Bard-Martel Named Canada U-20 GK Coach, Carr Announces Temporary Replacement

NORMAN — University of Oklahoma assistant coach Maryse Bard-Martel has been named the goalkeeper coach for the Canada Soccer Women's U-20 National Team for the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica. Canada Soccer announced the 21-player squad and coaching staff on Friday.

OU's third-year goalie coach and Quebec native, Bard-Martel, served in the same role for the U-20 team's bronze-medal finish at the Concacaf Women's Under-20 Championship earlier this year.

Bard-Martel and the team will travel to Costa Rica next month as one of 16 countries competing in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022 from August 10-28.

"We're extremely excited for Maryse to have this opportunity," said OU head soccer coach Mark Carr. "She played for Canada at the U17 WNT and U20 WNT levels and now she gets to coach on that stage. There's nothing like representing your country and we wish her well."

As Bard-Martel will be with Canada Soccer for the next month, Carr has announced a temporary replacement for the Sooners' goalkeeping coach position. Joining OU for the beginning of the season will be former OU GK coach and most recently the goalie coach for the OKC Energy, Alexis Vizarelis.

"I feel blessed that we have someone of Lexi's caliber to step in on a short-term basis while Maryse is gone," continued Carr. "Lexi is one the best at what he does here in Oklahoma. With his college- and professional-level experience, he will make it a seamless transition for our goalkeepers and team."

Vizarelis, also currently serving as a technical director with the Energy, spent two seasons with the Sooners from 2016-17 and helped OU to its first NCAA Tournament win in program history in 2016. A coaching veteran in the state of Oklahoma, Vizarelis worked as an assistant coach of the men's and women's teams at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) for 14 seasons, where he helped win 10 Sooner Athletic Conference titles and nine trips to the NAIA National Championships.

An experienced player himself, the Chelmsford, Essex, product graduated from USAO with a Bachelor of Science in physical education and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2003. One of the most decorated goalies in USAO's history, Vizarelis recorded 21 shutouts in his career was inducted into the USAO Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 after an NAIA All-American and All-Conference career. Throughout his career, he also played for the Arsenal Youth Football Club, Charlton Athletic Youth Football Club, Tonbridge Angels Football Club and Canvey Island Football Club.

Vizarelis will begin at OU immediately as the Sooners are set to begin the 2022 season August 12 with an exhibition match vs. Texas State in Frisco, Texas.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma Soccer, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_WSoccer) and like Oklahoma Soccer on Facebook.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Bard-Martel Named Canada U-20 GK Coach, Carr Announces Temporary Replacement

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