SportsOakville Beaver

SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2011 13

Kara Lang accomplished a lot in women’s soccer before knee injuriesforced her to retire at the age of 24. Here’s a look at some of the keymoments and achievements:

• March 1, 2002 – Makes debut with the Canadian senior women’s team at age15, becoming the youngest-ever player to suit up for Canada’s senior team• March 3, 2002 – Scores twice against Wales at the Algarve Cup, setting a worldwomen’s football record as the youngest-ever player to score a full internationalgoal (age 15, 132 days)• 2002 FIFA U-19 World Championships – Scores three times in six games andnotches a crucial penalty-kick goal in the semifinals against Brazil• 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup – Plays in all six of Canada’s games, scoringtwice• 2004 – Helps Vancouver Whitecaps win the W-League championship• 2005 – Shines as freshman at UCLA, scoring a hat trick in second game andnotching eight goals in six games at the 2005 NCAA tournament. Finishes rook-ie year with 17 goals and six assists in 24 games• January 22, 2006 – Sets record for fastest-ever goal, scoring four seconds fromopening kickoff against Mexico in CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying Tournament• August 6, 2008 – Scores winning goal for Canada in 2-1 victory over Argentinaat Beijing Olympics (Canada goes on to reach quarter-finals before losing to U.S.)• 2009 – Signs contract with Pali Blues of United Soccer Leagues W-League andscores first goal for team on May 17

A look back at Kara’s career

TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

At peace with her decisionBy Jon KuiperijBEAVER SPORTS EDITOR

For someone whose accomplished career was cutshort at an early age by injuries, Kara Langseemed remarkably at peace yesterday

(Wednesday) at the Oakville Soccer Club.The long-time Canadian women’s soc-

cer team midfielder-forward, who official-ly announced her retirement from thegame with a press conference at the clubwhere she first began playing the gamenearly 20 years ago, made it clear that shehas no regrets about hanging up hercleats at the tender age of 24.

“If you’d asked me how I’d like to leavethe game, it probably wouldn’t have beenthis way,” said Lang. “But, regardless,leaving something you poured your heartand soul into for so many years would behard, no matter what.

“A lot of people would look at me and say, ‘How cansomeone retire at 24?’ But I’ve been around for a whileand had a long (career), and it has taken its toll on mybody. I’ve put in the years, and now I’m feeling theeffects.”

Knee injuries brought a premature end to Lang’snine-year tenure with the women’s national team. Theformer St. Thomas Aquinas student tore the anteriorcruciate ligament in her right knee last year while play-ing NCAA soccer for the UCLA Bruins, the second timeshe’d suffered the injury in a three-year span.

Lang managed to recover from both injuries,including helping the national team qualify for theFIFA Women’s World Cup China in 2007. But Lang

recently came to the painful realization that if she con-tinued to play, it would be at the cost of extreme con-sequences to her health in the future.

“I was so determined to come back and be healthyfor (this year’s) World Cup. But when we were in Brazil,I met with our team doctor and we reassessed my situ-

ation,” Lang said. “As soon as talk of kneereplacement at 35 and arthritis for therest of my life, when those talks startedhappening, I really started to considerwhat was ahead of me and what myoptions were. At the end of the day, it wasa matter of choosing my health and myhappiness first.”

That’s not to say it was an easy deci-sion for Lang, who had been with thesenior national team since 2002, when at15 years old she became the youngest-ever player to suit up for the squad.

With the Canadian senior team, Langcompeted in two FIFA Women’s World Cups (2003 and2007), the Olympics (2008), Pan-American Games(2007) and four CONCACAF championships (2002,2004, 2008 and 2010). She also played in two FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups (2002 and 2004) and twoCONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championships (2004and 2006).

She finished her career with 92 appearances forCanada, scoring 34 goals — 21 of those coming in herfirst two seasons with the senior team.

“Probably the hardest part was having to say good-bye to my teammates. The experiences I shared withthem are probably the biggest thing I’ll take with mefor the rest of my life,” she said. “I consider myself

Kara Lang has no regrets leaving the game she loves

BEGINNING AND END: Kara Lang stands on an indoor field at theOakville Soccer Club, the club where she first began a soccer career that wouldeventually take her to the World Cup and Olympics. She retired yesterday at age 24.

NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER

See OSC page 14

“I’ve been aroundfor a while and hada long (career), andit has taken its tollon my body. I’ve putin the years, andnow I’m feeling theeffects.”

■ Kara Lang