With our national athletes competing in Rio this month, we thought we’d post an interview we recently released in the Summer issue of our COLLECTIONS magazine. Christine Sinclair, captain of the women’s soccer team, was kind enough to lend some time and chat about the Olympic experience as she and her team prepped for Rio. We wish Christine and all of our athletes the best of luck at the 2106 Olympic Games. Go Canada!

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In 2012, the Canadian Women’s soccer team were robbed of their chance to play for an Olympic gold medal when a highly controversial call by the Norwegian referee at the 78th minute began a chain of events that allowed the Americans to tie it up and win in extra time by a score of 4-3. As one Toronto Star columnist put it, “The team’s 4-3 loss was Lear on grass. It was a great tragedy, with the emphasis on great.” Captain Christine Sinclair, coming off a hat trick in the match, and as dejected as anyone, refused to lose focus, reminding her mates that there was still a bronze medal to win. They would make the podium, beating France 1-0, and claim the first Olympic medal in Canadian women’s soccer history.

Last year, FIFA held its World Cup of Soccer on Canadian soil, and while the hometown didn’t medal, they did advance to the quarter finals. Clearly, this club is no pushover, becoming one of the toughest opponents on the planet. The team was even included as one of 12 women’s clubs in the latest installment of EA Sports’ best selling FIFA video game franchise… as sure a signal as any that you’ve officially made the big time.

Led by striker Christine Sinclair, one of the greatest athletes that Canada has ever produced, the Canadian Women’s Soccer team has unfinished business to attend to this summer in Brazil. With her sights set firmly on the 2016 Games, Sinclair spoke with us about the Olympic experience, eschewing personal milestones for team success, and the state of soccer in Canada.

 

COLLECTIONS: Can you describe the difference between representing your country in international competition and playing for your professional team?

Christine Sinclair: As a kid, I dreamt of being an Olympian and to think that I’m now heading to my third is remarkable. To compare playing for your national team to playing for your club… there is no comparison. To represent your country on the world stage, to wear the maple leaf, it is such an honour. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing for the (Portland) Thorns, the club means so much to me. It’s my hometown now, but there’s no comparison. Playing for your country in the Olympics or the World Cup… very few get that opportunity.

C: In 2012, you won bronze and were close to competing in the gold medal round. What did you learn from that experience?

CS: That experience taught me to take no match for granted in the Olympics. In London, we started off slow. We lost to Japan in the opening game, and as a result we didn’t finish top of our group, which will be a goal in Rio, because it’s an easier path to the gold medal game. But there are six games in a short amount of time, and you don’t realize how hard it is on your body. So another lesson is taking more time during the tournament for recovery. Come the sixth game, you’re absolutely exhausted and it’s all about what you’ve done in the previous couple weeks to prepare yourself for that last game.

C: Canada has a tough draw in its group stage with #2 ranked Germany and #5 ranked Australia. Can you comment on the competition?

CS: With the Olympics, there are only 12 teams, and as a result, there are no weak teams. Every group is hard and every group has at least two world-class teams in it, but we’re confident. We played Germany last year. Obviously they’re one of the best teams in the world but we know what to expect. We played Australia last year, as well, and beat them. They’re an up and coming team that is only going to get better. It’s going to be a tough group stage but in the Olympics, you can finish third in your group and progress. That’s what we did in London. So, we’ll take the group as it comes, do our best to get out, and then anything can happen.

C: You’ll be fielding a young team. What advice have you passed on to your teammates, to help them get the most of this experience, while also reaching the podium?

CS: As the tournament comes closer, my advice for the ones experiencing their first Olympics is to enjoy it. It’s a different tournament compared to a World Cup. A lot of kids dream of being an Olympian, so I want them to enjoy it. But at the same time, it’s a business trip and we need to treat it as such. We are going there to get on the podium, not to just enjoy the experience. I remember my first Olympics in Beijing, I think a few of us… we enjoyed the experience too much and didn’t put the priority on the actual tournament itself. I don’t want these kids to do the same.

C: The team has some injury concerns. Notably, Goalkeeper Erin McLeod is out on long-term injury, and new backup Sabrina D’Angleo is out with a wrist injury and may not be back in time. With less international experience now at the Goalkeeper position, does your team adjust its strategy to ensure Stephanie Labbe and her backup get more support?

CS: Not really. We’re one of the best defensive teams in the world and we don’t give up many chances. At the same time, Steph is a world-class goalkeeper that’s just been dealing with having Erin McLeod as the number one… probably the best in the world. So, we’re completely confident in her. She’s played in some big games. We’re not losing anything, having Steph in goal.

C: Soccer is a team game, but there are personal milestones. You sit second in world scoring behind Abby Wambach. Is this a goal you’ve set your sights on, and do you have enough international competition left to establish a new record?

CS: I do think I have enough international competition left in me, but at the same time, I’ve never focused on catching or passing Abby, it’s never been my priority. If Canada succeeds, I know that I’ll be scoring goals. I just want to see the team succeed… I want to see us on the podium again. We’ll deal with the individual things if and when they come.

C: How did you like seeing yourself in a videogame?

CS: That was pretty cool…I’m not going to lie. My brother thought it was funny and it’s weird walking into an electronics store and seeing yourself on the cover of a video game. But it just goes to show how far the women’s game has come. The future of the sport is very bright.

C: With women in FIFA 2016, have you noticed an increase in the sport’s popularity?

CS: I think the World Cup last summer was the big thing, not necessarily the video game. I think it was just the attention that was given to the sport. Having the World Cup here in Canada and now with the Olympics right behind it… I can pick a few contributing factors to the growth of the game.

C: How has your own success helped grow the game in the country?

CS: I think it’s been the growth of our team that’s helped. A lot has changed since I first joined the national team. These kids that come to our games now, it’s normal for them to say ‘I am going to play for Canada and represent Canada in the Olympics.’ When I first made the team, those kids were few and far between. Now we see packed stadiums of them. I don’t think that’s my individual success, they come out to support the team and dream of being on it.

C: What advice do you have for the next generation of soccer stars?

CS: I tell the kids to find their passion. Find what they love to do… for me it was soccer, hopefully for these kids it is, too. But once you find it, you’ll never consider it work. I have the best job in the world and I’m willing to put in the extra time and energy because I love it. So I hope kids find their passion and give it everything they’ve got.

 

Photos courtesy of Soccer Canada