WARMINGTON Golden Olympic moment shared by soccer stars proud families
They would have loved to cheer Team Canada on in person, but this was the next best thing
Author of the article:
Joe Warmington
Relatives of the Canadian women's soccer team celebrate the gold medal win on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Photo by Veronica Henri /Toronto Sun Article content CALEDON â€" Turns out Canada’s gold medal women’s soccer team didn’t need fans in the stands to cheer them on in Tokyo.
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Article contentThe ones right here at home were so loud the team could’ve heard their family and friends from here.
“This is the greatest day ever,†said Melsadie Tate, whose daughter Kadeisha Buchanan was one of the stars of this historic made-for-the-movies win.
“A great day for Kadeisha and her teammates and for me as well.â€
It was not lost Melsadie that if not for fate and generous support, this day may not have come.
“Kadeisha is the youngest of seven daughters, and when she was little not only did I not have a car to get her to games and practices, but it was a struggle to come up with the fees to play in a soccer league,†she said.
“As a single mother, it’s not easy.â€
But she is part of that amazing Brampton community which not only experienced Kadeisha’s talent, but also her ambition.
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Article content“There was a community fund to help with expenses, and other teammates parents’ took her to games when I had to work,†said Melsadie.
“One of those parents who helped was Tina Lawrence, and I thanked her today on a big day for her too.â€
Tina’s daughter Ashley was also a huge part of Friday’s comeback win against Sweden.
It was extra special for the two women to enjoy this monumental day together, as they did at the Caledon quarry where families and friends took in the match that also saw Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown drop by for support.
After the dramatic roller-coaster win, families stopped at the Red Onion Family Restaurant, in the Esso Station complex at Hwy. 10 and King St. in Victoria, to have a much-deserved lunch to go with the sweet flavour of victory.
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Teammates celebrate with Canada’s Julia Grosso after she scored the winning goal against Sweden in the women’s soccer match for the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. Photo by Kiichiro Sato /Associated Press “We are just so happy for the whole team and country,†said Tina.
In both Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence’s case, their greatness revealed itself from their very first moments on the field.
Lawrence’s older brother Anthony saw her gift for the sport, and as an elite soccer player himself started working with his sister on her technique.
It worked, because no one is more cool out there than Lawrence who made so many key plays during their Olympic run.
In Kadeisha’s case, her abilities were first noticed on the sidelines of her dad Howard Buchanan’s games in Toronto from the time she learned to walk.
“At soccer tournaments she would spend the whole day kicking the ball and her father showed her tricks too.â€
But it’s Kadeisha’s fierce competitiveness that makes her such a fierce competitor â€" like legend Christine Sinclair, hero goalie Stephanie Labbe, goal-scoring sensation Jessie Fleming and game-winning striker Julia Grosso.
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Kadeisha is the kind of player that makes you glad she’s on your team.
“She got her talent from her father and her determination from me,†said Melsadie.
“She is a beast out there. She’s go, go go.â€
Robin Prince said daughter Nichele also displayed early talent, but unlike Buchanan and Lawrence was hesitant at first.
“Nichelle didn’t really want to go to soccer but I made her,†said Prince, laughing at the irony.
“But once she got on the field she was happy and people noticed her.â€
Younger sister Kendra said despite her sister’s reluctance to take the field all those years ago in Ajax, Nichelle never misses training or practice no matter how tired or hurt she is.
“She has really worked hard for this,†said Kendra.
They are all now part of a historic team that will be remembered the same way some of Canada’s hockey wins on the international stage are.
Throw in that this was all accomplished during a global pandemic, and this will be a win for the ages.
Yes, the families would have loved to have been able to be there in person â€" but this was the next best thing.
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