Kara Lang
Encyclopedia
Kara Elise Lang is a retired Canadian
soccer
player, 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 March 1 2002 at the Algarve Cup in Portugal at age 15.http://www.sirc.ca/news_view.cfm?id=38537 Lang retired on January 5, 2011 at the age of 24 due to recurring knee and ACL injuries.
Lang started her college career with a splash, scoring a hat-trick in her second game. In the 2005 NCAA tournament, Lang was at her finest, scoring eight goals in six games. Lang's UCLA Bruins met the University of Portland in the NCAA final
, where Lang came up against one of her international teammates, Christine Sinclair
; Portland won the title with a 4–0 win. Lang finished her Freshman year at UCLA with 17 goals and six assists in 24 games, finishing second in team scoring behind Danesha Adams
.
She took a medical redshirt
in the 2006 season after tearing an ACL
during the offseason, and will have three more years of athletic eligibility at UCLA.
2007; played in 17 matches starting 16. Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 selection. Scored both goals in a 2–1 overtime victory over Portland on Sept. 28, her first college match since the 2005 NCAA Final (missed the entire 2006 season with an ACL injury). Ended the season with 17 points on seven goals and three assists. Tallied the game-winning goal in a 2–0 victory over Washington State on Nov. 9. Scored the Bruins' second goal in a 3–2 double-overtime victory over Portland in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 Academic selection.
2008; played in 24 matches, starting in 23, scoring five goals and assisting on nine. Helped UCLA to an unbeaten season of 18–0–2 (9–0 in conference play). Earned second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII honors. Scored a goal and 2 assists in the 1st round of the College Cup. Lost 1–0 in the semi finals to UNC.
, after signing with the club in 2003. The Whitecaps were the 2004 W-League Champions, and 3rd place finishers in 2005. Lang has scored 9 goals in 19 career games for the Whitecaps from 2003 to 2005.
On 25 March 2009 signed a contract with Pali Blues
, she will play in the United Soccer Leagues
W-League
. She scored her 1st goal for the club on May 17 vs the Real Colorado Cougars.
On Monday, March 15, 2010, the Vancouver Whitecaps confirmed that the 23-year-old midfielder/forward has signed a one-year deal for the USL W-League season, which starts May 30. She last played for the club in 2006. Lang is coming off her second right-knee ACL tear, sustained in September 2009 during her senior season at UCLA.
at the Algarve Cup
on 3 March 2002 at age 15 years, 132 days. Her senior debut, two days earlier, was a Canadian record for youngest senior women's cap
.
At the 2002 FIFA U-19 World Championships, held in Edmonton
, Alberta
, as a 15-year-old, Lang scored three goals in six games and added a crucial penalty-kick goal under intense pressure in the semi-finals against Brazil
. Canada lost in the final against their rivals in the United States.
At the age of 16, Lang played in all six of Canada's games at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003
. Lang scored two goals in the World Cup (a tally each against Japan in the group stage, and against Sweden in the semi-finals). Lang's memorable free-kick goal in the semi-finals came in the 64th minute to give Canada a 1–0 lead against Sweden, but they would lose the game 2–1 and eventually finish in 4th place at the event.
Lang was an integral part of the 2004 CONCACAF
U-19 Qualifying tournament in Ottawa
, Ontario
, where she played as a central defender at the request of head coach Ian Bridge
. Lang proved to be a dominant force in defence paired with Emily Zurrer
, and Canada captured the tournament title with a 2–1 extra-time victory over the United States. Despite high hopes, Canada lost in the quarterfinals against China in the 2004 U-19 World Championships in Thailand after being down a player for almost the entire game.
In the 2006 CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying tournament, Lang set a record for fastest goal (four seconds) when she scored from the opening kickoff against Mexico on 22 January 2006. Kara participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
in China.
On August 6, 2008, Kara scored the winning goal for Canada in a 2–1 victory over Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Canada lost in the quarter-finals to United States.
Kara scored one goal in Canada's thrashing of Guyana for 8-0 during the 2010 CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying tournament. She went on, along with her teammates, to win the tournament v Mexico in the final (1-0) on Nov 08, 2010. Unfortunately, this was her last appearance playing soccer, as recurring ACL and knee injuries, forced her to retire. She made the official announcement at an Oakville Soccer Club Press Conference on January 5th, 2011, in front of young fans, coaches, soccer club affiliaties, and press. "I have gotten everything out of this sport, and I have given this sport all that I have," she said about her retirement. Teammates Diana Matheson, Robyn Gayle, Carmelina Moscatto and Melanie Booth also noted that Kara was one of the most 'enthusiastic, hilarious, courteous and spontaneous people' that they ever knew, and were proud not only to have called her a teammate, but one of their best and lifelong friends.
Major tournament statistics
Club and college statistics
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, who represented her country in two FIFA World Cups
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
and the Olympic Games, and played club soccer for Vancouver Whitecaps Women
Vancouver Whitecaps Women
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC women are a Canadian women's soccer team founded in 2001 and a part of the greater Vancouver Whitecaps FC club. Originally called the Vancouver Breakers in 2001-02, the team is a member of the W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada...
. She is the youngest woman to be named to Canada National Women's Team, making her National Team debut on March 1 2002 at the Algarve Cup in Portugal at age 15.http://www.sirc.ca/news_view.cfm?id=38537 Lang retired on January 5, 2011 at the age of 24 due to recurring knee and ACL injuries.
College career
Kara was ranked as the #1 recruit in the 2005 recruiting class, and chose to attend the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) where she is studying communications with an aim of a future career in broadcast journalism. Lang was named as a preseason All-American, which is a notably achievement for a freshman. The UCLA Bruins, under head coach Jillian Ellis, compiled an overall record of 22–2–2 in the 2005–2006 season, was ranked 4th nationally, and won the PAC-10 title on the strength of excellent team defence.Lang started her college career with a splash, scoring a hat-trick in her second game. In the 2005 NCAA tournament, Lang was at her finest, scoring eight goals in six games. Lang's UCLA Bruins met the University of Portland in the NCAA final
NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
NCAA Women's Soccer Championships are divided into three divisions. This article lists NCAA Women's soccer championships.-Division I:The NCAA began conducting a Women's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1982 with a 12-team tournament...
, where Lang came up against one of her international teammates, Christine Sinclair
Christine Sinclair
Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian soccer forward who plays professional soccer for the Western New York Flash and is the captain of the Canadian national team. Sinclair has spent ten years with the Canadian national team participating in two World Cups in 2007 and 2003 and the 2008 Summer...
; Portland won the title with a 4–0 win. Lang finished her Freshman year at UCLA with 17 goals and six assists in 24 games, finishing second in team scoring behind Danesha Adams
Danesha Adams
Danesha Adams is an American soccer forward and midfielder currently playing for Medkila IL in Norway's Toppserien. She has played for WPS's Chicago Red Stars and Philadelphia Independence and the United States national team.-International career statistics:-References:* * * * *...
.
She took a medical redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
in the 2006 season after tearing an ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
during the offseason, and will have three more years of athletic eligibility at UCLA.
2007; played in 17 matches starting 16. Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 selection. Scored both goals in a 2–1 overtime victory over Portland on Sept. 28, her first college match since the 2005 NCAA Final (missed the entire 2006 season with an ACL injury). Ended the season with 17 points on seven goals and three assists. Tallied the game-winning goal in a 2–0 victory over Washington State on Nov. 9. Scored the Bruins' second goal in a 3–2 double-overtime victory over Portland in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 Academic selection.
2008; played in 24 matches, starting in 23, scoring five goals and assisting on nine. Helped UCLA to an unbeaten season of 18–0–2 (9–0 in conference play). Earned second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII honors. Scored a goal and 2 assists in the 1st round of the College Cup. Lost 1–0 in the semi finals to UNC.
Club career
Lang was affiliated with the Vancouver Whitecaps club in the W-LeagueW-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
, after signing with the club in 2003. The Whitecaps were the 2004 W-League Champions, and 3rd place finishers in 2005. Lang has scored 9 goals in 19 career games for the Whitecaps from 2003 to 2005.
On 25 March 2009 signed a contract with Pali Blues
Pali Blues
Pali Blues is an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2008. The team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada...
, she will play in the United Soccer Leagues
United Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
. She scored her 1st goal for the club on May 17 vs the Real Colorado Cougars.
On Monday, March 15, 2010, the Vancouver Whitecaps confirmed that the 23-year-old midfielder/forward has signed a one-year deal for the USL W-League season, which starts May 30. She last played for the club in 2006. Lang is coming off her second right-knee ACL tear, sustained in September 2009 during her senior season at UCLA.
International career
Lang holds the women's football world record for youngest player to score a full international goal. She scored against WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
at the Algarve Cup
Algarve Cup
The Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football . Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football...
on 3 March 2002 at age 15 years, 132 days. Her senior debut, two days earlier, was a Canadian record for youngest senior women's cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
.
At the 2002 FIFA U-19 World Championships, held in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, as a 15-year-old, Lang scored three goals in six games and added a crucial penalty-kick goal under intense pressure in the semi-finals against Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Canada lost in the final against their rivals in the United States.
At the age of 16, Lang played in all six of Canada's games at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003
FIFA Women's World Cup 2003
The FIFA Women's World Cup 2003 was held in the United States and won by Germany. The tournament was originally scheduled for China. On May 3, 2003 the tournament was abruptly moved to the United States, as a result of the 2003 SARS outbreak in China...
. Lang scored two goals in the World Cup (a tally each against Japan in the group stage, and against Sweden in the semi-finals). Lang's memorable free-kick goal in the semi-finals came in the 64th minute to give Canada a 1–0 lead against Sweden, but they would lose the game 2–1 and eventually finish in 4th place at the event.
Lang was an integral part of the 2004 CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
U-19 Qualifying tournament in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, where she played as a central defender at the request of head coach Ian Bridge
Ian Bridge
Ian Christopher Bridge is a former member of the Canada men's national soccer team and last head coach of the national women's Under-17 national team.-Club career:...
. Lang proved to be a dominant force in defence paired with Emily Zurrer
Emily Zurrer
Emily Zurrer is a Canadian soccer player considered to be one of the premiere female soccer players in the country.-Career:...
, and Canada captured the tournament title with a 2–1 extra-time victory over the United States. Despite high hopes, Canada lost in the quarterfinals against China in the 2004 U-19 World Championships in Thailand after being down a player for almost the entire game.
In the 2006 CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying tournament, Lang set a record for fastest goal (four seconds) when she scored from the opening kickoff against Mexico on 22 January 2006. Kara participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
The FIFA Women's World Cup 2007 was an international association football competition for women held in China from September 10, 2007 – September 30, 2007. Originally, China was to host the 2003 Women's World Cup, but the outbreak of SARS in that country forced that event to be moved to the United...
in China.
On August 6, 2008, Kara scored the winning goal for Canada in a 2–1 victory over Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Canada lost in the quarter-finals to United States.
Kara scored one goal in Canada's thrashing of Guyana for 8-0 during the 2010 CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying tournament. She went on, along with her teammates, to win the tournament v Mexico in the final (1-0) on Nov 08, 2010. Unfortunately, this was her last appearance playing soccer, as recurring ACL and knee injuries, forced her to retire. She made the official announcement at an Oakville Soccer Club Press Conference on January 5th, 2011, in front of young fans, coaches, soccer club affiliaties, and press. "I have gotten everything out of this sport, and I have given this sport all that I have," she said about her retirement. Teammates Diana Matheson, Robyn Gayle, Carmelina Moscatto and Melanie Booth also noted that Kara was one of the most 'enthusiastic, hilarious, courteous and spontaneous people' that they ever knew, and were proud not only to have called her a teammate, but one of their best and lifelong friends.
Statistics
National team statistics| Team | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Women's Senior Team Canada women's national soccer team The Canada women's national soccer team is overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association. The team reached its all-time high of 6th in the March 2011 rankings. The team reached international prominence finishing in 4th place at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, losing to their archrival American team... |
89 | 34 |
| Women's U-20 Team | 33 | 12 |
Major tournament statistics
| Year | Tournament | Games | Goals | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup The CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup is a football competition sponsored by CONCACAF, and serves as a qualifying competition to the Women's World Cup. It is played every four years since it replaced the CONCACAF's Women's Championship, a tournament that was held in the 1990s, which sometimes included... |
5 | 4 | Runners-up |
| 2002 | FIFA Women's U-19 World Championships | 6 | 3 | Runners-up |
| 2003 | FIFA Women's World Cup FIFA Women's World Cup The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the... |
6 | 2 | 4th place |
| 2004 | CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying | 5 | 0 | 3rd place (DNQ) |
| 2004 | CONCACAF Women's U-19 Qualifying | 5 | 2 | Winners |
| 2004 | FIFA Women's U-19 World Championships | 4 | 1 | Quarter-finalists |
| 2006 | CONCACAF Women's U-19 Qualifying | 3 | 1 | Runners-up |
| 2008 | FIFA Women's World Cup | 3 | 0 | 3rd in group |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | 4 | 1 | Quarter-finalists |
| 2010 | Cyprus Women’s Cup | Winners | ||
| 2010 | CONCACAF Women’s Cup | 1 | 1 | Winners |
Club and college statistics
| Season Totals | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | Min | Shots | SOG | |
| 2003 | Vancouver Whitecaps | W-League | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 265 | – | – | |
| 2004 | Vancouver Whitecaps | W-League | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 285 | – | – | |
| 2005 | Vancouver Whitecaps | W-League | 10 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 783 | 39 | – | |
| 2005 | UCLA Bruins | NCAA | 24 | 17 | 6 | 40 | – | 101 | 41 | |
| 2007 | UCLA Bruins | NCAA | 17 | 7 | 3 | 17 | – | 50 | 19 | |
| 2008 | UCLA Bruins | NCAA | 24 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 1711 | 90 | 35 | |
| 2009 | Pali Blues | W-League | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| 2010 | Vancouver Whitecaps | W-League | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 332 | 9 | ||