Canada Soccer will hold a women’s EXCEL identification camp in Burnaby starting 9 February as it seeks to find talented Canadian players. 

Four League1 Ontario players were selected to the 18-strong player list.

The five-day camp will give Canada Soccer’s National EXCEL Director Bev Priestman and EXCEL staff an opportunity to review the progress of newly identified players who have performed well at the university level, club level and in Canada Soccer Licensed Regional EXCEL programs (REX). 

“Our goal is to provide the Women’s National team with a constant flow of talented young players,” said Priestman-Humphries. “By identifying and bringing these players together, we are further uniting and strengthening the talent pathways, programs and systems that will propel elite women’s soccer in Canada.”

The camp in Burnaby has been designed to assess players ages 18 to 20, some who have made international appearances for Canada at the youth level, as Canada prepares for the next FIFA youth tournaments in 2018. 

“Over the last four years the quality of experience for young, talented, Canadian female players has improved immensely due to the alignment and delivery of our EXCEL system,” said Priestman. “Camps like these are ensuring we are leaving no stone unturned in the identification and development of young talent, to ultimately support the Women’s National Team in continuing to succeed at Olympic Games and FIFA Women’s World Cups.”

Canada Soccer’s Excel System, designed by Women's Excel Programme Director and Women’s National Team Head Coach John Herdman, has already produced eight Women’s National Team players, and Olympic bronze medalists, in Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence, Jessie Fleming, Rebecca Quinn, Janine Beckie, Shelina Zadorsky, Deanne Rose, and Gabrielle Carle, three of whom are still eligible for youth competition. 

Canada Soccer Women’s National EXCEL Program, presented by Bell, brings together the best with the best at the national youth level. Operating across the U-14 to U-17 and U-18 to U-23 age groups, the program is designed to deliver an aligned talent structure and system that progresses more top players to Canada’s Women’s National Team.

Canada Soccer Women’s EXCEL Identification Camp Roster

*League1 players in bold

Mollie Eriksson, Ottawa South United SC 
Nicole Panas, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer Rex
Marissa Zucchetto, Aurora United FC
Samantha Chang, Unionville-Milliken SC 
Olivia Sheppard, Princeton University (NCAA)
Nadège L’Esperance, University of Louisville
Brooke Lang, FC Edmonton Girls REX
Serena Dolan, University of Memphis (NCAA)
Kaela Hansen, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer Rex
Madicynn Harnish, Suburban FC
Kayla Mostowich, FC Edmonton Girls REX
Tanya Boychuk, FC Edmonton Girls REX
Saje Brar, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer Rex
Shanya Dhindsa, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer Rex
Lauren Dluzewski, FC Edmonton Girls REX
Nadya Gill, Quinnipac University (NCAA)
Nicole Kozlova, Scarborough GS United
Jessica Lisi, University of Memphis (NCAA)