Christine Sinclair on Leading Team Canada

There is no ‘off-season’ for this Burnaby striker

At this month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, all hopes are pinned on Burnaby native Christine Sinclair, 31, to lead our national soccer team to victory. A powerhouse striker and 14-year veteran of Team Canada, she has the ability to consistently drive the ball into the back of the net. (She holds a six-goal record from the 2012 Olympics.) Her clockwork regularity sets her apart from all other female players — and has cemented her role as a dangerous asset on any pitch.It’s a pitch she rarely leaves. Although her day job (playing for Portland Thorns FC in the new USA National Women’s soccer league) is in post-season, she still trains on-field five to six times a week and spends four or five days a week at the gym. “This is our off-season!” she says. With the women’s national team ranking eighth in the world, “There’s no better place to play soccer than Canada!”ScreenThe Canadian women’s team plays New Zealand tonight at 7p.m., and Netherlands on Monday night at 7:30p.m.StadiumIf television action isn’t enough for you, the first games at BC Place take place tomorrow afternoon between Switzerland and Ecuador, followed that evening by Japan and Cameroon. Get tickets here.