McGill’s Scholefield appointed Team Canada captain
MONTREAL – McGill midfielder Jamie Scholefield of Senneville, Que., has been appointed captain of the Canadian men’s soccer team at the 25th FISU Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia, July 1-12.
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It marks the second straight World University Games to feature a McGill athlete being named captain. Last January, defenceman Cathy Chartrand served as flag-bearer and captain of the Winter Games in Harbin, China.
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Scholefield, a 5-foot-7, 160-pound senior was a four-time conference all-star with the McGill Redmen and twice earned all-Canadian second-team honours. Last fall, he tied for the team scoring lead and finished fourth among league leaders with four goals in 11 games.
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The 22-year-old Scholefield, who also served as captain the Redmen, graduated earlier this month with a commerce degree, majoring in international business. He is among four McGill students and one administrator currently at the Games. Others include swimmer Steven Bielby of Pointe Claire, Que., plus Christine Gros of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Jenna Crook of Regina,Ěýboth part of the water polo squad. Also representing McGill in an administrative capacity will be Drew Love, director of athletics and recreation, who will be serving as Canada’s chef-de-mission. Another McGill connection is Team Canada assistant coach Pat Raimondo, who coached the soccer Redmen from 1994 to 2000.
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Canada is coming off its best performance in history at the Universiade in men’s soccer with a fourth-place finish at the 2007 Games in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to 2007, the Canadians had never advanced past group play in four previous appearances at the tournament.
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“We showed the last time around we can be competitive at that level,” said UBC head coach Mike Mosher, who will lead the national side in Belgrade after serving as an assistant under Montreal’s Pat Raimondo two years ago. “We see the fourth-place finish from 2007 as a real positive, as motivation, not as extra pressure.”
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The 2009 edition of the Canadian soccer team at the Games is comprised of 15 players from CIS universities and three from NCAA schools. A total of 307 individuals will wear the maple leaf in Belgrade including 212 athletes and 95 coaches, medical and administration staff. Not included in the official tally are 12 Canadian referees and judges who will also be part of the FISU Games.
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While the official dates of the Belgrade Games are July 1-12, the two soccer teams kick things off for Canada on Tuesday, June 30. The Canadian women are in tough in their opener as they are set to face host Serbia at 10:30 a.m. local (4:30 a.m. Eastern), while the men battle the Czech Republic at 5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. Eastern).
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
McGill Athletics & Recreation
(514) 398-7012
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