By Richard Scott, CSA, October 10, 2009

There is a quiet legend on the roster of British Columbia's Surrey United Soccer Club, one of eight teams participating in this year's BMO National Championships Jubilee Trophy competition. Geraldine Donnelly, better known as Geri, is a pioneer of Canadian women's soccer, a 43-year old midfielder who could have been inducted into The Soccer Hall of Fame five years ago.
 
"She has been a great role model, not only for the team, but for all the younger players in the club," said Martin Fodden, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Surrey United Soccer Club. "She has had phenomenal success, kept herself in very good shape with very high standards, and always maintained a professional approach to the game."
 
Donnelly has announced that she will retire after the 2009 BMO National Championships in Saskatoon, SK. She will make one last run for a national championship before hanging up her boots on Monday 12 October.
 
"It's time," said Donnelly. "It's been a long haul and I am looking forward to retiring."
 
Donnelly's international career ended in 1999 after Canada's second participation at the FIFA Women's World Cup. Had she retired then, she could have been inducted into The Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004 after the required five-year waiting period. Instead, she has soldiered on at the club level, helping Surrey United win six-straight provincial titles from 2004 to 2009.

In the last five years at the BMO National Championships, she has won three bronze medals (2004, 2005, 2008), one silver medal (2007) and one gold medal (2006 at home in Surrey). She hopes to retire on a high note with one more Jubilee Trophy championship to her credit.

"We're still looking forward to getting to the final," said Donnelly. "This is our sixth time here and we have only won it once. We are eager to get back to that final match."
 
For those that don't know Donnelly, she was an original member of Canada's women's national team back in 1986. She scored the first two goals in program history, a 2:1 victory over USA on 9 July 1986. She went on to make 71 appearances for the national team, "retiring" in 1999 as the Canada's all-time leader in appearances. She participated in two FIFA Women's World Cups (Sweden 1995 and USA 1999) and won one CONCACAF Championship (1998). She also won Canadian Player of the Year honours in 1996, an award that was only first introduced in 1993.