TORONTO -- The players on the Canadian womens soccer team set a lofty goal this season, but it was about much more than winning an Olympic medal. They wanted to inspire a generation of young women coming after them. The Canadians captured a bronze medal at the London Games -- the countrys first Olympic medal in a traditional team sport since 1936 -- with a spirited performance that tugged on the heartstrings of Canadian fans, and laid down the footsteps for so many little girls to follow. The team was honoured for its spectacular season by being named The Canadian Press Team of the Year for 2012 in voting by sports editors and broadcasters across the country. "The girls knew, even before going into this, they were committed to moving this country to another level," said coach John Herdman. "It wasnt the bronze that was driving them, it was the legacy for themselves and for this country that drove them through. It sounds corny, but its not." The womens soccer team received 228 points, including the majority of first-place votes (68), to run away with the honour that was first awarded in 1966. The Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts were second with 99 points, ahead of the mens eight rowing team and womens hockey team -- tied with 43 points apiece -- and Glenn Howards mens curling rink (41). "Canadas first team medal in the Summer Olympics in 76 years could easily have been gold or silver," said Sean Rooney of the Medicine Hat News. "Yet after suffering through the disappointment of their semifinal loss to the U.S., Canadas women made the country proud with their ability to come back with a thrilling bronze medal victory. "Its their emotion and perseverance that made them heroes." No-one could have predicted the drama that would play out on sports biggest stage in London. The beleaguered Canadians were coming off a last-place showing at the 2011 World Cup. Herdman was brought in to pick up the pieces. The first sign of what would be a remarkable turnaround came at the Pan American Games, when Canada defeated Brazil for gold. Once in London, the Canadians clinched their spot in the quarter-finals with a 2-2 draw with Sweden, and topped host Britain 2-0 to set up their semifinal showdown against the archrival Americans. Then, in what will go down as one of the most memorable games in this countrys soccer history, captain Christine Sinclair struck for three goals in Canadas 4-3 heartbreaking semifinal loss to the Americans -- a controversial result that took 123 minutes to decide and wound up getting Sinclair suspended for four games for a post-game "incident." In the bronze-medal match, Diana Matheson scored in the 92nd minute to provide a stunning end to a game that saw the French utterly dominate a weary Canadian side. And in a year that saw Canadas mens team crash out of World Cup qualifying in spectacular fashion, the women gained a country full of fans. "I think our womens program transcends gender, to be honest with you," said Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani. "Just the amount of emotion that is attached to this team. Its not just Christine, the team is deep with character." Its been an emotional four months since the players returned home from London, as theyve seen in the faces of fans who know all their names just how big an impact theyve had. "Its something weve all embraced and I think we understand that this is what we wanted, we wanted to bring home an Olympic medal, we wanted to change the sport within Canada," said Sinclair, who won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award on Thursday as Canadas Female Athlete of the Year. She and some of her teammates have been conducting camps across the country since returning home. "We think its very important because when we were growing up we didnt have female soccer players to look up to. I looked up to baseball players, other teammates looked up to hockey players," said Sinclair, who still wears No. 12 for her favourite athlete growing up, former Toronto Blue Jays star Roberto Alomar. "Ive been a primary school teacher back in the day," said Herdman. "I love working with kids. So its great to actually be able to start having a little bit more influence on the younger generation." Veteran goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc said fans young and old have come up to say "hi", pose for a picture, or ask for an autograph literally every day since they returned to Canada. "Every time we put on that jersey for Canada its an honour," said LeBlanc. "The next time we put on that jersey, were going to know for sure that the country were representing is the best country in the world. Coming home with the bronze medal and being treated the way Canada has treated us, its bigger than gold, its better than gold, and its inspiring us to be better. "So the best way to sum up this year is just to thank Canada for making us feel so special and making us fall in love again with playing for them and playing the sport that we love." cheap jerseys from china . Chelsea remain a step above the rest, growing in confidence and quality every time out. The two Manchester sides have had weakness exposed, but still remain unconvincingly the next best teams in the table. wholesale jerseys . The National Hockey League Players Association announced Thursday that John Tavares and Taylor Hall have been named the coaches of the two teams that will meet in Mississauga, Ontario on Saturday, July 21. http://www.cheapjerseysnflchina.us/[/ur... . PETERSBURG, Fla. [url=http://www.cheapjerseysnflchina.us/]cheap nfl jerseys . Jennings and his backcourt mate Monta Ellis were aware of the height advantage Williams and Johnson had on them, but the Milwaukee Bucks duo showed they belong in the conversation, too. wholesale nfl jerseys . -- As it turns out, there is nothing boring about a victory at golfs third-oldest championship. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Defending champion Na Yeon Choi maintained a two-shot lead in the LPGA Malaysia, shooting a 3-under 68 on Saturday in the rain-interrupted third round. The South Korean player had a 13-under 200 total after opening with rounds of 65 and 67 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. "Actually, honestly, I dont like leading, that feeling. I like chasing better," Choi said. "But like today, I think I played too much safely. So tomorrow, Im not going to think about my score, even two-shot lead. I just go out there with a general score and play my game. I want to play lower than any day." She birdied the first hole before play was delayed for more than four hours because of lightning and rain, and finished with four birdies and a lone bogey on the 10th hole. For the third time in two years, the lights at course were turned on to help players finish. "I think I had a pretty hard time today," Choi said. "It was raining all day. Thats why I play so long. We wake up like 12 hours ago and thats a pretty long day. I have to focus on my gamee, play my game, just play one shot at a time.dddddddddddd I think thats my goal tomorrow." She won the U.S. Womens Open in July for her first major title and sixth LPGA Tour victory. South Koreas Inbee Park, the tour money leader, was second after a 65. "I think I played much better in the rain than hot," Park said. "The front nine was a little bit disappointing but I just knew the birdies would come out. I just tried to trust myself. "I think I still need a lot of birdies tomorrow to win. Ill just go out there and play aggressive and try to get myself a lot of birdies." Australias Karrie Webb was four strokes back after a 68. Norways Suzann Pettersen was 8 under, following her second-round 64 with a 70. She was in contention and only a stroke behind Choi at the turn, but had a double bogey on the 15th and a bogey on the 16th. Japans Ai Miyazato also was 8 under after a 68. The tournament opens the tours four-event Asian swing. The HanaBank Championship is scheduled for next week in South Korea, followed by stops in Taiwan and Japan. ' ' '