Title

Formica, Cristina Marie

Type

Athlete

Sport

English Soccer

Inducted

2023

Era

1991 - Present

Description

Cristina Formica started playing soccer with Niagara Falls Soccer Club at the age of four. She played house league until age 13 and then competitive soccer in the South Region Soccer League. Cristina also played house league and travel hockey for the Niagara Rapids girls hockey team until she was 15 and decided to focus on soccer. In 1998, she made a St. Catharines Ontario Youth Soccer League team and played on that team for 2 years. In 1998, they won the Division Title, League Cup, and Ontario Cup. This team ultimately represented Ontario in the National Championships in Saskatoon, and won a Gold Medal in the 1998 Ontario Summer Games. She went on to play for the OYSL provincial women’s team.

In high school, Cristina received the Saint Michael Catholic High School Athlete of the Year award for all 5 years and played basketball, volleyball, badminton, hockey, and soccer. When graduating, she had over 60 universities across Canada and the United States scouting her, ultimately accepting an academic and athletic scholarship at Brock University. While attending Brock and studying to become a teacher, she continued to play soccer for the Brock Badgers and was captain in her final two years. She earned the titles MVP during the 2005-06 season, OUA First Team All-Star, CIS Championship All-Star and CIS First Team All Canadian in 2005 before graduating in 2006. Post-graduation, Cristina was still involved with the team as she was asked to be an Assistant Coach, which she held until 2018.

Unfortunately, after a serious knee injury, Cristina was advised by her doctor that it would be in her best interest to stop playing the sport she’s always loved. Cristina is still a full-time Phys-ed teacher at Saint Michael Catholic High School, coaches the girls soccer (whom she’s lead to five consecutive OFSAA championships) and hockey teams at the school, and only recently retired from coaching the Brock team to focus on her new child.

Subject

Awards

Portraits - Biographical

Niagara Falls Virtual Sports Wall of Fame

Sports - Recreation - Leisure