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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 31 MAGIC MOMENT: An elated Diana Matheson proudly displays the Canadian flag after scoring the game-winning goal in the final minute of injury time in the Olympic women's soccer bronzemedal game yesterday in London. A moment that will forever be part of... STEVE RUSSELL / TORONTO STAR CANA-DIANA Matheson's heroics no surprise to those who know her well By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Yesterday in London, the smallest player on the pitch scored the biggest goal in Canadian women's soccer history, tallying in the final minute of injury time to give her team a 1-0 win over France in the Olympic bronze-medal game. And, back in Diana Matheson's hometown of Oakville, across the Atlantic Ocean nearly 6,000 kilometres away, not many who know the diminutive midfielder seemed surprised. "Diana is just the workhorse of that team. The role she plays is a thankless one," said Paul Varian, chief administrative officer of the Oakville Soccer Club (OSC), the club that developed Matheson as a youngster. "Very often, people overlook her, because she's not necessarily the one scoring the goals or playing the flair position. But you ask anyone on that team who is one of the most important people on that team, and they'll tell you Diana. To see her step up and redefine history for Canadian soccer... is so wonderful for Diana, the OSC and everyone who's been part of her development." Despite coming up through the OSC as well, 23-year-old Justine Bernier did not really know the 28-year-old Matheson until training with the White Oaks grad and the rest of the Canadian team earlier this "Very often, people year in Vancouver. "I only really personally overlook her... but you got to know her then, and ask anyone on that only as good as you can get team who is one of the to know somebody on the field," said Bernier, who was most important people the alternate goalie for the on that team, and women's Olympic team and they'll tell you Diana." would have got the call to London had either Erin Oakville Soccer Club McLeod or Karina LeBlanc chief administrative officer been injured during the Paul Varian Olympic tournament. "She was one of those players where you don't need to necessarily know her very well personally to look up to her. She just leads by example so much." A big part of that, Bernier said, might be due to the fivefoot-nothing stature of the veteran midfielder. "I'm sure some people naturally overlook her because of her size," Bernier said, "but there's no doubt about it, what she lacks in size she makes up for in every other aspect of her game." Overlooked as youngster Yes, size was never Matheson's greatest ally. It's a reason she was repeatedly passed up by provincial teams in her youth, and a reason she played just one friendly for the under-20 national team. But she persevered, thanks to a work ethic that many describe as second to none. Alison Meinert, owner of the Soccer World location in Oakville, remembers Matheson as a hard-working, energetic and passionate employee in the mid-2000s. "Any task you gave her, she carried it through without a problem and always did extra, always with a smile," said Meinert. "I always felt she was going to be something." Matheson's drive and determination makes her an inspirational figure to youngsters like 13-year-old Sofia Borea. "Since I've started playing, I've always been the shortest player," said Borea, a member of the OSC's under-13 girls' A See Matheson, page 32