Denoncourt: ‘Teams deserve the best’
SOCCER AMERICA: How did it feel to be selected to ref the first game? SONIA DENONCOURT: Absolutely great. It’s a big honor for me. It’s such a big event. SA: What was it like to walk on the field? SD: We have the exact same feeling as the players. Maybe not as nervous as they are, but we have a purpose on the field. We have a job to do. There’s a lot of vibrations when you hear [77,000]. SA: FIFA must consider you the best female referee in the world … SD: I don’t know about that. But it’s good to hear if that is the case. I guess I was very fortunate to ref the games in the Women’s World Cup in Sweden and many other international championships and tournaments. I’ve reffed men’s games in Brazil and El Salvador. It’s all helped me. SA: What are your chances to work the final? SD: I take it one game at a time. Even with FIFA, they’re going to tell us one game at a time what we’re going to do, which is fair. Everyone has been appointed for the first two games, and that’s all we know. SA: What’s your reaction to the WWC ’99 using an all-female officiating crew? SD:We heard about it years before, and we kinds of knew that it was coming. As far as I’m concerned, this is great that FIFA advanced it that way. But I certainly want the best referee on the field. That’s what’s most important. The teams deserve the best referee. SA: What’s your real job? SD: I still own the bike shop in Montreal. This is my own business, which gives me the opportunity to travel and do lots of soccer. I’ve had the shop for six years and I have a co-owner, and the bike shop is called Techno Cycle. My co-owner really understands what is going on and how important soccer is to me. by Soccer America associate editor Dean Caparaz