Bev Priestman likes a brave game

The Coach of the Canadian National Women’s Soccer Team is not one to rest on her laurels. While the rest of the country was still celebrating the team’s historic Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Bev Priestman was looking ahead to a couple of hard years of coaching work.

In her mind- a huge win doesn’t teach players very much… but a single loss in a hard-fought series of games, like the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament, that’s where the improvements happen. Priestman says that playing a brave style of soccer is what got the Canadian team to Olympic gold. But keeping that fearless attitude is more of a challenge once a reputation is established, and more scrutiny piles on to a high seeded squad.

Priestman tells Anastasia how she makes good use of her experience in three soccer strongholds- England, New Zealand, and Canada. She picks up on national strengths wherever she works. In Canada, she thinks mental toughness is our X factor. Maybe it’s something about a culture that shovels snow in the dead of winter? Priestman says Canadians are uniquely willing to believe they can compete with anyone on the world stage.

The challenge, heading into the World Cup, is going to be managing a sustained effort. Whichever team is most fresh gets the glory in the finals, according to Priestman. Canada has no problem attacking from the outset of a tournament. And we have great depth in the roster. Closing strength? It will be the coach’s job to make sure that’s in place at the end of the World Cup.

Don’t worry. Bev Priestman is working on it.