Kara Lang

Infobox NCAA Athlete
name = Kara Lang


caption = Kara Lang after winning 2004 CONCACAF Qualifier in Ottawa
college = UCLA
conference = Pac 10
sport = Soccer
position = Striker
class = Redshirt sophomore
major =
career_start = 2005
nickname =
height_ft = 5
height_in = 10
weight_lb = 155
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1986|10|22
birth_place = Calgary, Alberta
highschool = St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Oakville, Ontario
former_school(s)=
awards =

Kara Elise Lang (born October 22, 1986) is a Canadian soccer player. At only 21, Lang is already Canada's fourth-leading all-time international women's goalscorer. She was born in Calgary, Alberta.cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/nationals/w_wc/scoringleaders.pdf|title=Women's Team Goalscoring Leaders (CSA)|year=2006|accessdate=2006-04-16]

International career

Lang holds the women's football world record for youngest player to score a full international goal. She scored against Wales at the Algarve Cup on 3 March, 2002 at age 15 years, 132 days. Her senior debut, two days earlier, was a Canadian record for youngest senior women's cap.

The 2002 FIFA U-19 World Championships held in Edmonton, Canada was the coming-out party for Lang. As a 15-year-old, Lang scored three goals in six games and added a crucial penalty-kick goal under intense pressure in the semi-finals against Brazil. Although Canada would lose in the final against their rivals in the United States in a heart-breaker, Kara captured the hearts and imaginations of many fans in Canada.

At the age of 16, Lang played in all six of Canada's games at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003. Lang scored two goals in the World Cup (a tally each against Japan in the group stage, and against Sweden in the semi-finals). Lang's memorable free-kick goal in the semi-finals came in the 64th minute to give Canada a 1-0 lead against Sweden, but they would lose the game 2-1 and eventually finish in 4th place at the event.

Lang was an integral part of the 2004 CONCACAF U-19 Qualifying tournament in Ottawa, Canada, where she played as a central defender at the request of head coach Ian Bridge. Lang proved to be a dominant force in defence paired with Emily Zurrer, and Canada captured the tournament title with a thrilling 2-1 extra-time victory over the United States. Despite high hopes, Canada lost in the quarterfinals against China in the 2004 U-19 World Championships in Thailand after being down a player for almost the entire game.

In the 2006 CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying tournament, Lang set a record for fastest goal (four seconds) when she scored from the opening kickoff against Mexico on 22nd January, 2006.cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2381|title=Canada Too Much For Mexico (CSA)|year=2006|accessdate=2006-04-16] With many returning players from the 2004 U-19 team, Lang and her teammates will be looking to avenge their Thailand disappointment with a strong showing at the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship to be held in Russia in August 2006. Kara participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007in China.

On August 6, 2008, Kara scored what proved to be the winning goal for Canada in a 2-1 victory over Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

College career

Kara was ranked as the #1 recruit in the 2005 recruiting class, and chose to attend the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) where she is studying communications with an aim of a future career in broadcast journalism. Lang was named as a preseason All-American, which is a notably achievement for a freshman. The UCLA Bruins, under head coach Jillian Ellis, compiled an overall record of 22-2-2 in the 2005-2006 season, was ranked 4th nationally, and won the PAC-10 title on the strength of excellent team defence.

Lang started her college career with a splash, scoring a hat-trick in her second game. In the 2005 NCAA tournament, Lang was at her finest, scoring 8 goals in 6 games.cite web|url=http://www.aggieathletics.com/specialsites/2005collegecup/sf2.php|title=2005 NCAA Women's College Cup|year=2005|accessdate=2006-04-16] Lang's UCLA Bruins met the University of Portland in the NCAA final, where Lang came up against one of her international teammates, Christine Sinclair; Portland won the title with a 4-0 win. Lang finished her Freshman year at UCLA with 17 goals and 6 assists in 24 games, finishing second in team scoring behind Danesha Adams.

She took a medical redshirt in the 2006 season after tearing an ACL during the offseason, and will have three more years of athletic eligibility at UCLA.

Club career

Lang is currently affiliated with the Vancouver Whitecaps club in the W-League, after signing with the club in 2003.cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=1070|title=Kara Lang Signs With Whitecaps (CSA)|year=2003|accessdate=2006-04-16] The Whitecaps were the 2004 W-League Champions, and 3rd place finishers in 2005. Lang has scored 9 goals in 19 career games for the Whitecaps from 2003 to 2005. With the 2006 signings of Christine Sinclair and Tiffeny Milbrett, as well as returning young standouts such as Brittany Timko and Katie Thorlakson, Lang should find an exciting supporting cast with the Whitecaps.

Statistics

National Team Statistics

External links

* [http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/nationals/profile_w.asp?id=11&sub=2 Official National Team profile]
* [http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/lang_kara00.html Official UCLA profile]
* [http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/03/en/t/pl/190131.html Official FIFA World Cup 2003 profile]
* [http://www.ncaasports.com/soccer/womens/ NCAA Women's Soccer]
* [http://trueplayer.ca/play/soccer/kara_lang.php "Kara Lang", JDG, Player Magazine, 2003]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/insidetrack/media/2003sep14_01.ram "Inside Track", Teddy Katz, CBC Radio, 2003 (audio)]
* [http://www.canoe.ca/Slam021103/col_jones-sun.html "Kara's got kick", Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun, 2002]

Notes