Christine Sinclair has enjoyed an illustrious career at both the club and international level, and on Tuesday, United Soccer Leagues (USL) announced that she has been chosen for induction into the USL Hall of Fame. Sinclair will be inducted along with the rest of the USL Hall of Fame Class of 2011 at the USL Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, December 16, 2011, at the Hilton Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida.
“This is a very deserving honour for Christine,” said Bob Lenarduzzi, president of Whitecaps FC. “She was an integral part of our championship team in 2006 and she has consistently proven herself on the international stage as one of the top female soccer players in the world.”
The leading goal-scorer in the history of the Canadian women’s national team, Sinclair played parts of four seasons in the W-League for Vancouver Breakers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC women. During that time, the Burnaby, BC, native led the ‘Caps to the 2006 W-League championship. The dominant forward scored 23 goals and added 10 assists for Whitecaps FC during her four-year spell with the club. She has been named the Canadian Soccer Association Women’s Player of the Year each of the past six years (2005-2010), while also being nominated by FIFA for the World Player of the Year award five times.
For the first time, the USL HOF has been divided into three distinct wings: Men’s, Women’s, and Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). This honour recognizes those who have helped make USL a success through the years because of their tremendous efforts and personal sacrifices made on behalf of the sport of soccer in North America. Sinclair will be inducted into the USL Women’s Hall of Fame wing.
Other inductees into the women’s wing include fellow player Florence Omagbemi from Hampton Roads Piranhas, longtime Charlotte Lady Eagles head coach Lee Horton, and Northern Virginia Majestics’ Tim Schweitzer in the builder category.
