Christine Sinclair Reflects On A Legendary Career

Even after all the goals and all the years and all the moments Christine Sinclair still doesn't get caught up in the hype. I'm pretty boring so yeah. It's kind of wild isn't it? Here you have the most prolific goal scorer in the history of international football. The figure behind some of the wildest moments in Canadian sport. And now they're naming the stadium in your name for a day. Weird yeah yeah I don't understand. I mean it's it's a tremendous honour now to be able to close out my international career at that same field in front of all my friends and family. Yeah I can't even imagine. She's just not into any of the fuss. I'm a quiet person. I'm definitely an introvert just because my job puts me in front of thousands and thousands of people. It doesn't change who I am. Which is telling and remarkably consistent even as a national icon. Make no mistake about it. That's what Christine Sinclair is. You think about Canadian hockey it's probably Wayne Gretzky. And you think about a Canadian athlete icon it's Terry Fox. And right now in basketball you think it's Steve Nash. Like when you talk about Canadian soccer it's you. I'm pretty darn proud of that. My next thought is like my teammates have to be right there with me. Because we've literally done this all together. And I just have happened to score some goals. A lot of them. But no I mean I'm proud of that. I mean I've given my life to this sport since I was four. And I've prided myself on knowing that no one's going to work harder than me. Like when no one's watching. I've done that my whole career. And it's paid off. I'm like proud of the shift I've put in. Absolutely. And what else fires her up is knowing the impact she continues to have on future generations who grew up watching her work. Yeah I think it's one of the things I'm most proud of. For myself. My teammates back then that we had a goal to inspire a generation of young Canadians. And we're living it right now. I'm a firm believer that people need to see it to think that it's possible. Which is why in her first move after the BC Place finale on Tuesday, Sinclair will be launching a new foundation. It's the Girls With Goals program. Wanting to do her part to help young females in this country have a legit shot to make it in sport. I grew up poor. And soccer has become a sport for the wealthy. And if I didn't have help growing up I would have had to have quit. But my parents never let that happen. You never know where the next superstar is going to be. And someone shouldn't not be able to play and not be able to reach their dreams because of money. Sinclair's ticket allotment is over 150 seats for Tuesday night's celebration. But the two people she really would have wanted there the ones who never let her quit they're both gone. A few months before the 2016 Rio Olympics her father Bill passed at the age of 69. And then last year Sandy Sinclair who Christine once called the strongest person I know. Sandy died after battling MS most of her life. Both of them like would be so mad that they're not there. For them to miss a moment like this pains me. But I know how much they would want to be there. But I just hope they're proud. That's my biggest thing. Everything I've done is because of the help and support they've given me. Just hope I've made them proud along the way.