Everyone knows the fight to keep up with their long -term friends. Trying to keep up with your long -distance Olympic teammates can be more or a battle if you play professional female basketball.
Such women often play throughout the year, worldwide. From WNBA in the United States, to Leagues in Europe, Asia and Australia, to the opposite schedules of the WNBA basketball season and the NCAA College, female basketball has become a sport throughout the year. But for the Canadian National Team, which expect to return to both World Cup 2026 in Germany and the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, staying connected is of the utmost importance.
The Canadian program seems especially widespread worldwide: Kia’s nurse, Bridget Carleton, Aaliyah Edwards, Laeticia Amihere and now Yvonne Ejim are currently in WNBA training fields in the United States. Amihere and Carleton spent their low season playing in Europe, while the nurse was between Toronto, working as a radio station, and Nashville, playing in unlimited athletes. Edwards stayed in the United States, but headed to Miami to participate in the unique 3×3 League. Young stars in Syla Swords, Avery Howell, Cass Prosper and Toby Fournier have just finished their university seasons. Sami Hill, Kayla Alexander and Shay Colley are finishing their seasons in Europe. You can see how it can be difficult to gather everyone for a game or collection.
But the occupied schedules of the team do not prevent them from connecting, as Aaliyah Edwards pointed out on the media day of Washington Mystics. Everyone has the same goal: to enter the podium, either in the World Cup next autumn in Germany or in the next Olympic Games in 2028. That desire to demonstrate their value as a team and show the world the potential of Canada’s basketball as a program keeps them focused regardless of where they are.
“We have a [WhatsApp] Chat, ”said Edwards, who is preparing for his second season at the WNBA.
“We all introduce ourselves and we always register, we have ‘Do you prefer’ Wednesday?” He added with a smile.
Most of the team will be joined for the FIBA Americanup female in June/July 2025, separated from the WNBA players who will play in their season. Canada has been attracted to group A along with the Dominican Republic, Argentina, El Salvador and Brazil. From there, they will go to classification tournaments for the 2026 World Cup, hoping to follow up in their fourth place in the 2022 World Cup in Australia.
The team had a disappointing performance at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, where they used 0-3 and failed to get out of their group. Leaving that tournament, the program is going through many changes, separating from its coaching staff from this previous cycle. The captain of the team and veteran Natalie Achonwa also announced her retirement.
This next international cycle will welcome a new generation of talent to the program, rather young stars like Syla Swords. The swords made multiple teams of all conferences in Michigan last year, after becoming the young person in Canadian history to represent the country in Olympic basketball.
With all this change in progress, the team has managed to stay connected. Edwards points out how “refreshing” is when he can see his teammates on the road during the WNBA season. While Edwards plays with the Mystics, Carleton is with the Minnesota Lynx, the nurse is in Chicago with the sky, and Amihere will play in Golden State with the Valkyries. Yvonne Ejim was recruited by Indiana’s fever and will compete for a place on the list before the opening day.
Just when they are separated, Canadians are the largest exaggerated women. When Edwards reached the final of the unique 1 to 1 tournament earlier this year, his teammates in Canada were social networks promoting it.
As for keeping that chemistry alive while preparing for another cycle of international competition, Edwards says it is “never a problem.” She is always delighted to consult with her teammates online and can’t wait to get to the floor for Team Canada again.
