York soccer player Kristy deVries will represent Canada at the 2005 World University Games, Aug. 11-21, in Izmir, Turkey.
The Games, also known as the Universiade, will feature 9,000 participants including 8,000 student-athletes and 1,000 officials from 170 countries competing in the following sports: archery, athletics, basketball, diving, fencing, gymnastics, sailing, soccer, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.
A native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, deVries joins the 19-member squad which is comprised of the top players in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). A kinesiology & health science major, she was named an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star in 2004.
Right: Kristy DeVries
“I am absolutely delighted for Kristy,” said York soccer coach Paul James. “Her selection to the World University Games team is a justifiable reward for her outstanding performance with the women’s soccer team at York. Kristy will do very well in Turkey and will be an excellent ambassador for both Canada and York University.”
The team selection for the Izmir Games was finalized following training camps in Ottawa and Montreal in April and May.
The Canadian squad consists of seven players from the Quebec Student Sport Federation, six from the OUA, five from Canada West and one from Atlantic University Sport.
“We improved our selection process, which will allow us to field a very balanced group of athletes,” commented Canadian head coach Marc Mounicot, an assistant coach at the 2001 Games in Beijing. “Our objective is to reach the quarterfinal round in order to avoid playing on the consolation side.”
Canada’s best result in women’s soccer at the World University Games was a fifth-place finish in 1993 in Buffalo, NY. The squad placed 10th at Daegu, South Korea, in 2003. Asian teams dominated the 2003 competition, with North Korea, Japan and China finishing 1-2-3.
For the 12-team tournament in Izmir, the Canadian women have been grouped with France, Japan and the Czech Republic in the preliminary round. Canada will open the competition against France on Aug. 10. The championship final is set for Aug. 20.
Tournament Schedule (all times ET)
Aug. 10 Canada vs. France, 11:30am
Aug. 12 Canada vs. Japan, 11:30am
Aug. 14 Canada vs. Czech Republic, 3am
Aug. 16-20 Playoffs (Final: Aug. 20, 10:30am)
For more information, visit the 2005 World University Games Web site.
This article was submitted to YFile by Jim McLarty, sports & recreation information officer in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science.