A Greater Sudbury woman is headed to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France with Canada’s national soccer team.
Jenna Hellstrom is a 24-year-old professional soccer player that is known for her explosive speed, but it hasn’t always been easy. Hellstrom says she got cut from a team at 14, which was devastating at first, but it made her realize how much she really loved the sport. And, she didn’t let one disappointment deter her.
The forward credits her speed to time spent healing from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she sustained when she was 16 and playing for the provincial team in Toronto. She recalls coming back from that injury was hard on her, both physically and mentally, but ultimately thinks it made her a better player and person.
She was cleared to return to the sport after six months, and returned to play at a higher level with the National Training Centre. She then went on to earn a soccer scholarship at Kent State University in Ohio, and is the school’s all-time leader in 12 different categories including: goals, assists, game-winning goals, and points. She graduated with a degree in sports administration and a minor in business.
Prior to that, she attended Carl A. Nesbitt Public School and went onto graduate from Lasalle Secondary, both in Sudbury. She played soccer competitively in the Greater Sudbury Impact and Panhellenic leagues.
Hellstrom made her debut for Canada in the 2018 Algarve Cup, and is currently playing professionally as a forward for her third soccer club in Sweden, KIF Örebro.
The Hellstroms are a sports family. Her father is the athletic director for Laurentian University, and her sister, Karly, followed in Jenna’s footsteps and is also attending Kent State on a soccer scholarship.
When asked what she would say to aspiring young athletes, she says to never give up and to believe in yourself, but to also make sure to create your own chances.
“There is no reason anyone from a small town can’t make it!” said Hellstrom.
The women’s national team has been training for the past two weeks in Spain. She says the preparation has been ‘crazy,’ but there is a large staff that looks after the athletes,ensuring that they aren’t overloaded. While the games ahead are high stakes, coaches ensure the players have balance and schedule regular down time.
Hellstrom says the coaching staff is always working and very knowledgeable. She says they are some of the best because they really take the time to get to know the players and are extremely helpful and approachable.
The team is leaving Spain for France on June 4, but their first World Cup game is not until June 10, when they play against the Central African country of Cameroon. The international tournament runs until July 7.
When asked which countries are the teams to beat, she says there are five: Canada, England, France, United States, and Germany.
Regardless of how the team does, there is no doubt that many will be cheering for Sudbury’s contribution to the team, Jenna Hellstrom.
