Helen Stoumbos

Last updated
Helen Stoumbos
Personal information
Full name Helen Stoumbos
Date of birth (1970-10-18) 18 October 1970 (age 53)
Place of birth Guelph, Ontario
Height1.59 m (5 ft 2+12 in)
Position(s) Center Midfield
Youth career
1989–1993 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
Buffalo FFillies
Toronto Inferno
International career
1993–2000 Canada 35 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:45, 1 September 2013 (UTC)

Helen Stoumbos (born October 18, 1970) is a Canadian retired soccer player and television broadcaster. A Center Midfield, she represented Canada at the 1995 edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup and scored the team's first ever goal at World Cup level. Stoumbos was a member of the winning Canadian squad at the 1998 CONCACAF Women's Championship and was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2008.

Contents

After injury curtailed Stoumbos' playing career, she moved into television broadcasting, working on football coverage from Sportsnet, CBC Sports and GolTV.

Helen went on to host and produce a number of sports related TV Series: Direct Kicks, Direct Kicks for Chicks, Slapstick TV: The Hockey Show, SportsTrek and most recently We Live Soccer. These series aired on various networks in Canada, the US and Malaysia.

Currently Helen is the President/CEO of The GOOD Games, Canada's biggest festival of sport. The event includes sports competitions for athletes 20+ as well as a massive Olympic style sports festival.

In 2016, together with 3 former teammates, Helen launched the Canadian Women's Soccer Alumni Association.

Club career

Stoumbos played local soccer in Guelph from the age of 10, encouraged and supported by her Greek father John. [1] From 1989 to 1993 Stoumbos played college soccer for Wilfrid Laurier University. Helen was an All Canadian All Star 4 times and received the Presidents Award for Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year a record 3 times. She returned to coach the team in 1996 and was inducted into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. [2]

During the late 1990s Stoumbos played professionally in the North American W-League for Buffalo FFillies [3] and Toronto Inferno.

International career

Stoumbos represented Canada at the World Student Games in July 1993. She had already made her senior national team debut the previous month, in a 4–0 defeat to Italy in Columbus, Ohio.

At the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, Stoumbos became the first Canadian player of either gender to score a World Cup goal. With Canada 3–0 down to England in their opening match, she scored direct from a corner kick in the 87th minute as England goalkeeper Pauline Cope missed her punch. Geri Donnelly pulled another goal back in injury time but Canada lost 3–2. [1]

Canada qualified for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup by winning the 1998 CONCACAF Women's Championship, in the absence of the United States who had qualified automatically as hosts. Stoumbos was not named in the squad for the finals, [4] undergoing knee surgery just before the tournament.

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia Hamm</span> American soccer player (born 1972)

Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm is an American former professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion. Hailed as a soccer icon, she played as a forward for the United States national team from 1987 to 2004. Hamm was the face of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, where she played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels and helped the team win four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Lenarduzzi</span> Canadian soccer player

Robert Italo Lenarduzzi, OBC is a former North American Soccer League player, Canadian international, and coach of the Canadian national and Olympic soccer teams. He is currently club liaison for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada women's national soccer team</span> Womens national soccer team representing Canada

The Canada women's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association, the governing body for soccer in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Morace</span> Italian football manager and former player

Carolina Morace is an Italian former footballer, who played as a striker. She was most recently the head coach of Lazio Women. She played for the Italian national team and for various clubs in women's Serie A. She was the top scorer in Serie A in the 1984–85 season, and for 11 consecutive years from 1987–88 to 1997–98, and she holds the distinction of scoring the first hat-trick in a FIFA Women's World Cup. She is also a registered lawyer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Sinclair</span> Canadian professional soccer player

Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and, from 2000 until her retirement from international football in 2023, was a member of the Canadian national team. An Olympic gold medallist, two-time Olympic bronze medallist, CONCACAF champion, and 14-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award, Sinclair is officially the world's all-time leader for international goals scored for men or women with 190 goals, and is one of the most-capped international soccer players with 331 appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kara Lang</span>

Kara Elise Lang Romero is a former Canadian soccer player and current sports analyst, who represented her country in two FIFA World Cups and the Olympic Games, and played club soccer for Vancouver Whitecaps Women. She is the youngest woman to be named to Canada National Women's Team, making her National Team debut on 1 March 2002 at the Algarve Cup in Portugal at age 15. Lang retired on 5 January 2011 at the age of 24 due to recurring knee and ACL injuries. Lang began a comeback in 2013, with her ambition being to help Canada in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, but suffered a third ACL injury in February 2014, effectively ending her comeback. She now has two sons and a daughter with professional baseball player Ricky Romero. She was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame as a player in November 2015.

Paul John James is a retired professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He was a one-time CONCACAF champion who represented Canada at both the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games and 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. He later worked as a soccer analyst and soccer coach. He is an honoured member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.

Charmaine Elizabeth Hooper is a Canadian retired soccer player. A four-time winner of the Canadian Players of the Year award and member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame, Hooper played on the Canada women's national soccer team from 1986 to 2006. As a forward, she stood as Canada's record holder for the women's national team for appearances and goals scored when she retired. Hooper competed in three FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: 1995 in Sweden, 1999, and 2003 in the United States. At club level, Hooper played professionally in Norway, Italy, Japan, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Howard (soccer)</span> Former soccer player (born 1943)

Richard James Howard is a retired professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. He moved to Canada from England in 1967 and went on to appear for Canada internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carli Lloyd</span> American soccer player

Carli Anne Hollins is an American former professional soccer player. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time FIFA Player of the Year, and a four-time Olympian. Lloyd scored the gold medal-winning goals in the finals of the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Lloyd also helped the United States win their titles at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups, the bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, and she played for the team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup where the U.S. finished in second place. After the 2020 Summer Olympics, Lloyd announced she would be retiring from the national team following four final friendly matches in 2021. Lloyd has made 316 appearances for the U.S. national team, placing her second in caps, and has the fourth-most goals and fifth-most assists for the team. In March 2021, she was named as the highest paid female soccer player in the world. She played her last international match with the USWNT on October 26, 2021, shortly before retiring from professional soccer at the completion of the 2021 NJ/NY Gotham FC season.

Andrea Neil is a pioneer of women's soccer in Canada. Neil retired from the game after representing Canada more than any other Canadian player in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Holiday</span> American soccer player

Lauren Cheney Holiday is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder and forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 2007 to 2015. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women's World Cup champion. Holiday played professionally for FC Kansas City in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Boston Breakers in the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). She played collegiate soccer for the UCLA Bruins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Morgan</span> American soccer player (born 1989)

Alexandra Morgan Carrasco is an American professional soccer player who plays as a striker. She is the captain of San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. She co-captained the United States women's national soccer team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020.

Kristina Kiss is a Canadian former soccer midfielder, who won medals twice with the Canada national team at the Pan American Games: 2003 and 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmelina Moscato</span> Canadian soccer player and coach

Carmelina Moscato is a Canadian soccer coach and former professional player. She is currently an assistant coach for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women's Soccer League. She played as a centreback for UPC Tavagnacco in the Serie A, for Piteå IF and Dalsjöfors GoIF in the Damallsvenskan, for Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers and Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL, and for Western Sydney Wanderers in the Australian W-League. She also represented the Canadian women's national team. She served as the Commissioner of League1 Ontario Women's Division from September 2019 until December 2020. She also served as the Director of Women's Football for the Bahamas Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessie Fleming</span> Canadian soccer player

Jessie Alexandra Fleming is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club Portland Thorns and the Canadian national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Lavelle</span> American soccer player

Rosemary Kathleen Lavelle is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and for the United States national team.

Annie Caron is a Canadian soccer player who played both as a forward and midfielder for the Canada women's national soccer team. She was part of the team at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Grosso</span> Canadian soccer player (born 2000)

Julia Angela Grosso is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Serie A Femminile club Juventus FC and the Canada women's national team. She attained international prominence after scoring the title-winning penalty kick at the 2020 Summer Olympics, leading Canada to its first gold medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Pickett</span> Canadian soccer player (born 1996)

Victoria Serena Pickett is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Canada national team.

References

  1. 1 2 Molinaro, John F. (6 March 2008). "Daughters and fathers: Helen Stoumbos credits dad for her success". CBC.ca . Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 July 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  2. "MacLean and Stoumbos to be Elected into Hall of Fame". Wilfrid Laurier University. 23 September 1999. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  3. Gaughan, Mark (14 May 1998). "FFillies step up in class as W-League taps into national team". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013. The FFillies have four Canadian national team players, led by midfielder Helen Stoumbos.
  4. "Canada Women's World Cup '99 Team Roster". Women's Soccer World. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2013.