The Canadian women’s soccer team is heading to Texas to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janero, rallying behind team leader Christine Sinclair.
Sinclair is the winner of the FIFA Golden Show, Golden Ball, and Top Scorer awards and the face of Canadian Women’s soccer.
The team will feature seven veterans of the bronze winning 2002 Olympic team.
Tina Cook, assistant coach of the Ryerson Rams women’s soccer team likes the makeup of team Canada.
“I think there’s lots of great veteran players on the team as well as some new faces. Some new players have really come in and shown well,” says Cook.
One of those new faces, Allysha Chapman, tweeted her excitement about joining the senior squad.
Excited to be attending my first CONCACAF qualifying tournament with the senior squad! #RoadtoRio #CanWNT
— Allysha Chapman (@allyshachapman) January 26, 2016
Thanks to Canada’s recent success in women’s soccer, people are flocking to the sport with a renewed interest.
“I think it’s really picking up. I think the last few years have been a great time for women’s soccer in Canada…. Lots of girls are more interested now.”
Cook says the younger generation of female players are seeing soccer as a potential carrer, but Cook sees some improvements that need to be made to the funding available to the players, many of which need another source of income.
But Cook sees a potential for that to change, saying, “But with the growing popularity, maybe that is something we’ll see in the future.”
Tina Cook, Ryerson Rams assistant coach, says younger girls are dreaming of careers in soccer.