From empty stadiums early in her career to a sold-out World Cup in 2015, Canadian soccer trailblazer Karina LeBlanc has seen the transformative power of women’s sports firsthand.
Last night (Wednesday), the decorated Canadian goalkeeper commanded the room at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre as the headliner for the annual UNBC Legacy Night fundraiser .
LeBlanc shared stories of controversial Olympic heartbreak, fierce Canadian pride, and redefining what it means to be a hero.
She told the crowd that excellence isn’t just about winning medals—it’s about lifting up the next generation.
“I think sometimes the big cities get all the attention, but the smaller cities are the ones who need it most. And for me, I came from a small country. I moved to this country where I didn’t know if I fit in, I didn’t know where I belonged. And it was people seeing in me what I didn’t see in myself.”
“When I moved to Canada, when I was eight, and I remember just being like, ‘Why did we make this move?’ And I think for me, I found home when I went to my first sleepover and the next day went to soccer practice and I found my community.”
LeBlanc, moved to Canada with her parents at the age of eight after growing up in Dominica a mountainous Caribbean island nation with natural hot springs and tropical rainforests.
Morne Trois Pitons National Park is home to the volcanically heated, steam-covered Boiling Lake.
She mentioned her early days on this planet were anything but ordinary.
“I was born in Atlanta because of a Category 5 hurricane that was going to the small Caribbean country I’m from. Then lived there (Atlanta) for about three weeks, roof got put back out on, went back to the Caribbean, and then moved from Dominica to Maple Ridge.
LeBlanc’s playing resume speaks for itself. After coming up through the grassroots level in the Lower Mainland, she reached college stardom in the NCAA suiting up for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1997-2000, establishing herself as one of the top collegiate goalkeepers in the United States.
She was named a first-team All-American and a finalist for the prestigious Hermann Trophy in 2000. LeBlanc also established program records in goals-against average (GAA), wins, shutouts, minutes played, and games started/played (including a single-season record 16 shutouts in 2000).
LeBlanc made her Canadian National Team debut at the age of 18 in 1998. Her pro career on the pitch blossomed from 2001-2009 suiting up for the Boston Breakers, Montreal Xtreme and Los Angeles Sol.
She also won gold at the Pan-Am Games with Canada in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011.
LeBlanc is probably best known as being a member of the 2012 Summer Olympics squad in London. Following a heartbreaking and highly controversial semifinal loss to the United States at Old Trafford, LeBlanc and her teammates bounced back to win the historic bronze medal.
“I remember, like as a young kid, dreaming of going to Old Trafford to watch a game. As a young girl, Peter Schmeichel was my hero. And then imagine going for a game to go to the Gold Medal Match. And not only do you go to the stadium, you go underneath where all your heroes were. And it was a game where we were beating the US. Christine Sinclair had a game of her life. And then the referee makes one weird call, and then another weird call. And then they score in a PK, and then they beat us in overtime. And the Canada-USA rivalry, I, I don’t even need to talk about. But this was our moment to take that victory. They went on to win gold, but for us, I think the best part was we went to that Olympics not to win a medal, but to inspire the next generation.”
“Walking through the Vancouver Airport, and the flight attendant being like, ‘Women’s soccer, you guys should freshen up.’ And we’re like, ‘You’re rude, why would you tell us to freshen up?’ And she’s like, ‘because they’re waiting for you.’ And in Vancouver when you fly internationally, the doors open, turning that corner, it was people singing our anthem, the escalator had slowed down, it was lined up, and everyone was like, ‘Thanks for bringing home the bronze medals.”
It was there she worked with Neil Sedgwick, the current UNBC women’s soccer coach, who was a technical assistant for the national team in 2012 and 2013.
LeBlanc who played alongside Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair both on the national team and on the Portland Thorns stated Sinclair’s quiet confidence is what made her stand out.
“Sinclair is a type of human being, a generational player, but she teaches you work ethic, she teaches you pride, she shows leadership in a quiet way. And I think one of the reasons Canadians love her, and the world probably loves her, is because she’s the top scoring man or woman of all time. She represented that flag on our chest to the best of her ability.”
“And we get to see each other often. And we sit back and we laugh about those games. We’ll watch the games now and just be like, ‘You know, look at the kids.’ But she’s a player that I, I understand why she’s a Canadian hero.”
Both players were part of the Thorns 2013 National Women’s Soccer League title. Her final pro stop saw her play two more years with the Chicago Red Stars.
LeBlanc was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2020.
Class of 2020: Karina LeBlanc & Brittany Timko Baxter named to Canada Soccer Hall of Fame
⚽️🏆
#CANWNT 🍁 https://t.co/rl5ikV4vrJ https://t.co/UTlibzTAYd
— Canada Soccer Hall of Fame (@CS_HallofFame) February 6, 2020
The two-time Olympian currently serves as the Executive Vice President for RAJ Sports—the multi-sport ownership enterprise that operates Portland Thorns FC and Portland Fire WNBA franchise. In this role, she oversees the long-term commercial scale and expansion of women’s professional sports in the region. She stepped into this position after serving as the President and General Manager of the Thorns from 2021 to 2024.
“Portland is the global epicenter of women’s sports. We sell out every soccer—professional soccer—with the Portland Thorns, we get 20,000 every week. We get 20,000 for the Portland Fire in the WNBA. I think the, the shift has been access for people to see what these athletes have always been doing. You know, I, I was blessed to play 20 years, almost 20 years professionally and for this country, and I remember starting in empty stadiums and retiring at the 2015 World Cup in sold-out stadiums.”
“I think where we are now is that what’s possible in women’s sports is endless. What’s possible in the inspiration, because people can now see their heroes and sheroes, is endless. And for me, what’s exciting is what the future’s going to hold.”
The evening raised vital financial support for local Timberwolves student-athletes .
Something going on in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing pgnews@vistaradio.ca.
