Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – If there was an elite girls soccer opportunity to be had in Manitoba, Brianna Machado was on the invite list.
Valour FC Elite, Western Canada Summer Games, Manitoba REX and even an invite to a prestigious Vancouver Whitecaps U14 camp are among the highlights of the midfielder's youth resume.
Starting in 2021, she will have an opportunity to make a name for herself at an elite Canada West program, signing on with the reigning Prairie Division champion MacEwan University Griffins.
"Brianna just plays the game at a speed and skill level that will make her transition to Canada West seamless," said Griffins head coach Dean Cordeiro. "She's a great addition to our team. I really do believe she's just scratching at the surface of her potential and will be an impactful player here for many years."
With an ability to create offence, Machado can play in any attacking role on the pitch, whether it be midfield or forward.
"She's a very intelligent player with a high soccer IQ," said Cordeiro. "She plays an extremely technical game and plays with tremendous pace. She can score and create. She's very versatile – can play in the midfield or anywhere up front. She's another attack-minded player who will add to our scoring depth.
"One thing we realize at this level is our speed of play needs to be at a certain standard if you want to be that last team standing."
And that's certainly what Machado brings. The speedster is one of Manitoba's best high school sprinters, finishing top-10 in the 2018 100-metre provincial championship for her age group.
Machado was recruited to play soccer at prestigious Shattuck St. Mary's Academy in Minnesota for her Grade 12 year, but because of COVID, she was unable to go and is instead set to graduate from Winnipeg's Glenlawn Collegiate in the spring.
Her soccer resume includes playing for the FC Northwest club program, Valour FC Elite – Winnipeg's top traveling team – and Manitoba REX for the best players in the province. Her most recent club team is the St. Charles Force.
In August 2019, Machado represented Manitoba at the Western Canada Summer Games in Swift Current, Sask., scoring two goals in four games and helping them win a silver medal.
"We love the environment she's been in to help develop her into the player she is today because she's been playing at all the top levels in Manitoba," said Cordeiro. "With Valour, she was under the guidance of Jim Zinko and Trevor Kidd, who have done a lot for her and set her up to be successful."
