The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Christine Sinclair is the female selection for the 2008 adidas Canadian Players of the Year award. Sinclair was honoured in a vote shared by Canadian media (50%) and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association’s national course at the B and A levels (50%).
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bSinclair is a member of Canada’s national team whose title sponsor is Winners and whose presenting sponsor is Teck. Her 2008 co-winner – the selection from the men’s national team – will be announced on Friday.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bIn 2008, Sinclair served as Canada’s captain as it stuck together for a seven-month residency camp in preparation for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. Canada successfully qualified for the Olympics in April and then reached the quarter-final stage in Beijing in August.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bThe 25-year old forward played 22 games in 2008, the most in her nine-year career with the national team. She scored 13 times, finishing first on the team for the eighth time and hitting double digits for the sixth time. She capped her season with two goals at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, including a rocket in the quarter-final stage against USA.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bIn fact, Sinclair finished the 2008 season with 95 goals in 125 career appearances, just five goals shy of the century mark. Already the all-time leader in goals, she tied Charmaine Hooper for most career starts (122) and crept closer to Andrea Neil for most career appearances (132). She also recorded her seventh career hat trick in 2008, yet another Association record.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bIn March at the Cyprus Cup, Sinclair won the Golden Shoe and helped Canada finish first in the tournament. In April, she helped Canada finish second at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament. In June, she won another Golden Shoe as Canada finished second at the Peace Queen Cup. In August, she helped Canada reach the quarter-final stage of the Peace Queen Cup.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bIn July, she helped Canada’s women’s team make its debut at BMO Field in Toronto. Sinclair was the star of the week, taking time to sign autographs after practices and even making an appearance with her teammates at the Winners store at the corner of Yonge and College Streets. In the big game against Brazil, she scored the opening goal of the 1:1 draw.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bEarlier this week, Sinclair’s teammate Jonelle Filigno was named a co-winner of the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year award (along with Nana Attakora-Gyan) while Monica Lam-Feist was named a co-winner of the Canadian U-17 Players of the Year award (along with Russell Teibert).
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bFINAL LIST / LISTE FINALE
\u200b
\u200bFemale Nominees from the Winners \u0096 Women’s national team \u0096 presented by Teck / Nominées de la selection feminine Winners, présenté par Teck.
\u200b
\u200b1. Christine Sinclair (35.7)
\u200b
\u200b2. Erin McLeod (14.1)
\u200b
\u200b3. Melissa Tancredi (12.2)
\u200b
\u200b4. Kara Lang (12.1)
\u200b
\u200b5. Candace Chapman (9.3)
\u200b
\u200b6. Rhian Wilkinson (5.2)
\u200b
\u200b7. Sophie Schmidt (3.3)
\u200b
\u200b8. Diana Matheson (2.7)
\u200b
\u200b9. Martina Franko (1.9)
\u200b
\u200b10. Emily Zurrer (0.8)
\u200b