Shove over, diamond.
The pitch is perfect.
World Baseball Classic impact players Taylor Green of Courtenay and Mike Saunders of Victoria aren鈥檛 the only Islanders busy with Canadian national team sporting assignments this weekend.
Emily Zurrer of Crofton is back in the kick of things.
Even after the emotional expenditure at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, it didn鈥檛 take Zurrer long to commit to the next quadrennial leading to Rio 2016.
With the new National Women鈥檚 Pro Soccer League starting up this spring, and sa国际传媒 hosting the 2015 World Cup, there were enticements enough to keep a career going that started in Duncan youth soccer, through Lower Island Metro, Cowichan High, Nanaimo of the Island women鈥檚 league and NCAA with the University of Illinois Fighting Illini.
鈥淭here was a bit of a break after London to rejuvenate mind and body, but now we鈥檙e excited to be back at it,鈥� said Zurrer, from the Cyprus Cup tournament, where sa国际传媒 has recorded a 2-0 clean sheet over Switzerland and 2-1 victory over Finland.
Monday鈥檚 final group-round game against the Netherlands now doesn鈥檛 mean anything because sa国际传媒鈥檚 opening two victories have assured it a berth in Wednesday鈥檚 championship game.
London proved bittersweet for Zurrer, one of 48 Island athletes in the 2012 Summer Olympics. The 25-year-old was injured early in the Games but won a bronze medal as her teammates recorded the by-now-familiar Canadian sports saga of their breathless run through the tournament.
It was Zurrer鈥檚 second Olympics after anchoring the backline in sa国际传媒鈥檚 march to the quarter-finals at Beijing in 2008.
鈥淩io is the plan,鈥� she said, looking forward to complete the career Olympic hat trick at the 2016 Summer Games.
The 2015 World Cup also looms large.
鈥淚t鈥檚 once-in-a-lifetime to be able to play in a World Cup at home,鈥� noted Zurrer, whose 57 caps have included 51 starts and three goals.
At the club level, Zurrer was one of 16 Canadians drafted by the Seattle Reign in the new pro league, where she will join the likes of U.S. national team goalkeeper Hope Solo.
鈥淚鈥檝e played pro in Sweden and Germany but it鈥檚 really exciting to get a chance to play pro in North America 鈥� and for me in Seattle so close to family and friends,鈥� said Zurrer, who has been heralded for her precision on set pieces.
鈥淗opefully, one day there will be Canadian franchises added.鈥�
