Canada Soccer announces squad for Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship

Canada Soccer, whitecapsfc.com

Canada Soccer have announced their official 20-player squad for the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship. The young group will head to Mexico for training and then Nicaragua for the eight-nation competition, an important development step on the pathway to the Women’s National Team and future FIFA Women’s World Cups and Olympic Football Tournaments.

The roster includes nine players from the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite program - Jayde Riviere, Maya Antoine, Caitlin Shaw, Aaliyah Scott, Teni Akindoju, Maya Ladhani, Andersen Williams, and Stella Downing.

Fans can watch the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship live via Facebook.com/concacaf. In addition, exclusive behind-the scenes content and post-match commentary are available on Canada Soccer’s digital channels including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.

At the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship, three nations will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018. In the group phase, Canada will face Bermuda on 20 April, Costa Rica on 22 April, and USA on 24 April. Two nations from the group will then advance to semi-final phase.

“We have an exciting draw with two familiar opponents in Costa Rica and USA along with an exciting opening match against Caribbean side Bermuda,” said Bev Priestman, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National EXCEL Director U-15 to U-23. “This competition provides a great opportunity for players to experience new styles of play, heat, quick turnarounds between matches, and ultimately perform and flourish under pressure to qualify for a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. It is a huge learning experience.”

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 runs 13 November to 1 December in Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo, and Maldonado. Already, 10 of 16 nations have qualified for Uruguay 2018, with only spots in CONCACAF and UEFA yet to be decided in April and May. The Official Draw for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 is 30 May in Zürich, Switzerland.

Under an aligned Women’s EXCEL Program, the 20 Canadian players will have collectively accumulated more than 2,000 player days in Canada Soccer’s women’s youth program by the time their competition starts on 20 April. Three players (Akindoju, Riviere, and Shaw) have already accumulated more than 200 camp days and three players have already earned their first call up to the Women’s National Team (Riviere, Huitema, and Ariel Young).

All 20 players are also currently enrolled at Canada Soccer’s Super EXCEL Centres in British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec, with two players previously at Regional EXCEL Centres in Nova Scotia (Akindoju) and Alberta (Williams).

Also highlighted in the squad, 11 players have previous experience at a CONCACAF youth competition, be it at the U-15, U-17, or U-20 level. Among the nine debutants, the three youngest are 15-year old players Downing, Jade Rose, and Élisabeth Tsé.

“We have a really motivated group and the final 20 spots were very difficult to select, but I know the players selected can’t wait until that first whistle at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship,” said Priestman. “Our players will do everything they can to make Canada proud.”

CANADA SOCCER’S WOMEN’S EXCEL PROGRAM
Canada Soccer’s Women’s EXCEL Program brings together the best with the best at the national youth level, throughout each year. Operating across the U-14 to U-20 age groups, the program is designed to deliver an aligned talent structure and system that progresses more top players to Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team. Major competitions which are viewed as staging posts to assess development, allows for the development of the Women’s EXCEL Team Playing Model and tournament processes and expertise, ultimately preparing players for when they do progress up the system.

Additionally, the most talented U-14 to U-18 players are offered a specialised daily training environment through the Regional EXCEL Program, which is delivers Canada Soccer’s national curriculum year-round through a two-tiered talent system, with three Super Centres streamlining Canada Soccer’s EXCEL players into training environments in British Columbia, Ontario and Québec from the smaller provincial-licensed centres.

Since 2002, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Youth Teams have won four CONCACAF titles: the 2004 and 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship, the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship, and the 2014 CONCACAF Girls’ Under-15 Championship. Canada have qualified for seven editions of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (including a silver medal at Canada 2002) and all five editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.