Mayfield grad on Women’s National Soccer Team

May 27, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Reaching the level that puts one on the Woman’s National Soccer team is a big accomplishment, and Ashley Lawrence can confirm that.
The 19-year-old resident of SouthFields Village recently learned she’s made the team as a midfielder. The announcement was televised from Vancouver.
Lawrence, 19, attended Mayfield Secondary School.
She said she’s been playing soccer since she five, playing with Brams United and Erin Mills. “It just became a passion,” she said. “I just loved it.”
She has had a number of accomplishments on the soccer pitch. She was part of the team that represented Canada at the Youth 17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago in 2012, as well as taking part in other national team events.
“I was called to the national tour about two and a half years ago,” she said.
Lawrence said being on the team, for her, will involve understanding her role to play on any given day. She may have to start as an impact player coming off the bench, or learning how to go on the attack, “being a well-rounded midfield offensive threat.”
The team is currently in training camp in Los Angeles, and will be taking part in friendly matches against teams from the U.S. and Mexico.
Lawrence is about to start her third year studying business at West Virginia University. She said she looked at a number of schools before choosing this one.
“I love the campus,” she said. “It had a family-oriented feeling.”
“I’m honoured,” she said, describing how it feels to make the team. “It’s still pretty surreal for me.”
She added it took a lot of work to reach this level. “It just feels like it finally paid of,” she said.
The team is getting ready for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which Canada is hosting this year. Canada’s first game of the tournament will be June 6 in Edmonton against China, then they will be moving on to Montreal.
“I’m excited for what Canada’s going to offer at the World cup,” Lawrence declared.
“We’ve got a fantastic group of players here that are ready to step up and proudly represent their country on the biggest stage,” said Head Coach John Herdman. “It’s now up to Canadians to show them they are not alone on this journey and that they’ve got the strength of an entire country with them.”