Canada Soccer has honoured eight legends from the early days of its Womens National Team with induction to the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame. Marking the 35th anniversary of Canada Soccers Womens National Team, the eight legends represent Canadas landmark first decade in international football from the original selections in 1986 through to Canadas first participation at the FIFA Womens World Cup in 1995.
The Class of 2021 inductees are Sue Brand, Annie Caron, Carla Chin Baker, Janet Lemieux, Luce Mongrain, Suzanne Muir, Cathy Ross and Sue Simon. Collectively, they won 18 national titles from 1982 to 1995, eight Concacaf silver medals from 1991 and 1994, and the Concacaf Womens Championship in 1998. Five of them were original members of Canada Soccers Womens National Team in 1986 and six of them featured at either the FIFA Womens Invitational Tournament in 1988 or the FIFA Womens World Cup in 1995.
The eight legends will be celebrated with a special video event on Thursday 6 May 2021 on Canada Soccers digital channels. The celebration will continue with weekly player features in May and June ahead of Canada Day 2021, which will mark 35 years since the first Womens National Team camp in Winnipeg in 1986, then continue with a further spotlight on the programs legacy during Womens History Month in October.
Canada Soccer congratulates this group of first-class athletes who have been honoured by the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame for their incredible impact on the game at both the national and international levels, said Dr. Nick Bontis, Canada Soccer President. This group features some of the pioneers and champions of womens soccer from our first National Championships and Womens National Team to the FIFA Womens Invitational Tournament in 1988, the first Concacaf Womens Championship in 1991, and our first participation at the FIFA Womens World Cup in 1995.
Canada Soccer have been pioneers and leaders in womens soccer over the past 40 years, from the adoption of its first National Championships in 1982, the inauguration of the Womens National Team in 1986, and hosting back-to-back Concacaf Womens Championships in 1994 and 1998. Canada has since hosted the inaugural FIFA U-19 Womens World Championship in 2002, the FIFA U-20 Womens World Cup Canada 2014, and the record-setting FIFA Womens World Cup Canada 2015. As part of the Canada 2015 legacy, Canada Soccer helped co-found the National Womens Soccer League in 2013 and established the Regional EXCEL and Super EXCEL Centres from coast to coast across Canada, with already more than 500 youth players featured in the program since 2013.
Canada are one of nine nations that have qualified for the past seven editions of the FIFA Womens World Cup since 1995 and one of just five nations that have qualified for the past four editions of the Womens Olympic Football Tournament since 2008. Canada are also the only nation in the world to reach the podium at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 in womens football.
It all started back on 1 July 1986 when the first Womens National Team camp opened in Winnipeg, with Canadas first two international A matches a week later against USA in Blaine, Minnesota (Canada won their first-ever match on 9 July 1986). Since then, Canada Soccers Womens National Team have played over 400 international A matches while the Womens National Team Program has featured more than 900 players from the Youth National Teams to the National Team.
The Canada Soccer Hall of Fame honours Canadian players that have played the game with excellence at the international and club level. With the eight new selections for 2021, the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame now features 202 honoured members: 137 players, 13 coaches/managers, 10 referees, and 42 builders. As a priority established by Canada Soccer, players now make up two-thirds of the honoured members in the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.
The special 2021 class is also an integral part of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fames priority to establish equity within the Modern Canadian Players category from both the Mens and Womens National Team Programs. Since the first FIFA Womens World Cup was played in 1991, football at the very highest level has provided the same number of starting positions in the international game for both Mens and Womens National Teams. Under the same principle for Canadian players from the 1990s forward, the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame will honour an equal number of players from both the Mens National Team and Womens National Team.
CANADA SOCCER HALL OF FAME
Sue Brand
Canadian fullback from Edmonton, Alberta
A five-time National Championships Jubilee Trophy winner, Sue Brand was Canadas top player at the FIFA Womens Invitational Tournament in 1988 and then won a silver medal at the 1991 Concacaf Womens Championship. She was the only player that featured in every Canada international minute from December 1987 to April 1991.
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Annie Caron
Canadian attacking midfield from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Qubec
A National Championships Jubilee Trophy winner, Annie Caron was one six original members from Canada Soccers Womens National Team in 1986 that also represented Canada at the FIFA Womens World Cup Sweden 1995. She was Canadas joint goalscoring leader after the Womens National Team Programs first six seasons.
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Carla Chin Baker
Canadian goalkeeper from Scarborough & Aurora, Ontario
A two-time runner up at Canada Soccers National Championships, Carla Chin Baker was one of six original members from Canada Soccers Womens National Team in 1986 that also represented Canada at the FIFA Womens World Cup Sweden 1995. She was Canadas all-time goalkeeper leader in international A appearances from 1986 to 1997.
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Janet Lemieux
Canadian sweeper from Edmonton, Alberta
A four-time National Championships Jubilee Trophy winner, Janet Lemieux was an original member of Canada Soccers Womens National Team in 1986. She played for Canada in every international minute in 1986 and 1987 until she was forced out through injury.
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Luce Mongrain
Canadian centre back from Trois-Rivires, Qubec
A third-place finisher at Canada Soccers National Championships in 1998, Luce Mongrain was in fact Canada Soccers Womens National Teams youngest international at age 16 in 1987. She won two Concacaf silver medals and featured for Canada at the FIFA Womens World Cup Sweden 1995.
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Suzanne Muir
Canadian midfield and fullback from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
A National Championships Jubilee Trophy winner, Suzanne Muir was one of seven Canadians that featured at the FIFA Womens World Cup at Sweden 1995 and USA 1999. The first Nova Scotia player inducted to the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame, she helped Canada win the 1998 Concacaf Womens Championship.
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Cathy Ross
Canadian centre back from Coquitlam, British Columbia
A National Championships Jubilee Trophy winner, Cathy Ross was one of six original members from Canada Soccers Womens National Team in 1986 that also represented Canada at the FIFA Womens World Cup Sweden 1995. She was the only player to feature in every Womens National Team international A match from 1986 to 1991.
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Sue Simon
Canadian goalkeeper from Edmonton, Alberta
A joint-record six-time National Championships Jubilee Trophy winner, Sue Simon was Canada Soccers Womens National Team original starting goalkeeper in 1986, including an MVP performance in Canadas first international win against USA. She once held Canada Soccers all-time record for clean sheets at the National Championships.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Brad FougereCorporate Communications | Communications corporatives
bfougere@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.299.1587
Richard Scott
National Teams Program | Programme de l’quipe nationale
rscott@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.818.0305