Two months ago, if you had told 16-year-old Sura Yekka that she would be a member of Canadas womens national team, she wouldnt have believed such a thing was possible. “I wouldnt have expected it. I would have been, like, ‘Oh, thats a good joke!” said Yekka on Wednesday. “It was crazy…I went to the Canada - U.S. game (in June) and I was a fan and then, within a couple of months, Im now part of the team…its just unreal,” she explained, trying to put into context how much her soccer career has changed in such a short period of time. It would be completely understandable if Yekka was overwhelmed by it all. Players who she grew up idolizing, the likes of Christine Sinclair and Diana Matheson, are now her teammates. But she isnt. In fact, shes taking it all in her stride. “When Im a little awestruck, its more off the field. But when Im on the field, Im like ‘These are my teammates, like ‘Im in the zone now”, said Yekka. Once she steps over the white line and the ball comes out, shes in her element. Yekka has all of the characteristics that you look for in a modern fullback: she is quick, agile, technically sound and has good natural instincts for when to jump into the attack. The area of her game that still needs work - which is understandable, given her age and relative inexperience - is her reading of the game and her positional awareness. Those can be taught and, the more time Yekka spends with the womens team and its coaching staff, the more she will improve in these areas. Over the next six months, Yekka will be preparing for the FIFA U-20 Womens World Cup, being held in Canada. With venues in Edmonton, Moncton, Montreal and Toronto, Yekka is excited about the prospect of playing in front of family and friends. “Its going to be a dream come true. The amount of people who are going to be there and knowing that your friends and family are going to be in the crowd and knowing that, no matter what, people are going to be there to support you…its going to be absolutely crazy. Its going to be so exciting,” she enthused. Aside from the thrill of playing in the U-20 World Cup, Yekka also sees the tournament as an opportunity to stake a claim to a place in the senior squad for the World Cup in 2015. “I feel like I need to do the best that I can to gain as much World Cup experience because everyone on the senior team has World Cup experience, no matter what level they have…and I feel like Im the only one thats lacking it so I feel like I need that. The fact that its home makes me more determined to do well,” said Yekka. That determination should see Yekkas star continue to shine. If she performs as well as she has shown in recent months, it will go a long way towards securing a spot on the senior team for the main event in 2015. So youd better get used to hearing Sura Yekkas name - I suspect youll be hearing it a great deal for years to come. J.A. Happ Jersey . Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Etoo scored for his fourth different team. On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game hell want to forget. Roberto Osuna Jersey . FIFA said the suspension was requested by ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia, making Beckenbauer the first person to be punished as a result of the case. Beckenbauer refused "repeated requests for his assistance, including requests that he provide information during an in-person interview or in response to written questions provided in both English and German," FIFA said in a statement. http://www.authenticbluejaysgear.com/blue-jays-joe-carter-jersey/ . - The Raiders have released guard Mike Brisiel after two disappointing seasons in Oakland. Justin Smoak Jersey . In his first game with Boston University, the 17-year-old Eichel picked up five assists as his Boston University Terriers thumped St. Curtis Granderson Jersey . -- Oakland Athletics starting pitchers Jarrod Parker and A.DUNEDIN, Florida – In one of his post-game scrums last summer, R.A. Dickey referred to his knuckleball as a "capricious animal," a phrase meant to describe the unpredictability, the figurative moodiness, of his strange pitch. Erik Kratz was behind the plate to start Thursdays 7-5 win over the Phillies. He was catching Dickey for the first time in game action and afterward, could attest to his pitchers apt terminology. Asked how he thought he did on Day One, Kratz turned the tables. "How did you think I did?" He was told he did fine. "Okay, well then I did fine," said Kratz. "It wasnt perfect. I had the anticipated anxiety that I thought I would." Just how anxious was he? "I caught myself not breathing a couple of times and everything like that." Armed with a first basemans glove rather than the oversized catchers mitt preferred by most knuckleball catchers, Kratz understands hell have to be a quick study in learning both the physical and mental requirements of the job. "Just the idea of trying to relax, being out there, getting a different visual but I felt like it went very well," he said. "I felt like there is plenty of room for improvement but I think a lot of things Ive seen in his bullpen sessions, it was good to see in the game. Good to see him be able to change speeds and everything like that." Dickey laboured through the first inning, giving up a lead-off dunk single to Ben Revere. One out later, Brett Lawrie airmailed a throw to second on a Bobby Abreu chopper, putting Phillies on the corners. After Darin Ruf walked to load the bases, a Dickey knuckleball to Maikel Franco eluded Kratz for a passed ball which scored Revere from third. Its not how you would think Kratz would prefer to have drawn it up. Its his first game catching Dickey, in the first inning and the first time with a runner on third and a knuckler gets by him. But he was more than happy to make a mistake in a spring game. Passed balls are going to happen. The key is to not get psyched out; dont make the same mistake twice. "You can say, okay, well, it was a passed ball, wild pitch, it was a tough one to get but you have to be ready for the next one," said Kratz. "I was proud of myself. I was happy about the way I was able to relax." Dickey limits the in-game responsibility of his catcher to receiving his pitch. He calls his own game, communicating velocity to his catcher in ways he wont describe publicly. Hes not going to tip his hand. Dickey doesnt even want Kratz to form a hard target with his glove. "Its probably better for the catcher and for me, for that matter, if hes just nice and relaxed," said Dickey. "Im far enough along in my process where I can pick out a shin guard and hit a fastball.dddddddddddd I dont need him to give me a target. "Plus, if hes only giving a target on fastballs then everybody in the stadium is going to know that hey, if he gives you a target its going to be a fastball and if he doesnt give you a target its going to be a knuckleball so I just like him to be nice and relaxed back there, whatever gives him the best chance to consistently catch the ball." Given the uncertainty over Dioner Navarros ability to catch more than 100 games - since Navarro hasnt done so since 2009 - the Jays are looking for more offence from their second catcher. Kratz, with 18 home runs in a back-up role over the last two seasons with the Phillies, fits the bill. Josh Thole, who caught Dickey and served as the back-up catcher after Henry Blanco was released last June, appears to be the odd man out. "Hes going to play a lot," said Gibbons. "We want to make sure he gets some playing time and then well see how it develops. Kratz is going to catch (Dickey) early on, see how that develops, and then go from there." Dickeys knuckleball topped out at 73 miles per hour on Thursday. He struck out two Phillies over two innings, one on a 61-mile-per-hour knuckler and another at 63 miles per hour. He wants his hard knuckleball at 77 by opening day, his floater at 65. Dickey says hes on target to achieve those radar gun readings, adding hes feeling much stronger than he did at the end of last February, when his knuckleball was topping out in the low-70s in early Grapefruit League action. ENCARNACION HAPPY AT FIRST BASE Edwin Encarnacion chuckled at the suggestion he wants to be, or has asked to be, a full-time designated hitter. "No, whatever the manager wants to do Im ready for it," said Encarnacion. "If I have to play every day at first, Ill play. If I have to play both, Im ready for it." Encarnacion played 79 games at first base last season. He served as the designated hitter on 55 occasions. "I like to play DH sometimes because I have more time to go to the computer, watch the pitcher, watch the video," said Encarnacion. "When you play defence you dont have time to do that but for me, if I have to play first base, I dont have a problem with that." Funny, Encarnacions numbers last season were almost indistinguishable. As a first baseman, he compiled a .272/.367/.527 slash line with 19 home runs in 294 at-bats. As a DH: .270/.374/.530 and 13 home runs in 200 at-bats. ROGERS A FATHER Congratulations to Esmil Rogers, the proud father of a baby daughter. Mom and little Elaina are in Denver and doing well. Rogers was there for the birth, returned to Dunedin on Wednesday and pitched in Thursdays game, giving up two runs in one inning of work. 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