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RICHMONDREVIEW.COM
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012
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Olympians inspire youth Women’s soccer result raises interest in game by Don Fennell Sports Editor Dakota Chan can hardly wait to get back on the soccer pitch, an anxiousness only heightened following the bronze-medal victory by the Canadian women’s soccer team last Thursday at the London Olympics. The 12-year-old Richmond girl was among the estimated 300 fans who packed the arrivals area at Vancouver International Airport on Monday to welcome home several members of the squad including captain Christine Sinclair, chosen as Canada’s flag bearer for Sunday’s closing ceremonies after her electrifying three-goal effort nearly powered the Canucks past the vaunted Americans (who won gold). “It was such a big accomplishment and I was very excited for them,” said Chan. “I really wanted to support them when they came home. I knew lots of other people really wanted to cheer them on too, but (the size of the crowd) surprised me a bit.” Chan believed in the team even when others weren’t so sure. “I saw them training and they were always trying their hardest,” she said. “I thought they were going to do well even before the Olympics began. I think they did better because of their new coach (John Herdman) who brought them confidence they might not have had before.”
Chan, who began playing soccer at the age of four, has herself long dreamt of playing for Canada at the Olympics and hopes this success will inspire all other girls in Canada to want to play a sport and have similar goals. “After watching Canada win bronze I’m so much more determined to try my hardest at every practice and every game, while trying to do the best I can and be a role model for everyone around me,” said Chan, who credits coaches Doug Long, Ray Pang and Clive Clarke for helping hone her soccer skills and love of the game. Opportunity is knocking thanks to the success of the Canadian women’s soccer team, which earned the first Olympic medal by Canada in a traditional summer team sport since 1936. But B.C. Soccer Association president Roger Barnes said it’s up to the various levels of soccer to open the door. “Just because there’s a knock doesn’t mean you get the response,” he said of the anticipated spike in soccer registration. “It’s up to the national, provincial or local groups to see this is a good opportunity to get more involvement in their sport. The (potential) growth at the grassroots will come from the local clubs by making sure they have good facilities, training and development and coaching.” Barnes said there is already a strong base of female soccer players in B.C., representing nearly half of the more than 100,000 youth and adult soccer players in the province. See Page 7
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Martin van den Hemel photo Teammates Sophie Schmidt, Karina LeBlanc, Christine Sinclair and Emily Zurrer are all smiles as they flash their bronze medals from the 2012 London Olympics, where the Canadian’s women’s soccer team earned bronze, but captured the nation’s hearts during a thrilling and controversy-filled 4-3 semi-final loss to eventual gold medalist U.S.A.
Fans cheer returning Olympians by Martin van den Hemel Staff Reporter Waving signs praising their Olympic heroes, hundreds of people packed the international arrivals area at Vancouver International Airport Monday to greet Canada’s returning Olympians. Olympic team closing ceremony flag bearer Christine Sinclair from Burnaby and members of the bronze medal winning Canadian women’s soccer team— including Sophie Schmidt, Karina LeBlanc, and Emily Zurrer—were among those who landed at YVR Monday morning to be greeted by cheers from adoring fans, many of whom waved Canadian flags or hand-crafted post-
ers, sported their patriotic colours, or carried their soccer cleats or wore Whitecaps soccer jerseys. As the crowd grew and anticipation built for the arrival of the Olympians, fans spontaneously broke out into patriotic song to while the time away, singing O Canada on a couple of occasions. Among those who couldn’t help but smile was Richmond’s Andre Ho, who competed in the table tennis competition, and was among the first wave of athletes to exit the restricted arrivals door. Christine Girard, the bronze-medal winning weightlifter, also drew a loud cheer, and was greeted by dozens
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upon dozens of media members, including TV camera crews and radio reporters. But it was the arrival of the Canadian women’s soccer team, which earned a bronze medal, that drew the loudest cheers, with Sinclair drawing the greatest applause. She was moved to tears as she was joined by goaltender Karina LeBlanc—who was also overcome with emotion as she greeted her parents. Also arriving were Surrey’s marathon swimmer Richard Weinberger, who won a bronze medal, and Krista Guloien, a teammate of Richmond’s Darcy Marquardt’s on the silver-medal winning women’s eights rowing team. •More photos at richmondreview.
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