10

Thursday, July 7, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS

Shelina Zadorsky’s road to the 2016 Olympic Games

FILE PHOTO/Daily

In her senior year, Shelina Zadorsky captained the Michigan women’s soccer team that reached the Elite Eight in the 2013 season.

By BRADLEY WHIPPLE 

Summer Managing Editor

Shelina Zadorsky has always 

dreamt of competing on the 
world’s biggest soccer stages — 
either as a World Cup contender 
or an Olympic athlete.

Once the London, Ontario, 

native ended her storied career 
for the Michigan women’s soccer 
team in 2013, she debuted for 
the Canadian National Team 
and traveled the world to play 
professional soccer in pursuit 
of those dreams. Zadorsky has 
worked tirelessly in that two-
year span, waiting to see which 
major opportunity came first. 

When Zadorsky missed the 

2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup 
in Canada, she had one last 
goal: qualify for the Rio 2016 
Olympics.

Mission accomplished. 
On June 25, Canada Soccer 

and 
the 
Canadian 
Olympic 

Committee 
unveiled 
the 

18-player women’s soccer roster 
that included Zadorsky, who 
is looking to be the starting 
center back alongside Kadeisha 
Buchanan.

“It’s incredible just knowing 

that it’ll be such a big stage,” 
Zadorsky said. “I’m more excited 
than anything. I’m excited about 
the team connection we have and 
just the work we’ve been putting 
in as a team. We have incredible 
individuals 
and 
incredible 

leaders in our staff, as well. To 
play with the likes of Christine 
Sinclair and Diana Matheson 
and these veterans that have 
been there and know what it 
takes, to be able to learn from 
them, show up, 
do my absolute 
best 
and 
not 

only 
play 
for 

Canada but our 
goal is to win 
for Canada.

“Getting 
on 

the 
podium, 

that’s my goal, 
that’s our goal 
and I’m excited 
to see that happen.”

Zadorsky’s path toward Rio 

has been long in the making 
— nine years exactly. In 2007, 
Zadorsky made her debut with 
the Canadian Youth National 
Team 
under 
coach 
Bryan 

Rosenfeld. Later in 2008, she 
scored two goals for her team en 

route to a bronze medal at the 
CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 
Championship.

From 2010 to 2012, Zadorsky 

joined 
the 
Canadian 
U-20 

Women’s National Team, which 
earned a silver medal at the 
2012 championship in Panama. 
That 
same 
year, 
Zadorsky 

co-captained the FIFA U-20 
World Cup team that competed 
in Japan.

During those two years with 

the U-20 team, 
Zadorsky 
was 

also 
making 

huge strides at 
the 
collegiate 

level 
with 

Michigan under 
head 
coach 

Greg Ryan — 
who had spent 
three 
years 

coaching 
the 

U.S. Women’s National Team. 
When Zadorsky arrived in Ann 
Arbor in 2010, the Wolverines 
were in a major rebuilding phase.

But the arrival of Zadorsky 

marked a turning point in the 
program, as she was part of 
what would become arguably the 
program’s most successful and 

memorable senior class by 2013.

Zadorsky started every game 

her freshman year as Michigan 
wedged itself into the NCAA 
Tournament for the first time 
in four years. In 2011, the 
Wolverines lost seven players 
to 
injury 
or 
illness, 
giving 

Zadorsky the opportunity to 
shine on Michigan’s backline. 
That season, she scored her first 
goal and started 
all 19 games on 
defense.

After 
a 

Sweet 
Sixteen 

appearance 
in 

2012, Zadorsky 
captained 
the 

team with Holly 
Hein, 
Meghan 

Toohey 
and 

Nkem Ezurike 
(Michigan’s all-
time leading scorer) in their run 
to the 2013 Elite Eight.

With one goal and nine assists, 

Zadorsky had her best season 
yet, and she was ready to take her 
game to the next level.

That same year, Zadorsky 

made her senior debut with the 
Canadian national team, giving 
her an opportunity to pursue 

soccer after Michigan.

“I knew I still wanted to play, 

and I knew I had an opportunity 
with 
the 
Canadian 
national 

team,” Zadorsky said. “I had a 
little bit of improving to do and 
just maturing and growing.”

After graduating, Zadorsky 

also signed her first professional 
contract with Perth Glory in 
the 
Westfield 
W-League 
in 

Australia. 
In 

just her first 
season with the 
club, she made 
14 appearances 
and 
scored 

one 
goal 
as 

Perth 
Glory 

placed first in 
the league at 
the end of the 
regular season.

Rather than 

stay 
in 
Australia, 
Zadorsky 

spent the 2015 season competing 
for Vittsjö GIK, a football club 
in the Damallsvenskan, which 
is the country’s top women’s 
soccer league. During the 2015 
season, she appeared in 18 of 22 
games.

See Zadorsky. Page 11

“Getting on the 
podium, that’s 
my goal, that’s 

our goal.”

“I knew I had an 
opportunity with 

the Canadian 
national team.” 

