These Are the Boston Breakers: Candace Chapman

Each week, Todd Civin will present a different member of the Boston Breakers Soccer Team as part of his "These are The Boston Breakers" series. The Breakers are the Boston entry in the Women's Professional Soccer League. Photo Credit: by JC Ridley

The Boston Breakers web site has a section in each person's profile entitled "On and Off the Field." In one Q and A session, Breakers defender and midfielder Candace Chapman describes her off the field persona as "laid back."

Apparently once she dons the shin pads and crosses the chalk lines, Chapman does a Jekyll and Hyde imitation, because this Breaker is anything but.

The Notre Dame grad who hails from Ajax, Ontario Canada, has actually only appeared in one match this season for the Boston squad. I had the pleasure of watching Chapman play while she while she was a Notre Dame Fighting Irish Woman and a member of the Canadian National team. She can best be described as relentless.

Chapman was drafted as a discovery player by the Breakers in January after an impressive run in the 2008 Olympics. She started and played in all four of Canada's matches and scored the first goal of the entire Olympic event. She netted goal number one in the 27th minute of a 2-1 win over Argentina, two days prior to the Opening Ceremonies.

She started and played in all four games en route to a quarter final finish for the team north of the border.

Her International career highlights include:

• Scored one goal in three games for Canada at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup
• Debuted for Canada as an 18-year old on March 1, 2002 vs. Scotland in the Algarve Cup
• Scored her first international goal against Haiti at the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
• Named to 2002 Gold Cup All-Tournament Team after helping Canada to a second-place finish
• Played in all four of Canada’s games at the 2003 Algarve Cup
• Won silver at the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship and was named to the all-tournament team

After graduating for Notre Dame in 2006 she played for and won a championship with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

While attending the Golden Dome in South Bend, Indiana, Candace won 2005 preseason honors including All-America, First Team All Big-East, and was on the Hermann Trophy Watch List.

She was a Notre Dame co-captain as a senior and was selected to the College Cup All-Tournament Team, and All-BIG EAST Third Team in 2004 and NSCAA First Team All-American, First-Team All-Region, and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 2002.

While in high school, Chapman and her team rewrote the record books while playing for the Ajax United Wildcats. She was the teams top goal scorer and team captain from 1993 to 1999 and helped Ajax win three league titles and the coveted Ontario Cup in 1998.

Her team made the finals in 1996 and 1997 and Candace was named the Tournament MVP in 1997 and 1998.

While playing for the Burlington Sting (1999-2001), she netted 25 goals in 15 league games during the 2000 season.

Candace was born in Trinidad, the daughter of Gerard and Margaret Chapman. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and computer applications from Notre Dame and was a volunteer assistant coach with the University of Missouri in 2008.

When not lacing up the cleats, Chapman spends her leisure time on her phone, iTouch, computer, or just hanging with her friends.

A big fan of the man in the Oval office ("No explanation needed," she explains), she loves hip hop, R and B and dance music. She is also a big fan of Tiger Woods, Danica Patrick, and Thierry Henry.

So when you see #9 whip off the warm-ups this Saturday against Los Angeles. Remember she's the laid back one covering Marta. I think not.