Emily Zurrer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Emily Zurrer

Zurrer in July 2012
Personal information
Full name	Emily Jane Zurrer
Date of birth	(1987-07-12) July 12, 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height	1.78 m
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Jitex BK
Number	4
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2008	Vancouver Whitecaps	4	(1)
2009	Chicago Red Eleven	10	(3)
2010	SG Essen-Schönebeck	9	(0)
2010–2011	Vancouver Whitecaps	7	(1)
2011	Dalsjöfors GoIF	10	(2)
2013	Seattle Reign FC	7	(0)
2014	Jitex BK	19	(1)
National team‡
2004	Canada U17	1	(0)
2006	Canada U20	18	(0)
2008–	Canada	82	(3)
Honours Olympic Games Bronze 2012 London Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 15, 2015. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 08:45, May 31, 2015 (UTC)

Emily Jane Zurrer (born July 12, 1987) is a Canadian soccer player. She played as a defender for the Swedish club Jitex BK and was a key member of the Canada women's national soccer team. Emily also played for teams like Seattle Reign FC in the United States and the Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada.

Emily Zurrer's Early Life and College Years

Playing at the University of Illinois

Emily Zurrer went to the University of Illinois for college. She became one of the most successful soccer players in the university's history. She was the first player in the program to be named an All-American three times. This award goes to the best college athletes in the country. She also earned top honors in her conference, the Big Ten, for three years in a row.

In 2008, when Emily was a defender, her team allowed very few goals. This showed how strong their defense was. Her coach, Janet Rayfield, said Emily always had a positive attitude and a constant smile. She worked hard to achieve her goals.

Community Involvement at Illinois

While at the University of Illinois, Emily was very active off the field. She helped with the "Hometown Heroes" program. This included visiting local elementary schools and centers for older people. She also helped with reading programs and other community events.

In 2009, Emily received the Big Ten Medal of Honor. This award is given to one male and one female student-athlete from each university. It recognizes those who are excellent in both sports and schoolwork.

Emily Zurrer's Soccer Career

Playing for Club Teams

Emily played for several club teams throughout her career.

Vancouver Whitecaps

Emily played for the Vancouver Whitecaps at different times, starting in 2004. She played for them between her national team duties and college studies. Her last time with the Whitecaps was in 2010. She played in seven games and scored one goal.

Chicago Red Eleven

In 2009, Emily played for the Chicago Red Eleven. She started in every game she played and scored three goals for the team.

SG Essen-Schönebeck

During the 2009–10 season, Emily played in Germany for SG Essen-Schönebeck. This team is part of Germany's top league, the Bundesliga. She started in all nine games she played for them.

With Seattle Reign in 2013

Dalsjöfors GoIF

In July 2011, Emily signed a three-month contract with Swedish team Dalsjöfors GoIF. She started in all ten games she played for this club.

Seattle Reign FC

On January 11, 2013, Emily joined Seattle Reign FC. This team is part of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States. She played in seven games for the Reign, spending a total of 583 minutes on the field.

Jitex BK

In December 2013, Emily signed with Jitex BK for the 2014 season. She became the captain of the team.

Playing for Canada's National Team

Emily Zurrer played for the Canadian national women's team for many years. She played in big tournaments like the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011, and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She also represented Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Emily started playing for Canada at age 15 as a forward. She became well-known in Canadian soccer when she scored three goals as a defender. She was named MVP of the U-19 World Cup Qualifying tournament in 2004 when she was just 16. Since then, she has played defense. She earned her first "cap" (played her first game) for the senior national team that same year. She played a full 90 minutes against the United States. She was one of the youngest players ever to play for Canada's senior team.

At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Emily started every game in defense for the Canadian team.

Emily scored her first goal for Canada's senior team in 2011. It was during a game against Scotland in the 2011 Cyprus Cup, which Canada won 1–0. Less than a week later, she scored the winning goal in extra time against the Netherlands in the Cyprus Cup final.

Emily was also part of the national team that competed in the 2012 Olympics. She won a bronze medal with the team when Canada beat France 1–0 on August 9, 2012.

Emily Zurrer's Personal Life

In 2012, Emily Zurrer started a frozen yogurt food truck business. She did this with her Canadian teammate, Selenia Iacchelli. Emily was also featured in Sportsnet's 2013 "Beauty of Sport" issue. This issue highlighted Canada's top 25 most beautiful athletes.