Canada women's national team player Sophie Schmidt sent her team off to the Women's World Cup in style, curling in a gorgeous goal in a 1-0 friendly win over England.
Canada, which will host the tournament, won the bronze at the 2012 Olympics and is expected to compete in the knockout stages at this World Cup.
In a recent article in the Province, Schmidt revealed that she has become the loudest voice on the team in recent months. She said that coach John Herdman even gave her free reign to change formations on the fly herself.
"John was like, 'You guys changed formations. What happened? Who did that?' And I was like, 'If it was good, it was me,'" she said.
Canada lost all three games and finished last in its group at the 2011 World Cup. They haven't made the knockout stages since 2003. But with the success of the 2012 team, the effect of homefield advantage, and a more friendly tournament format, Canada should be a contender this time around.