, to everyone around you. That's leadership.
    From the newest girl on the team to the most senior, everyone has a role in leadership. Sometimes you just need to be reminded of that, and that's what John brought.
    As someone who's been with the team for a long time, is that a role you felt comfortable playing, in terms of sharing your experience with the newer players?
    I think a lot of us, the older girls on the team, had already tried to be the best possible leaders we could be for the team. Mostly you're guessing at that. Some people are natural leaders -- we've had those on the team, the Andrea Neils, then Charmaine Hoopers, those are natural leaders in all ways. The girls that are on the team at the moment, we're all leaders in different ways, but not standalone-type leaders. John taught us how to use that.
    I think it has to do with what to do in certain situation. We needed to be taught, given ideas, and that's what John brought. Many people just automatically know how to be good examples to our teammates; obviously we can be good examples, but how to lead them, how to show leadership to those around you. We kind of took lessons in that, a couple of us. I think the most obvious example is Christine (Sinclair).
    She's always been a leader by example on the field, but she took on a much bigger mantle during the Games. She spoke to the team at the most amazing times, when we needed her, in off-field roles. She wasn't comfortable in that, but all of a sudden she took that on, and definitely led in so many different ways.
    Fans and media seem to have the experience that Christine is shy and reserved, so it's interesting to hear you say that she was very verbal with the team during the Olympics.
    Yeah, she was. She's gonna be how she's gonna be with the media. She's a very modest, quiet, shy person. But with the team, she took on a bigger responsibility. She was definitely more vocal.
    Speaking of leaders, you got the chance to meet Sepp Blatter earlier this year. What was that like?
    It was obviously really interesting. I've heard a lot about this man ... ever since I can remember being in soccer, he's been with FIFA. It was interesting to meet him, and a lot more casual. I thought there would be more fanfare around it, in that you read about this guy all the time, and then all of a sudden he's standing in the room chit-chatting.
    Karina was also there, and I think anyone who's met Karina LeBlanc knows she puts people at ease very quickly. I think she threw a ball at his head, that broke the ice.
    Really? Was it intentional?
    Yeah! She was checking his reflexes.
    How were his reflexes?
    Well, his assistant had very good reflexes, let's put it that way. ... It was just funny. It was just Karina all around.
    Your teammates have almost all said that the team was very focused during their time in London. But on a personal level, what was the coolest thing you saw or did off the field during the Olympics?
    Honestly, my family is British and so having my whole family there, aunts and uncles and grandparents... John was really good about after games, giving us family time. Usually during these big tournament, it's soccer soccer soccer, everyone's really this one mindset.
    But after games I could go home with my family, almost, and just go sit with them and talk about something different. That's my memory of the Games, that it wasn't just us, it was our families as well, since so many of us had friends and families come, and they got to be included in the wild ride. That was amazing.
    Was there a bit of a family crisis when you guys played Great Britain in the quarterfinals?
    (laughs) Yeah, I think a few people were torn on that one. But definitely, I think, family won out over nationality.
    So by the end of the game, everyone said they were Canadian all along?
    Well, you know historically there's a lot of support in Great Britain for Canadians over the French and the Americans, so we had a pretty good following by the end.
    During the Games, the injuries on the backline became a major story. You were one of the players that remained healthy during the tournament, but how did you deal with everything that was going on around you?
    The injuries started straight away, before we even got to the Olympics, Emily Zurrer went down. Well, okay, one, we'll be okay. Then in the first game, Candace Chapman went down with an injury. Wow, two centrebacks, what now? I remember looking across the line in the second game, against South Africa, and I was the only one in their real position on that backline.
    I was a little bit worried for a second, just, "oh my goodness, this isn't a good start." And then Robyn Gayle went down in that game! So it worried me for a second, and then straightaway I thought people were playing out-of-their-skin well. So many people didn't realize that that backline was really makeshift; even people who were natural defenders were not playing in their real positions, except me.
    So it was just amazing to watch people step up and be bigger than themselves for the team. And that's what I meant by leadership -- every single person took a role of leadership, from the bench to the field. If you're playing a different position you knew it's because we needed you in that position and we needed you to perform. And that's what happened. You know you're going to do well when that starts happening.
    You've mentioned the team's last-place finish in 2011. So when the team went down 2-0 against Sweden, was there a sense of "uh oh, here we go again"?
    No, there wasn't. I haven't seen any of the games again except for the Sweden game, because it was on again. I ended up watching the whole game, because I believe that was our best game of the tournament. It really changed the momentum. In the first 20 minutes, we played some outstanding soccer, and we were down 2-0. Usually when that happens, a sense of panic sets in, like "okay, I'll do this myself" -- if you watch the game, no one ever looks rattled.
    It definitely took us a few minutes to get back in our stride again, but we're right back playing great soccer and we just stick to the game plan. It's the 85th minute when we end up tying it up. No one ever looked like we doubted we were going to get it. The interesting thing for me, when I think of that game, is that a lot of people say "oh, it's lucky Canada came through third from their group."
    But we were also very aware of what was going on at that point. We had an injury when we scored, and you can see we're playing very confidently. We already know we're through, we know the matchup's going to happen. That's the benefit of the Olympics, you can ease up a little bit at the end, and you see that happen in that game, which is kind of fun to watch again.
    Even with those few minutes of easing up, it was still six high-pressure games in a short period of time. So by the time you got to the France game, were you more or less just running on adrenaline?
    Our athletic trainer is one of the best in the world, and we went into that tournament really fit. We needed to be, because we had a very small team at the end, just from injuries and little niggling things. A lot of people put in a lot of minutes. But the real fatigue the final -- of course, the physical fatigue, especially going double overtime against the U.S., and every single game we played hadn't been easy, we had to fight it out and get goals at the end of the game. Against Great Britain we played really well at the beginning, got a 2-0 lead, but we were really hanging on at the end. It was definitely tough.
    And then with the U.S., not only physically but mentally shattered after that game. We believed with every ounce of our bodies, every fiber, that we were going to win that game. When you believe in something so strongly and it doesn't happen, you can imagine the sort of feeling that comes over you; it's not something you can just erase. It takes a huge toll, physically and mentally, to recover from something like that.
    After 20 minutes in the bronze-medal match you can see it, everyone's sort of like "this isn't going to be easy." Everyone knew it was going to be a real scrap, that game.
    Looking ahead, what does the future hold for you?
    I had defiintely thought of retiring at this point; however, I've loved playing for John, I've loved being part of this really special group. So at the moment I'm just going to take it as it comes, see how my body reacts and how I react mentally. Whether I can commit to three, four years -- I don't think I can answer that at this point. I can just say that I'm excited for the year to come, and I'll give it my all and see where that leads me.
    If you could try and summarize 2012, what would you say?
    What do you say when a dream comes true? I got my mother's Christmas card this year and it said congratulations to my brother on his little girl being born and congratulations to my sister on her little boy being born, and congratulations to Rhian on nine years of labour and a bronze medal. It's something momentous. You put it in the same lines as having children.
    For me, it's been a lifelong ambition to be the best possible player and to make Canada the best possible team. No one can ever take that away from us. This team will always have that connection, and hopefully we've left a legacy for future generations, because this country deserves it and I know we can be a huge force in soccer in the years to come.
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    Guest
    Before we name the Team of the Year we should give credit to some other sides that get ignored and who were in the running to win the Team of the Year.
    The emergence of the MLS academies has been talked about a great deal in Canadian soccer circles and two of the academy teams distinguished themselves this year.
    The TFC junior academy were perfect in the CSL season and only came up short in the playoffs because a good chunk of their roster was missing due to school commitments.
    In Vancouver, the Whitecaps U18 side played their first season in the USSDA and came a goal away from winning the national title, losing 3-2 to FC Dallas, an academy powerhouse in the U.S., in the final.
    The young Caps play was so strong that both western voters selected that club as the winners of this award.
    Forest City London had a solid PDL regular season and then caught fire in the playoffs. After upsetting the runaway regular season leaders Michigan Bucks in the conference title game the team keep rolling
    Seattle Sounders u-23s went down in the national semi-final and the Carolina Dynamo fell in the final to give the club its first championship.
    In most years a Canadian USL champion might be enough to win the Team of the Year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    However, 2012 also saw a remarkable club in Ottawa finally win a championship they had been very close to capturing in the past.
    The Ottawa Fury are a first-rate, professional operation that is widely under-appreciated here in Canada. They captured the W-League title in a year where there were no fully professional women’s teams in North America.
    As such, they might very well have been the best women’s team in North America in 2012.
    And, almost certainly would have been the Team of the Year in any other year.
    Except in 2012 Canada won an Olympic medal.
    Clearly, the 2012 Team of the Year is the senior women’s national team.
    It was the best single performance by a national side since the 2000 men’s Gold Cup win. And, it captured the imagination of average sports fans in Canada in a way that no other soccer team ever has.
    We shouldn’t ignore the wonderful accomplishments of the Fury, London City, TFC junior academy or the Whitecaps u18s, but this wasn’t close. We can only hope that in future more Canadian teams can have years like the women did in 2012.
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