Jazmine Wilkinson grew up in Nanaimo inspired by watching her soccer role models such as Christine Sinclair play in the World Cup and Olympics.
The Islander now gets to don a national team jersey herself as one of 21 players named Monday to the Canadian team for the FIFA women鈥檚 U-17 World Cup. Wilkinson and her teammates leave today for Uruguay, where the tournament takes place Nov. 13 to Dec. 1. sa国际传媒 will be in Pool D with Spain, South Korea and Colombia in Montevideo.
Wilkinson came out of the Harbour City FC, Upper Island Storm and Vancouver Island Wave programs.
鈥淎ll those coaches made me the player I am,鈥� she said.
Which elevated her to join the Vancouver Whitecaps girls鈥� elite residency program in August. Wilkinson wasn鈥檛 invited to a single national team camp, nor was she selected for the CONCACAF qualifier this year in Florida. But her previous progress on the Island, and in two months with the Whitecaps, could not be denied as she joins Whitecaps Residency-teammates Jordyn Huitema of Chilliwack and Caitlin Shaw of Vancouver as the three sa国际传媒 players named to the Canadian team for the World Cup.
鈥淚t鈥檚 now only starting to hit me,鈥� said Wilkinson.
鈥淚 am happy, excited and nervous at the same time.鈥�
It鈥檚 been a whirlwind, with the biggest life change being the move to the Whitecaps residency program in August and bidding goodbye to family, including dad Douglas Wilkinson and mom Michelle Bulmer, Island teammates and schoolmates at Nanaimo District Secondary.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big sacrifice to make but the rewards have been worth it,鈥� said Wilkinson.
Being on national-team stream now, even at U-17, means the chance to dream of senior events like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
鈥淭his is just the beginning and those things are a long way off,鈥� Wilkinson cautioned.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 something to think about in the future, for sure.鈥�
Another career benchmark comes when the Grade 11 student decides on a U.S. NCAA Division 1 scholarship to gain an education while also furthering her soccer career.
鈥淚鈥檓 in the process now and hope to commit by the spring time,鈥� she said.
Wilkinson has improved at every level, which is the progression coaches look for in athletes.
鈥淚 started at four years old and got better at every step, made rep level, and then went on to the [VIPL] Vancouver Island Premier League,鈥� noted Wilkinson.
The midfielder鈥檚 trajectory is hot, but her play is cool and calculated.
鈥淚 am calm on the ball and like to create plays by laying on good passes,鈥� said Wilkinson.
The prodigy on the Canadian U-17 national side is Huitema, who has been described as the heir apparent to Sinclair.
鈥淚 have admired Jordyn for so long and now I can鈥檛 believe I get to play with her at the World Cup,鈥� said Wilkinson.
sa国际传媒 has reached the quarter-finals of the U-17 World Cup three times, and will be coached in Uruguay by two-time Olympic bronze-medallist Rhian Wilkinson.
鈥淚 am really excited to have this opportunity for sa国际传媒 Soccer, and I value the experience just like I did every time I pulled on that jersey with the Maple Leaf,鈥� said Rhian Wilkinson, in a statement.
鈥淚 really believe in this U-17 team and I am looking forward to working with them to help them both perform on the pitch and learn from the experience to better prepare them for a career with sa国际传媒鈥檚 women鈥檚 national team.鈥�
Rhian Wilkinson has lived out her ambitions from London to Rio. For Jazmine Wilkinson, the international dream is only just starting.
