Reporting back from NSL Media Day
It was a long day at the Ontario Soccer Center, but an important and exciting one. Players came through the media room to speak to digital content producers in the last timeslot of the day, which made for a bunch of tired but happy athletes. They had spent all morning shooting promotional videos for various outlets including TSN, CBC, and OneSoccer before speaking to Mariam from Shescoresbangers and myself. 2 representatives from each of the 6 inaugural teams sat down to chat about what drew them to the league, their impressions of the standards so far, their personal goals, what we can expect from their team, and which teams or players they look forward to competing against.
The NSL’s Draw
Being part of an inaugural league comes with unknowns such as the level of play and standards off the field, but the chance to be part of history outweighed those risks for the players who’ve signed on for the inaugural. There were many reasons they were drawn to the NSL and they were specific to each player. Quinn, for example, has always loved the West coast and the city of Vancouver, specifically. It’s been a city they’ve wanted to settle down in for some time, and conversations with Stephanie Labbe certainly played a role in their decision to make the move to Rise FC. Their new (and former CanXNT) teammate Shannon Woeller agreed that it was important to see a former player in charge of determining standards on and off the pitch. It’s a homecoming for the 35-yo veteran defender, who spent years in Sweden enjoying the predictability of resources and competitive level of play. The full circle moment comes at a perfect time for the former Whitecap, who still loves to play football but wanted to return to Vancouver to start a life and home, while taking advantage of the unique opportunity to contribute to the NSL’s legacy.
New Zealand international Meikayla Moore did not have the same connection to our country as a Canadian might but still identified that same unique opportunity to be part of something from the very beginning. She was also drawn to the all-female leadership group in Calgary and their passion to get this club off the ground as one of the two first teams. Wild teammate Sonia O’Neill emphasized the same point, specifically how supported she has felt by the “professional and humble” leadership team as a new mother and professional footballer. She spoke at length about her long journey in the game which began at a time of limited pro opportunities for women. The 30-year-old Venezuelan international born in Toronto utilized her European passport to carve out her own pro path over the past decade and is excited to return home for the first time since age 17.
That was another theme. Returning home after a long time abroad. At 28, Victoria Pickett has been away from home for over a decade, first down in Wisconsin and then in three different NWSL markets - KC, New Jersey, and Cary. Although she’s only been loaned to AFC Toronto, it’s clear that she intends to stay and lay her roots in the community if it’s up to her. She’s planning on using the stability being at home affords her to re-launch her national team career via AFC Toronto, especially now that she’ll get to play in her preferred Attacking Midfield role, rather than on the wing for NC. Emma Regan will complement Pickett perfectly and have Casey Stoney’s and CanWNT fans’ eye on her in the inaugural season. After notably snubbing Toronto, Regan explained that Toronto as a women’s sports market appealed to her, as did the alignment with AFCT’s coaching staff and sporting director regarding her role in the team and personal development goals.
Desi Scott has spoken publicly about her decision to un-retire, so we won’t rehash her reasons for joining the Ottawa Rapid, but her connection to the club will extend beyond the field. The club offered her the opportunity to observe and shadow various roles in club leadership to start preparing for her true retirement down the road. The Rapid also sent Norwegian Susanne Haaland to media day who charmed us with her candid Scandinavian demeanor. She praised the clubs’ professional leadership and told us straight up that their offer played a big role in her decision. Of course, her prior relationship with Coach Pedersen both as a teammate and coach swayed her too. When asked why other Europeans (10% of all signings) may have been drawn to the project she told us that the money was a major factor, and specifically the guaranteed minimum salary of $50,000 which allows players to pursue professional football without having to find secondary jobs.
Tanya Boychuk and Mégane Sauvé are young enough to never have had to experience that reality of how lean resources are and have historically been in women’s soccer. They both went pro in the last two years, playing in Iceland and Sweden, and Portugal, respectively. Still, they can appreciate the importance of having our own league here at home. Boychuk, who calls Montreal a little slice of Europe, was impressed with the Roses’ vision for the club and her (prominent) role within it. Sauvé, a Usports graduate, stressed the importance of Montreal’s decision to select plenty of local talent, who may have otherwise been overlooked, as she and many other Quebecoises have been. The former Sporting player knows how hard it can be to make it professionally and aims to inspire others to follow her footsteps.
As usual, Erin McLeod hit us deep in the feels when discussing her motivation to join the Halifax Tides. While she knows the importance of inspiring youth, she also called the NSL “a dream come true” for a generation of older players who managed to hold on long enough for a pro league at home. Recognizing that the main factor that changed in Canadian soccer to allow this to happen was the entrance of a forward-thinking and aggressive leader in Diana Matheson, who wouldn’t take no for an answer, she also spoke about the growth of women’s sport globally and emergence of a group of powerful female investors in Canada. Her story about the full-circle moment of returning to Canada to live in the same city as her sister and nephew, who she held as a newborn and who will now be at the games holding her own child 15 years later gave me chills. Tides teammate Cristabel Oduro shared that sense of gratefulness, mentioning her desire to enjoy this opportunity while leading the next generation by sharing some of the wisdom she’s gained over the past decade as a pro.
Ottawa Rapid’s Susanne Haaland | Photo Credit: CBC
First Impressions of Training Camp and Level of Play
All of the players present at media day have pro experience, most of them half a decade or more. Even those who enter the NSL without pro experience are used to high off-field standards in the NCAA, including top medical, strength and conditioning, and nutrition resources. Therefore, we were curious about the environments clubs created in such a short turnaround time, especially the clubs who joined as late as May 2024 (Montreal and Ottawa). The players’ answers were encouraging across the board, keeping in mind that they were unlikely to slander their clubs at media day.
Sauvé and Boychuk were the most enthusiastic about what the Roses have presented to players so far. Of course, they have the newest facility. The purpsoe-built training center in Laval will also be home to the first purpose-built women’s sport facility in Canada.
“It’s top, I think it’s beating a lot of clubs in Europe. Just the amount of money being invested in the project. Everything is being put into place so that you can perform on the field, so it’s very professional. I am just enjoying it and really grateful.” - Megane Sauvé
Boychuk followed that up with “I don’t want to brag, but it’s insane. We have everything and more. Every day I walk in and my jaw drops.” Brag away, Tanya.
Quinn and Woeller were equally pleased with the professional set-up the lease with the Whitecaps affords the Rise. The two veteran professionals also praised the organization’s willingness to listen and adapt to players’ feedback, stating that everyone has the same goal.
“Vancouver has done a great job so far in setting us up with a really strong environment to be able to do our jobs well. From facilities to medical staff to food, it’s all been great.” - Shannon Woeller
In that vein, Oduro and McLeod spoke about the importance of patience and praised the Tides’ open communication and flexibility to take players' needs into account. They are currently training at a facility adjacent to the Canadian Sport Institute Atlantic, and have plans to move to Dalhousie University once temperatures increase.
“I’m impressed and proud. Owners are investing the right amount of money… I’ve played in a lot of leagues where I had to find another job to have enough money to eat, and now I’m here with my family and my newborn and we’re going to be fine. The fact that I can just focus on my job is a gift.” - Erin McLeod
It appears that clubs are covering or providing breakfast and lunch daily, while also ensuring that players have access to great facilities, and an adequate amount of support staff. A feat that took years for established leagues like the NWSL to accomplish. For example, Pickett didn’t have access to showers and changed in a portable in her first season with KC. Scott confirmed that the NSL is miles ahead of where the NWSL was in year one and praised Ottawa’s set-up, from their own, branded space, to the meals provided.
“If I were to present you what a professional set-up looks like, this would be it” - Susanne Haaland
On the pitch, players stressed that their respective teams are still gelling, but that the first impressions have been really good.
“First impressions of training camp have been really, really good. Everyone has come in with a ton of energy. We’re still meshing as a team. The effort and the mentality is there 100%, from day one. Coaches are great. The organization is very thoughtful and thorough and has taken good care of us.” - Emma Regan
Goals for the season
There are just over 40 days until the inaugural match between Vancouver and Calgary, but it’s not too early to start setting intentions for the season, so we asked the players what their personal and team goals are for year one. As anticipated given the strength of their rosters, Toronto and Vancouver players came out hot, clearly stating that they intend to win the league.
Quinn alluded to their competitive nature and goal to lead the Rise to the top of the league. Off the field, they intend to help establish a player’s association and work toward the league’s first CBA, something they are familiar with due to their roles with the XNT and COC. Woeller emphasized the team’s focus on “pushing the standards” both on and off the pitch, for themselves and for the league. The Rise want to be a dominant team, focused on controlling the play and playing an exciting brand of football. The veteran’s personal goal is to show Canadians the footballer she has developed into over the past years as well as help her teammates grow too.
Toronto will be happy to spoil Vancouver’s party. With talented Canadians like Regan, Pickett, Mya Jones, Ashley Cathro, and Kaela Hansen complimented by internationals like Croix Soto, Hong Hye-Ji, and Aoi Kizaki, AFCT will like their chances of taking the league by storm. Pickett went ahead and said it directly:
“I just want to win it all. Let’s get after it this year, we want to be the top team in the NSL. It’s going to be competitive and we just want to beat everyone’s ass.”
She was also candid when discussing her personal goal of getting back into the National team and seeing Toronto as the perfect place to achieve that goal, especially because she will play in her preferred position. Off the field, she aims to continue mental health advocacy work that earned her an NWSL Lauren Holiday Impact award nomination last year.
Regan plans to balance taking things day by day instead of looking too far in the future, a mindset that has served her well in the last few years as a pro and over the last two national team camps. She’ll be a key defensive anchor allowing the talented attackers in front of her to unleash their creativity.
Their former CanWNT teammate Scott struck a more modest tone and spoke about striking a balance between ambition and fun, chaos and structure, and performing to the standard she expects of herself and Canadians expect from her as the Destroyer. Haaland emphasized her hope to bring her technical and tactical strengths to the pitch and bring her coaches’ vision to life for the Rapid.
Sauvé is eager to bring what she has learned in her last two years in Portugal back home to Montreal, specifically the technical skills she has gained. Boychuk spoke more generally about making an impact on and off the pitch, bringing a lot of value to the team and inspiring fans with her play.
Calgary’s Moore also spoke about leveraging her experience to set standards and help young players grow. She specifically mentioned 17-yo twins Keelyn and Taegan Stewart who “are like sponges” and eager to learn. Last but not least, Oduro spoke about enjoying being the best player she can be, enjoying her football, and leaving an impression each time she is on the pitch given her limited time left in the pro game due to her age.
What to expect from each team
Vancouver - dominance, controlling possession, exciting football, competitiveness
Calgary - goal of being the most cohesive and connected team in the league with an eye on long-term player development
Toronto - exciting attacking football, gritty and hard-working, emphasis on technicality
Ottawa - possession-based style, physicality, willing to grind, well-rounded and balanced
Montreal - dynamic, high goal-scoring, a strong unit with an emphasis on teamwork vs individual stars
Halifax - humble, hard-working, and hard to beat
Who they’re looking forward to playing against
Sauvé - Roses are looking forward to testing themselves against Toronto given the strength of their squad and the Toronto-Montreal rivalry
Boychuk - Mya Jones and AFC Toronto because they are good friends, former Memphis teammates, and she is her favourite player to play with
Regan - excited to play opposite Sam Chang against Vancouver because they were teammates in Denmark, and Tanya Boychuk because they played together with the Whitecaps growing up
Pickett - playing against Desi Scott and Ottawa because they were teammates at KC, and Quinn because they are the biggest name in the league. Looking forward to “beating both”.
Scott - looking forward to the home opener at TD place against Toronto, rivalries and shit-talking has already started among current and former CanWNT players