Nine Ontario players, including OPDL representation, called to Canada U-17 to represent Canada in Grenada at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship Grenada 2016

   

              

Canada Soccer National EXCEL 14-17 director and U-17 Head coach, Bev Priestman has named the 20 players who will represent Canada in Grenada at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship Grenada 2016
The roster, which includes nine players from Ontario. is a blend of players with international tournament experience and some new faces from Canada’s EXCEL program.
“Canada’s squad is a very young group but with international experience,” explained coach Priestman. “Our goal is to develop these players as future Women’s National Team members with strong competitive international experience.”
Canada’s squad can count on some recent international tournament experience with six players of this group having played in the 2015 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship (Stratigaskis, Flynn, Vital, Proulx, Regan and Ibrahim), and four having been involved in the last edition of the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship in 2013 in Jamaica (Stratigaskis, Proulx, Baalbaki and Ibrahim).
The roster also includes Canada’s 2015 U-17 player of the year, Kennedy Faulknor, who is returning to the U-17 squad after spending three months with the Women’s National Team and competing in a tournament in Brazil where she featured against world class players including Marta.

A new addition to the program is Jayde Riviere, who plays for Markham SC in the OPDL.
Club Head Coach and Markham SC Technical Director Tommy Bianchi had high praise for Jayde.
"We are all very proud of Jayde's recent accomplishments. Having the opportunity to represent your country is something very few players have the chance to do," Bianchi said. "Playing in the OPDL has allowed Jayde the ability to not only further her development, but also be scouted by OSA and CSA staff. Although this is a great milestone in her career I am very confident that Jayde is not even close to meeting her potential."
Ontario Soccer Association Technical Director also spoke highlyg of Jayde's success.
"We're very pleased to see Jayde's inclusion in this camp. It's a tremendous accomplishment for her to be selected to a U-17 squad at her age," Miller said. "As the OPDL continues to develop we expect to see more of these good news stories for the league."
"We're also very proud of the whole crop of Ontario talent included in this tournament."
Canada's 20-player team will travel to St. George’s, Grenada, after a brief camp in Gainesville, FL, USA. Canada will play their three group matches at Grenada Athletic Stadium during the competition, with matches scheduled on March 3 (Guatemala, 17.00 local), March 5 (Grenada, 15.30 local), and March 7 (Haiti, 17.00)
Click here to read more from Priestman about the squad.
CANADA (inc. position and current club)
GK- Lysianne Proulx | CAN / AS Varennes
GK- Marissa Zucchetto | CAN / Unionville-Milliken SC
CB- Samantha Chang | CAN / Unionville-Milliken SC
CB- Kennedy Faulknor | CAN / Unionville-Milliken SC
FB- Ashley Cathro | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
FB- Emma Regan | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
M- Nahida Baalbaki | CAN / Lakeshore SC
M- Julia Grosso | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
M- Vital Kats | CAN / Scarborough GS United
M- Nadège L’Esperance | CAN / Lakeshore SC
M- Caitlin Shaw | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
M- Sarah Stratigakis | CAN / Unionville-Milliken SC
F- Teni Akindoju | CAN / Halifax Dunbrack SC
F- Shana Flynn | CAN / Unionville-Milliken SC
F- Camila Gomez | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
F- Jordyn Huitema | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
F- Anyssa Ibrahim | CAN / AS Varennes
F- Lauren Raimondo | CAN / Unionville-Milliken SC
F- Jayde Riviere | CAN / Markham SC
F- Aaliyah Scott | CAN / Toronto Skillz FC

2