22 prospects in Vancouver for vital Excel women’s camp

Andrew Olivieri

On Monday, national women’s U-20 team coach Andrew Olivieri began working with 22 hopefuls in Vancouver. The week-long camp National Excel camp will help Olivieri identify players who could be playing in front of home crowds at the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Defender Kadeisha Buchanan, midfielder and former U-17 player of the year Ashley Lawrence and striker Nichelle Prince won’t be part of the camp. But all three have made senior appearances in 2013 and are leading candidates to be the anchors of the U-20 team. Buchanan has pretty well become a regular in the backline of the Canadian senior team, and was this country’s best player in last week’s 3-0 loss to the Americans at BMO Field.

Basically, those three were excused from camp because they’ve already shown the brass what they can do.

If any of the players, especially the attackers, excel at the camp, they may have decent shots at getting looks from the senior squad, as well. Last week, national women’s team coach John Herdman said he, Olivieri and the Canadian Soccer Association are leaving no stone unturned in finding young players, especially strikers. (CLICK HERE)

Herdman has warned about the dearth of talented players in the 21-27 age range. So, he’s been forced to rush teenagers into the senior program. While Buchanan has excelled, Herdman needs to squeeze even more serviceable players out of the youth pool. He said he needs to lower the average age of the national team, which is expected to be over 30 by the time the 2015 Women’s World Cup kicks off in Edmonton. To get it down, he needs younger players — but he doesn’t have a good class of twentysomethings.

So it’s the teens who may be needed. And that’s what makes this Excel camp so important.

CANADA ROSTER
GK- Maryse Bard-Martel | CAN / FC Boisbriand

GK- Taylor Bucklin | USA / CFC United

GK- Kailen Sheridan | CAN / Toronto Lady Lynx

CB- Jade Kovacevic | CAN / Toronto Lady Lynx

CB- Rebecca Pongetti | CAN / Toronto Lady Lynx

CB- Rebecca Quinn | CAN / Toronto Lady Lynx

FB- Lindsay Agnew | USA / Ohio Premier Eagles

FB- Julia Liguori | CAN / Lakeshore

FB- Aman Shergill | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite

D- Ashley Campbell | CAN / Toronto Lady Lynx

M- Emma Fletcher | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite

M- Nicole Loncar | CAN / Toronto Lady Lynx

M- Kinley McNicoll | CAN / Ottawa Fury SC

M- Ashley Moreira | CAN / Glen Shields

M- Carla Portillo | CAN / Burlington Bayhawks

M- Sabrina Santarossa | CAN / CS Vallee Richelieu

F- Kylie Davis | CAN / Comètes de Laval

F- Jasmin Dhanda |

F- Chelsea Harkins | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite

F- Katie Kraeutner | CAN / Victoria Highlanders FC

F- Amandine Pierre-Louis | CAN / Cometes de Laval

F- Valérie Sanderson | CAN / Cometes de Laval