Gil Vainshtein (born 29 October 1984 in
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) is a
Canadian
Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
player who plays as a
midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
for the
Italia Shooters
York Region Shooters is a Canadian soccer team, that plays in the Canadian Soccer League. The Shooters played their home games at the St. Joan of Arc Turf Field in the City of Vaughan, Ontario. The team's colours were blue and white, mirroring t ...
of the
Canadian Soccer League
The Canadian Soccer League (CSL; ) is a semi-professional league for Canadian soccer clubs primarily located in the province of Ontario, and claims the history of the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL). It is a non-FIFA league previously ...
. In university he played for
Alderson-Broaddus College, with whom he was named to the 2005 NSCAA/Adidas
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
All-Appalachian Region second team, and named 2005 First Team All-
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) was a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference which historically operated exclusively in the state of West Virginia, but briefly had one Kentucky member in its early y ...
(WVIAC). Professionally, he has played for the
North York Astros
The North York Astros were a Canadian soccer team that was founded in 1990. The team initially played in the National Soccer League. The team played their home games at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York, a district of the city of Toronto, Ca ...
and the
Italia Shooters
York Region Shooters is a Canadian soccer team, that plays in the Canadian Soccer League. The Shooters played their home games at the St. Joan of Arc Turf Field in the City of Vaughan, Ontario. The team's colours were blue and white, mirroring t ...
. Vainshtein played for and was team captain of the Canadian football squad that competed at the
2009 Maccabiah Games
The 18th Maccabiah Games (), were held in July 2009. According to the organizing committee these were the largest games held yet. These Games were the world's fifth-largest sporting event, behind the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Poli ...
in Israel, and won a bronze medal, and also played for Team Canada in the
2013 Maccabiah Games
The 19th Maccabiah () were held during July 18 to 30, 2013.
The Games brought together 7,500 competing athletes, making it the third-largest international sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. The Maccabiah he ...
, winning a second bronze medal.
Biography
Playing career
Vainshtein is a
midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
in
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
.
He attended
Alderson-Broaddus College in
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, playing for its soccer team the Battlers, and graduating in 2007. In his junior year, Vainshtein was named by the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America
The United Soccer Coaches (formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)) is an organization of United States, American soccer Coach (sport), coaches founded in 1941. It is the largest soccer coaches organization i ...
to the 2005 NSCAA/Adidas
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
All-Appalachian Region second team. He was also named 2005 First Team All-
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) was a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference which historically operated exclusively in the state of West Virginia, but briefly had one Kentucky member in its early y ...
(WVIAC).
In 2007, he played for the
North York Astros
The North York Astros were a Canadian soccer team that was founded in 1990. The team initially played in the National Soccer League. The team played their home games at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York, a district of the city of Toronto, Ca ...
in Canada.
In 2008 Vainshtein played for the
Italia Shooters
York Region Shooters is a Canadian soccer team, that plays in the Canadian Soccer League. The Shooters played their home games at the St. Joan of Arc Turf Field in the City of Vaughan, Ontario. The team's colours were blue and white, mirroring t ...
in Canada.
In 2009, Vainshtein played for and was team captain of the Canadian football squad that competed at the
2009 Maccabiah Games
The 18th Maccabiah Games (), were held in July 2009. According to the organizing committee these were the largest games held yet. These Games were the world's fifth-largest sporting event, behind the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Poli ...
in
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, and won a bronze medal. He also played for Team Canada in the
2013 Maccabiah Games
The 19th Maccabiah () were held during July 18 to 30, 2013.
The Games brought together 7,500 competing athletes, making it the third-largest international sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. The Maccabiah he ...
, winning a second bronze medal.
Statistics
References
1984 births
Living people
Alderson Broaddus Battlers men's soccer players
Men's association football defenders
Men's association football midfielders
Canadian men's soccer players
Canadian people of Israeli descent
Canadian people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
Canadian Soccer League (1998–present) players
Competitors at the 2009 Maccabiah Games
Competitors at the 2013 Maccabiah Games
Jewish Canadian sportspeople
North York Astros players
Maccabiah Games bronze medalists for Canada
Maccabiah Games medalists in football
Ukrainian emigrants to Canada
Jewish Ukrainian sportspeople
York Region Shooters players
21st-century Canadian sportsmen
{{Canada-footy-bio-stub