Deanne Rose was instrumental in Canada's Olympic gold medal victory
September 8, 2021
Fear of failure is the biggest reason athletes choke.
The self-assured ones are less likely to succumb to the pressure.
Never lacking confidence, Deanne Rose was ready for the biggest challenge of her soccer career when she stepped up to take the fifth mandatory penalty kick for Canada in the Olympic championship game against Sweden.
With three straight misses and Sweden leading 2-1, Canada’s hopes of extending the shootout to sudden death and clinching its first women’s gold medal in the sport rested with the 22-year-old forward.
Asked by assistant coach Michael Norris if she would be ‘okay’ taking the decisive kick after the teams were tied 1-1 at the end of extra time, Rose agreed without hesitation.
“I knew everything was on me and I just tried to keep my mind as clear as possible,” she said. “I kept telling myself ‘We are going to be Olympic champions’, and that really helped to ease the pressure.”
Calmly stepping up to the penalty mark, Rose nonchalantly hit the ball into the top right hand corner.
“I was aiming there because that’s my spot,” she pointed out. “Not having taken a penalty during the tournament, I also figured the goalkeeper didn’t know where I was going. It didn’t matter that she went the right way.”
At the beginning of camp, players were encouraged to choose a slot they felt comfortable taking the 11-metre shot.
The second and fifth were Rose selections.
For spectators, penalty shots are nerve wracking to watch.
They are no different for players taking them.
“I am nervous every time I step up to take one,” admitted Rose who was the Canadian Under-17 Player of the Year in 2016. “At the end of the day, it’s you, the goalkeeper, the ball and the net. You take as much penalty shots in practice sessions and just try to be confident and ready to execute if you are summoned to take one.”
Her tying penalty shot and a Sweden miss opened the door for Julia Grosso’s shootout winner.
Deanne Rose shows off her Olympic gold medal (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Rose was also instrumental in Canada reaching the gold medal game.
In the semi-final against the United States, she was fouled on the edge of the penalty box with about 20 minutes remaining.
In trying to clear the ball out of bounds, Tierna Davidson inadvertently caught Rose’s legs.
The spot kick was awarded after a video review.
“It was just a weird situation,” said Rose who completed high school at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary in Tottenham, Ontario. “I was just going for the ball and I saw the defender coming. I really don’t think she knew she was going to do that. It was just kind of the way the play went down.”
Jessie Fleming converted the penalty for Canada’s first win against the Americans in two decades.
Jamaican-born parents Dean Mighty and Anne-Marie Rose-Mighty watched the tournament at home with the rest of their family members.
“We like to do that when we can’t get to games,” said her mom. “But we would have preferred to be in Japan to cheer on Deanne and the rest of the Canadians, win lose, or draw. She loves when family members are at her games and I would have wanted to give her a big hug for support.”
Rose, who has been playing the game since age four, has a knack for the big moment.
At age 17 and the youngest national team member at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the then Grade 12 student scored once, set up another goal and hit the crossbar in Canada’s 2-1 win over Brazil in the bronze medal game.
Deanne Rose was a member of the Canadian team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
August was a memorable month for Rose who has 10 goals and eight assists in 61 appearances for Canada’s senior team in the last six years.
In addition to winning an Olympic gold medal, she graduated from the University of Florida with a Sociology degree.
Getting that first degree was a huge pressure off her shoulders,” Rose-Mighty said. “She is always thriving for more than what is expected and we are looking forward to watching her getting more experience as a professional player.”
Starting 38 of 53 games, Rose – who recorded 19 goals, nine assists and 47 points and was the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year in 2017 – said she grew personally and professionally in the last four years.
“I was forced to make new friends and a whole new way of living while being on my own,” she said. “I enjoyed the experience.”
During the Olympics, news broke that Rose signed a two-year contract with Reading that competes in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League in England.
Playing professionally in Europe was a priority for the 10th player drafted last January by North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League.
“I trained with the club after I was drafted, but I always felt that playing in Europe would be a better option for me at this stage of my career,” said Rose who was celebrated at a parade in Alliston just days before joining her new club. “Soccer is a major sport in England and the women’s league has really taken off. Before the Olympics, I got some offers and I knew I wanted to be near London and be on a team that’s consistent. Reading seems like the right fit.”
National team coach Bev Priestman is confident Rose will flourish with the English club which also recently signed Canadian winger Junior Hoilett to a one-year deal.
“I am so excited for her to go professional,” she said. “I think it’s the next step in where she can be. She’s just so quick and dangerous to any team coming up against her. The minute you put her on, you are just filled with confidence because you see the opposition backline think ‘what have I got to deal with here’?”
Six years ago, Rose was at home watching the Women’s World Cup in Canada.
“I was just a fan looking at Canada compete against the rest of the world,” she noted.
While representing Scarborough GS United with just one call-up to an Under-15 camp, Rose got her big break with an invitation to an Under-17 camp in September 2015 in Burnaby where she caught the attention of former national women’s coach John Herdman.
She was part of the national squad assembled in Vancouver two months later. That was the first time they were back together after finishing sixth at the Women’s World Cup and Rose was among a new crop of young players that Herdman used the camp for assessments.
It didn’t take long for him to realize he had landed an offensive star.
After making her debut in December 2015 in a four-team tournament in Brazil that Canada won, Rose displayed her scoring prowess in the Olympic qualifier in Houston two months later, scoring three goals to help her country advance to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
