Martina Marie Franko (; born January 13, 1976) is a Canadian soccer defender who played for Vancouver Whitecaps.

Career

Franko performs a versatile role, and can play as either a midfielder or forward. She has been a regular on Surrey United women's premier division team playing in the British Columbia-based Metro Women's Soccer League for the past two years. The MWSL plays in the winter so no major conflict with summer leagues such as W-League.

Martina Franko

In her club career, Franko has won two W-League titles with the Vancouver Whitecaps, in 2004 and 2006. After one year for Los Angeles Sol in the Women's Professional Soccer League turned on April 1, 2010 back to her former club Vancouver Whitecaps.

Martina Franko

International career

Franko won her first cap for Canada in 2005, aged 29. She scored her first goal on her second cap, against Germany, in a 4–3 loss. At the 2007 Pan American Games, she helped the team achieve a bronze medal in the soccer competition; later that year, she played in her first major, FIFA affiliated tournament with the Canada team, the 2007 World Cup, where she played all three group stage matches, scoring one goal, before the team was knocked out. She also competed for the team at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Martina Franko

Personal life

She moved to Squamish, British Columbia, home of her husband John, in 2003.

Her parents, Dana Holanová and Jaromír Holan, were the Czechoslovak national champions in ice dancing in the 1960s.

Coaching career

In January 2008, Franko joined Quest University Canada as head coach of the varsity women's soccer team.

Franko, also a Canadian National B licensed coach, served as an assistant coach for the Tigers during the 1998 season after receiving her bachelor's degree in psychology.

Honours

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

USL W-League championship

Winner (2): 2004, 2006

Individual

2022: Canada Soccer Hall of Fame

References

External links

Official site

/ Canada Soccer Hall of Fame

1976 births

Living people

Soccer players from Cincinnati

Colorado College Tigers women's soccer players

Naturalized citizens of Canada

Canadian people of Czech descent

Canadian women's soccer players

Canada women's international soccer players

Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States

Women's association football midfielders

Women's association football forwards

Vancouver Whitecaps FC (women) players

Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Olympic soccer players for Canada

Los Angeles Sol players

Pan American Games competitors for Canada

USL W-League (1995–2015) players

California Storm players

Women's Premier Soccer League players

2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players

Footballers at the 2007 Pan American Games

College women's soccer coaches in the United States

Women's Professional Soccer players

Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada

Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games

Pan American Games medalists in football