The Canadian Soccer Association announced today the list of nominees for its 2008 player awards. Canadian media and coaches will be asked to select two players - one male and one female – for the Canadian Soccer Association’s top prize, the adidas Canadian Players of the Year award. The award will celebrate Canada’s top-two soccer players in recognition of their 2008 achievements with both the national team and their respective club teams.

In 2008, Canada’s women’s national team made its first appearance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. It reached the quarter-final stage before losing to the United States in extra time. Along the way, it won the Cyprus Cup and finished second at the Peace Queen Cup. In 24 games (an Association high), Canada posted a record of 10 wins, seven draws and seven losses. Canada’s title partner is Winners while its presenting partner is Teck.

The men’s national team, meanwhile, posted a record of three wins, three draws and six losses. It took part in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers, but was eliminated from the Group of Death in the CONCACAF semi-final stage in November. Canada scored in nine consecutive matches, one off the men’s team record.

Voting for the adidas Canadian Players of the Year will be split evenly by Canadian media and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association’s national course at the B and A levels (including national-team coaches).

Along with the adidas Canadian Player of the Year award, there are two additional awards that celebrate the top young prospects in Canadian soccer. Coaches from across the country will select four young stars from Canada’s World Cup squads. – two Canadian U-20 Players of the Year and two Canadian U-17 Players of the Year.

The Canadian U-20 Players of the Year award is open to players eligible for the current or upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup events. The male U-20 nominees are born 1989 or later while the female U-20 nominees are born 1988 or later. The Canadian women’s U-20 team has Winners as its title sponsor.

The Canadian U-17 Players of the Year award is open to players eligible for the current or upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup events. The male U-17 nominees are born 1992 or later while the female U-17 nominees are born 1991 or later. The title sponsor for both the Canadian men’s U-17 team and Canadian women’s U-17 team is BMO Financial Group.

Voting for the Canadian Youth (U-20) Players of the Year and Canadian Junior (U-17) Players of the Year will be split evenly by Canadian national-team coaches and all other Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association’s national course at the B and A levels. Coaches will be asked to consider each nominee’s success at the international and club levels, including performances at the FIFA World Cups and at the BMO National Championships.

Voting will begin immediately and will conclude on 3 January 2009. Voters will be asked to select three players (first place, second place and third place) in each category. All six winners will be announced during the week of 5-9 January.

Along with the three awards, the Canadian Soccer Association will host an online vote for the two CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices. Voting for the CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices will begin immediately and will conclude on 9 January 2009. Online voters will be asked to select their favourite male and favourite female Canadian soccer players.

The Canadian Soccer Association, in partnership with its members and all its corporate partners, is dedicated to the growth and development of soccer for all Canadians at all levels. The Canadian Soccer Association is also dedicated to providing leadership and good governance for the sport. The Canadian Soccer Association’s goals include providing opportunities to all members from participation at the grassroots level to the FIFA World Cups, encouraging positive values in all aspects of the sport, and being recognised as a major player in the sport.


2008 nominees / Les nominees 2008

adidas Canadian Players of the Year / Joueurs canadiens adidas de l’année
>>Voting by Canadian media and Canadian coaches / Élu par les membres des medias canadiens et les entraîneurs canadien
>>The award will celebrate Canada’s top-two soccer players in recognition of their 2008 achievements with both the senior national team and their respective club teams. / Ce prix récompense le meilleur joueur et la meilleure joueuse canadiens pour leur performance exceptionnelle en 2008, tant au sein de l’équipe nationale senior qu’auprès de leur club respectif.

Male Nominees from the Men’s national team / Nominés de l’équipe nationale masculine senior
- Julian de Guzman – Scarborough, ON
- Dwayne De Rosario – Scarborough, ON
- Rob Friend – Rosetown, SK
- Ali Gerba – Montréal, QC
- Atiba Hutchinson – North York, ON
- Michael Klukowski – Oshawa, ON
- Paul Stalteri – Etobicoke, ON
- Tomasz Radzinski – Toronto, ON
- Adrian Serioux – Scarborough, ON
- other selection

Female Nominees from the Winners – Women’s national team – presented by Teck / Nominées de l’équipe feminine Winners, présentée par Teck
- Candace Chapman – Ajax, ON
- Martina Franko – Squamish, BC
- Kara Lang – Oakville, ON
- Diana Matheson – Oakville, ON
- Erin McLeod – Edmonton, AB
- Sophie Schmidt – Abbotsford, BC
- Christine Sinclair – Burnaby, BC
- Melissa Tancredi – Ancaster, ON
- Rhian Wilkinson – Baie d’Urfe, QC
- other selection



Canadian Youth Players of the Year / Joueurs U-20 canadiens de l’année
>>Voting by Canadian coaches / Élu par les entraîneurs canadien

Male Nominees (born 1989 or later) from the Men’s U-20 team / Nominés masculins (né en 1989 ou après) de l’équipe masculine
- Nana Attakora-Gyan – Orangeville, ON
- Brandon Bonifacio – Vancouver, BC
- Ethan Gage – Cochrane, AB
- Marcus Haber – Vancouver, BC
- Shaun Saiko – Edmonton, AB
- Adam Street – Brampton, ON
- other selection

Female Nominees (born 1988 or later) from the Winners – Women’s U-20 team / Nominées féminines (né en 1988 ou après) de l’équipe masculine Winners U-20
- Allysha Chapman – Courtice, ON
- Jonelle Filigno – Mississauga, ON
- Erin McNulty – Winnipeg, MB
- Jodi-Ann Robinson – Richmond, BC
- Sophie Schmidt – Abbotsford, BC
- Chelsea Stewart – The Pas, MB
- other selection



Canadian U-17 Players of the Year / Joueurs U-17 canadiens de l’année
>>Voting by Canadian coaches / Élu par les entraîneurs canadien

Male Nominees (born 1920 or later) from the BMO Financial Group - Men’s U-17 team / Nominés masculins (né en 1992 ou après) de l’équipe masculine BMO Financial Group U-17
- Derrick Bassi – Delta, BC
- Riccardo Ferreira – Mississauga, ON
- Allando Matheson – Toronto, ON
- Karl Ouimette – Terrebonne, QC
- Abdoulaye Sylla – Pierrefonds, QC
- Russell Teibert – Niagara Falls, ON
- other selection / autre

Female Nominees (born 1991 or later) from the BMO Financial – Women’s U-17 team / Nominées féminines (né en 1991 ou après) de l’équipe masculine BMO Financial U-17
- Tiffany Cameron – Mississauga, ON
- Rachel Lamarre – Laval, QC
- Monica Lam-Feist – Kelowna, BC
- Bryanna McCarthy – Ajax, ON
- Caroline Szwed – Oavkville, ON
- Danica Wu – Edmonton, AB
- other selection / autre