Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Emily Burns continues to add to her growing soccer resume.
On Tuesday, the MacEwan Griffins goalkeeper was announced as of 14 players who will form Team Canada's entry into the World University Futsal Championship Aug. 18-26 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Burns is one of only two Canada West women's soccer players on the squad and is one of only two returners from Team Canada's 2016 entry in Brazil.
"It's always an amazing opportunity to represent your country," said the Sherwood Park product. "It's something I thought about when we got back from Brazil. I said, 'I definitely want to do this again.' When I got the opportunity, I jumped at it and it worked out."
Burns, who will head into her fourth season with the Griffins after returning from Kazakhstan, left Edmonton Monday bound for training in Montreal before the team heads overseas. Griffins head coach Dean Cordeiro has no doubt the experience will help her get ready for another Canada West campaign.
"She's elated to have been selected and we do everything we can to support these types of opportunities and experiences," he said. "We feel that this international experience really helps her get her game to the next level."
Canada finished 3-1 in the round robin in 2016 before falling 6-0 to Portugal in the bronze medal match. The real eye-opener for them, though, was a 16-0 loss to host Brazil that showed the level they need to get to. Burns feels they're more prepared this time.
"I think last time it was more of a learning experience," she said. "We didn't know what to expect. I think this time we'll definitely be aiming for a medal.
"The team seems way more organized and there's a lot of girls who actually play futsal. The coach (UQAM's Alexandra Da Rocha) is really good, he knows what he's doing, so I think we'll definitely go for a medal this year."
With only four players and a keeper, futsal is unique compared to the larger brand of soccer that the Griffins play, but Burns is looking forward to the challenges presented by the discipline.
"It's a lot different, especially from a goalkeeper's point of view because I touch the ball pretty often, whereas in 11 v 11, you can go through phases of not touching the ball for a little while," she said.
"I feel a lot more involved and a lot more tired after games, for sure, because it's more physically demanding."
Burns recently wrapped up her second-straight season for Calgary's Foothills FC in the United Women's Soccer Leagues and helped lead them to the league semifinals, where they lost 3-1 to eventual champion Houston. She worked under the tutelage of goalkeeper coach Diogo Raposo, who also coaches her on the Griffins.
"It was definitely a learning experience," she said. "It was a good experience, though. I was pushed pretty hard. I was working with Diogo. He pushed me and the other goalkeepers pretty good, but mentally it was good as well."
In Kazakhstan, Burns will share the net with UQAM goalkeeper Lea Palacio, who was one of nine RSEQ student-athletes named to the team, including four from two-time national champion Laval. Saskatchewan's Leesa Eggum is the only other Canada West player on the squad.
Team Canada has launched a RallyMe fund-raising initiative here to help with costs associated with the trip.
As for the Griffins, they continue training camp until their first action of the preseason – Thursday at NAIT (7 p.m.). In other action this week, they will host Concordia on Saturday (11 a.m., Clareview Field).
MacEwan's Canada West regular season begins on Sept. 8 at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C.
