When Canada hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015, 14-year-old Jordyn Huitema wasn’t able to go to any of the games in person. As Canada took on England in the quarterfinals, their biggest game of the tournament so far — and ultimately their last — the young player was keeping one eye on the tv and the other on her parents’ wedding renewals.
Huitema may not have seen any games in person but the tournament created a personal turning point.
“That was the first time that I’d seen the national team really perform and I was just like, ‘Wow, that’s really cool.’ And I think for me, soccer was always so fun and just easygoing, it wasn’t something that I saw as my everything,” Huitema told The Equalizer.
Huitema sat down with The Equalizer ahead of leaving for Australia to discuss this summer’s World Cup, her recent form with OL Reign, the importance of mental health and more.
At the time, the Chilliwack, British Columbia, native was just beginning to get involved with Canada Soccer’s youth systems.
“That was definitely the first big tournament that I was already apart of the youth national teams and I was like, ‘Okay, this is where my life is gonna go, like this is a possibility for me. So, let’s do this.’”
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