1 InsideHalton Article: Appleby grad anchoring soccer show

May 2, 2010 5:30:58 PMhttp://www.insidehalton.com/sports/article/807426--appleby-grad-anchoring-soccer-show

Movies | Photos | Videos | Slideshows | Print Editions | Blogs OVERCAST 21°C | WEATHER FORECASTConnect with Facebook | Login/Register

Articles Photos Videos Businesses

Small - Large | Print | Email | Add to Favourites |

Daniel Perry, Special to the Beaver | Apr 29, 2010 - 3:22 PM | 2

Appleby grad anchoring soccer show. Lara Baldesarra

Appleby grad anchoring soccer showLara Baldesarra grew up spendingher time the same way many localyouth do once the sunny weatherhits: loving and playing soccer.

“I was involved in every sport underthe sun when I was a kid,” said the25-year-old Appleby Collegegraduate. “I playedfootball,basketball, swimming, gymnastics,baseball and everything else. Butsoccer was always my first love. Itwas the sport I excelled in the mostand the one I was the mostpassionate about.”

Baldesarra moved to Oakville in1999 so she could attend Appleby.

“Besides the school being a greatplace, the (town) was also a greatplace to grow up,” she said.“Downtown Oakville was an amazing place to hang out and run into people. The waterfront festival is a summer

Home sports Appleby grad anchoring...

Enter Search Text ...

Announcements Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals Classifieds Flyers

» »

Home News Sports What's On Opinion Community

2 InsideHalton Article: Appleby grad anchoring soccer show

May 2, 2010 5:30:58 PMhttp://www.insidehalton.com/sports/article/807426--appleby-grad-anchoring-soccer-show

Small - Large | Print | Email | Add to Favourites |

Sports

Canadian kickboxers dominate vs. U.S.

Junior racquetball nationals wrapping up

Turkey hunt underway in public forests of north HaltonOutdoor clubCanada vs. U.S. on Saturday kickbox card

Angus, Arnold, Goto, Schnurr and WeslockSlo-pitch league’s gift to Special OlympicsMAC eighth at provincialsEarly Bird tourneyGymnasts excel at provincials

“Downtown Oakville was an amazing place to hang out and run into people. The waterfront festival is a summerstaple, which I still try to attendevery year. And Glen Abbey is always good to play.”

She will always remember her time in this town and she still enjoys kicking a ball around when she gets the chance.But her childhoodpassion has been tweaked a bit.

Baldesarra is currently an anchor and reporter on the Fox Soccer Report, North America’s most-watched dailysoccer show. She says the job is a dream come true, except for the fact that shemisses her life in Oakville and all ofher friends and family.

A normal day at work for her now begins at 10 a.m. and ends around 9:30 p.m., once the daily live show has beenfilmed. She’s pretty much glued to her desk every day researching and writing her stories and highlights, editing andtrying to stay on top of any soccer news.

“I’ve always been passionate about soccer. I mighthave been the only little girl that wanted to watch classic soccermatches in black and white with her dad,” said Baldesarra, a former University of Toronto economic geographystudent who never dreamt of pursuing a sports reporter job.

Baldesarra graduated from U of T in 2008. She quickly joined Rogers TV as a sports host as well as the colourcommentator for the CanadianSoccer League. She worked as an intern on TSN’s Off The Record with MichaelLandsberg until she caught her biggest break. Just this past December, she auditionedfor Fox’s new soccer show,based out of Winnipeg, and was a hit.

She made the move to southern Manitoba in the middle of the winter.

During her first few months, her biggest focus was staying warm. Now, with the sunny weather back again, shespends her days off walking around and exploring her new home.

And, perhaps, looking for a game of pick-up soccer.

User CommentsLogin to comment

More Stories

| Apr 21

Rosie O'Donnell paintingsupports IronDamesfundraiser

Featured

» »

Newest first