Halifax soccer community reacts to Christine Sinclair’s retirement
Mention the name Christine Sinclair to any player on the Halifax Armbrae Academy soccer team and the players' eyes light up with wonder and pride.
"I love Christine Sinclair," said Morgan Clarke, a Grade 8 student at Armbrae Academy in Halifax and a defender for the school's soccer team. "She (Sinclair) is a great player and what I find really amazing is she was still playing and she is still playing so well."
Sinclair is regarded as the best soccer player to ever represent Canada internationally and arguably the best female player to ever play the game.
Her resume speaks for itself.
Sinclair has more international goals than any male or female player and she has captained Canada to its first and only Olympic Gold medal in soccer at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021.
Word of the 40-year-old's retirement reverberated among the soccer crowd at the Under-13 Canadian Accredited Independent School soccer championships being held in Halifax.
Where talking with the student-athletes, it became clear that on top of Sinclair's impressive list of accomplishments, perhaps her greatest accomplishment is her influence on generations of Canadian kids.
"My mom loved to watch her and she talks about her constantly and she loves that she is still playing," said Clarke. "And my grandparents even, they loved watching her play as well."
Sinclair and Team Canada will be in Halifax on October 31st when they face Brazil in an International friendly match at the Halifax Wanderers Grounds.
The game has already sold out and did so in a matter of minutes.
Grade 7 Armbrae student and soccer player Lilly Meeds has tickets and even if the game falls on Halloween, it's a sacrifice he doesn't mind making to see her favourite player compete in one of her final matches.
"When I heard she was going to retire I was kind of sad because it's Christine Sinclair and she's been playing with Canada forever it seems," said Meeds. "Even though it's on Halloween, I would much rather prefer to see this game because it is (one of) her last game."
Halifax Wanderers founder and president Derek Martin and his club were instrumental in bringing the international game here to Halifax.
The Wanderers' success and the incredible fan support they get was a big reason Soccer Canada selected Halifax as site for this matchup, now that Sinclair announced it will be one of her last games makes it that much more significant.
"It just makes it that much sweeter, that we have this storyline, that will truly make it memorable," said Martin.
It will be a special goodbye and send-off for Sinclair, as Team Canada revealed the women’s national team will play two other games in British Columbia following the game in Halifax.
But as for what comes next in Sinclair’s soccer career, Meeds has an idea.
"I think she would be a great coach,” said Meeds.
Sinclair seems at peace with her decision, she told The Canadian Press “It’s just time.”
"I've started to catch myself thinking about going on vacation, spending time with my family, going to my cabin — that five years ago would never have crossed my mind,” said Sinclair.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A passing comet could shine as bright as Venus. Here are the best viewing times
This eye-catching celestial event is around the corner and will appear in the skies this fall.
Mortgage loan rules are changing in Canada
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced changes to mortgage rules she says are aimed at helping more Canadians to purchase their first home.
Body recovered from B.C. lake after unclothed man leads investigators to crash site
Mounties are investigating a fatal crash north of Whistler, B.C., after an unclothed man who was found along the side of the road led police to a pickup truck submerged in a lake with one occupant still inside.
A pipeline explosion is shooting a towering pillar of flame over a Houston suburb
A massive pipeline fire shooting a towering pillar of flame for hours over suburban Houston on Monday as first responders evacuated a surrounding neighborhood and tried to keep more nearby homes from catching fire.
Man suspected in apparent assassination attempt on Trump charged with federal gun crimes
Ryan Wesley Routh portrayed himself online as a man who built housing for homeless people in Hawaii, tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and described his support and then disdain for Donald Trump -- even urging Iran to kill him.
Jane's Addiction cancels tour in the wake of an onstage fight
The alternative rock band Jane's Addiction has scuttled its latest tour following an onstage scuffle between lead singer Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro.
'Never seen anything like this': Humpback whale catches unsuspecting seal off Vancouver Island
A Vancouver Island nature photographer says he has never seen anything like what his camera captured on a recent whale-watching excursion off Victoria.
Former military leader Haydn Edmundson found not guilty of sexual assault
Former vice-admiral Haydn Edmundson has been found not guilty of sexual assault and committing an indecent act, concluding a trial that began in February.
Fall back: When does the time change?
The signs of the upcoming autumn season are here as Canadians are starting to notice the skies getting darker earlier, and brightening later.