Canada Soccer announced on Monday that
Simmrin Dhaliwal
has been called into a U-18/U-20 Women's National EXCEL camp from December 14 to 20 in Vaughan, Ontario. Dhaliwal is a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Regional EXCEL (REX) Program in Partnership with BC Soccer.
<a href="//www.youtube.com/embed/14rR-VFLums"></a> |
<strong>Canada WNT head coach John Herdman talks Girls Elite REX</strong> |
Also called up were two Whitecaps FC Girls Elite graduates now playing college soccer, goalkeeper
Priya Sandhu
(Simon Fraser University) and striker
Chelsea Harkins
(Washington State University). All three players came through the BC Soccer Provincial Development Program.
The squad that head coach Andrew Olivieri has assembled includes a number of players that had international experience as members of Canada’s women’s U-17 and U-20 teams in their respective FIFA World Cups this summer. Dhaliwal started all four matches for Canada at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica.
"We’re looking forward to continuing the work that many of these players have put in over the past two years of Women’s National EXCEL activity,” said Olivieri. “The new Women’s National EXCEL U-18/U-20 cycle includes a number of players still eligible for two more years of activity while there will be the addition of many who are progressing from last year’s U-14/U-17 cycle.”
This batch of players will be eligible for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in a location still to be determined but the goal is to develop the talent that is capable to step into senior international soccer for Canada’s Women’s National Team and contribute in meaningful ways.
“We’ll also be taking the opportunity to assess a few new players who have stood out in their present environments but our objective will always prioritize the ongoing development of our most promising players,” said Olivieri, “those that demonstrate the four corner standards that may one day propel them into the Women’s National Team.”
As part of Canada’s Women’s EXCEL Program, the Canada Soccer Women’s National EXCEL Program, presented by Bell, brings together the best with the best at the national level. Operating in six-year cycles across the U-14 to U-17 and U-18 to U-20 age groups, it is designed to deliver an aligned talent structure and system that progresses more top players to Canada’s Women’s National Team, more often.
CANADA
GK- Devon Kerr | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
GK- Priya Sandhu | CAN / Simon Fraser University
GK- Patricia Koutoulas | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
D- Jordane Carvery | USA / Louisiana State University
D- Simmrin Dhaliwal | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Regional EXCEL Program in Partnership with BC Soccer
D- Jordan Lundin | USA / Radford University
D- Easther Mayi-Kith | CAN / Québec Centre
D- Victoria Pickett | CAN / Women’s Regional EXCEL Centre Ontario
D- Marike Saint-Pierre Mousset | CAN / Québec Centre
D- Bianca St-Georges | CAN / Québec Centre
M- Hannah Chua | USA / Western Kentucky University
M- Vanessa Grégoire | USA / Princeton University
M- Sarah Kinzner | CAN / Alberta Centre
M- Carla Portillo | USA / West Virginia University
M- Taylor Price | USA / Pittsburgh University
F- Sope Akindoju | USA / Jacksonville University
F- Gabrielle Carle | CAN / Québec Centre
F- Chelsea Harkins | USA / Washington State University
F- Alexandra Lamontagne | USA / Syracuse University
F- Marie-Mychèle Métivier | CAN / Québec Centre
