While Kara Lang was born in Calgary, she has known Oakville as her home from a young age. As such, the Oakville Soccer Club can be credited for her journey to soccer superstardom: she was the most decorated player in the club’s illustrious history.
At just 15, Lang became the youngest woman to ever play on Canada’s National Women’s Soccer Team. She made her international debut at the Algarve Cup in Portugal, where, with a goal against Wales, she became the youngest woman in history to score a goal in international competition. Later that year, she led Canada to the finals of the FIFA U19 Championships in Edmonton, where she scored three times in six games and added a clutch penalty kick goal in the semi-final game against Brazil.
When she was just 16, Lang played in all six of Canada’s games at the 2003 FIFA Womens World Cup. She scored twice during the event, and made a spectacular free kick against Sweden.
In 2005, Lang accepted a scholarship to play collegiate soccer at UCLA. She scored a record 17 goals in 24 games in her freshman year, and helped UCLA to reach the NCAA championships. That same year, while playing for Team Canada, Lang set the record for the fastest goal in an international match: she scored in just four seconds into a game against Mexico.
Lang’s international career continued as she played for Canada in the Women’s World Cup in China. She also played in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where she scored the game-winning goal against Argentina.
Lang played one last time for Canada in November 2010, as the team won a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in Mexico. Unfortunately, knee injuries forced her to step back from the sport. Before a large audience at the Oakville Soccer Club, Lang announced the end of a magnificently distinguished soccer career in 2011.
