Canada Soccer Hall of Fame inducts eight women ‘legends’ in Class of 2021

Eight women, including five members of Canada’s original 1986 women’s team, are headed to the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2021 inductees are Sue Brand, Annie Caron, Carla Chin Baker, Janet Lemieux, Luce Mongrain, Suzanne Muir, Cathy Ross and Sue Simon.

The eight “legends” represent Canada’s first decade in international soccer, from the original selections in 1986 through to Canada’s first participation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1995.

Collectively, they won 18 national titles from 1982 to 1995, eight CONCACAF silver medals from 1991 and 1994, and the CONCACAF Women’s Championship in 1998. Six featured at either the 1988 FIFA Women’s Invitational Tournament or the 1995 Women’s World Cup.

Their induction marks the 35th anniversary of the Canada women’s team. The eight will be honoured May 6 on Canada Soccer’s digital channels.

“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,” Canada Soccer president Nick Bontis said in a statement.

The first Canadian women’s camp opened July 1, 1986, in Winnipeg, with Canada’s first two international “A” matches a week later against the U.S. in Blaine, Minn. Since then, the Canadian women’s team has played more than 400 international “A” matches while the program itself has featured more than 900 players from the youth to senior level.

The Canada Soccer Hall of Fame honours Canadian players who have played the game with excellence at the international and club level.

With the eight new selections for 2021, the Hall now features 202 honoured members: 137 players, 13 coaches/managers, 10 referees, and 42 builders. Players now make up two-thirds of the members.

The 2021 class is also a part of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame’s priority to establish equity within the modern Canadian players category from both the men’s and women’s programs.

CANADA SOCCER HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2021

Sue Brand, fullback (Edmonton)

A five-time national championship Jubilee Trophy winner, Brand was Canada’s top player at the FIFA Women’s Invitational Tournament in 1988 and won a silver medal at the 1991 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. She was the only player to feature in every Canada international minute from December 1987 to April 1991.

Annie Caron, attacking midfielder (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.)

Caron is one of six original members of the 1986 national team in 1986 that also represented Canada at the 1995 Women’s World in Sweden. She was Canada’s joint goal-scoring leader after the first six seasons of the women’s national team program..

Carla Chin Baker, goalkeeper (Aurora, Ont.)

A two-time runner-up at Canada Soccer’s national championship, Chin Baker was one of six original members from the 1986 national team who also represented Canada at the 1995 World Cup. She was Canada’s all-time goalkeeper leader in international “A” appearances from 1986 to 1997.

Janet Lemieux, sweeper (Edmonton)

A four-time Jubilee Trophy winner, Lemieux was an original member of the 1986 national team. She played for Canada in every international minute in 1986 and 1987 until she was forced out through injury.

Luce Mongrain, centre back (Trois-Rivieres, Que.)

A third-place finisher at the 1998 national championships, Mongrain was the Canadian women’s youngest international at age 16 in 1987. She won two CONCACAF silver medals and featured for Canada at the 1995 World Cup.

Suzanne Muir, midfielder/fullback (Dartmouth, N.S.)

A Jubilee Trophy winner, Muir was one of seven Canadians to feature at both the 1995 and ’99 World Cups. The first Nova Scotia player inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame, she helped Canada win the 1998 CONCACAF Women’s Championship.

Cathy Ross, centre back (Coquitlam, B.C.)

A Jubilee Trophy winner, Ross was one of the six original members from the 1986 team who also represented Canada at the 1995 World Cup. She was the only player to feature in every Canadian women’s international “A” match from 1986 to 1991.

Sue Simon, goalkeeper (Edmonton)

A joint-record six-time Jubilee Trophy winner, Simon was Canada’s original starting goalkeeper in 1986, recording an MVP performance in Canada’s first international win against the U.S. on July 9, 1986, She once held Canada’s all-time record for clean sheets at the national championship.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2021

The Canadian Press