1 on 1 with Audra Sherman

There are a few aspects which make our club identity unique. For starters off the field it’s our professionalism. Our ownership and leadership group have professional (current and past) experience at various levels of the game either as players, coaches, managers, and executives.

The club’s philosophy and business model are designed to operate as a professional standard club. Ownership and Leadership are actively invested and engaged in the quickly evolving football climate in Ontario and Canada which allows for sustainable growth for our club.

Speaking specifically on the women’s side our mission is to advance, advocate and accelerate a professional and sustainable future for women in football.

On field identify will reflect our core values:

Accountability

Connection

Trust

Commitment

Excellence

The on-field outcome goal is to win trophies for the club.

Our performance standards, finish top of the table and have individual players recognize for talent by earning awards or breaking into professional football.

Off-field goals, learn from each season and continue to elevate the club and the game.

We aligned with our core values, particularly commitment, connection, and excellence. We built our inaugural team around post university players who have the commitment, talent, and drive to break into professional football. Accompanied with a strong base of talented and diverse core of Usport players, who’s collegiate season aligns with league 1 Ontario season. This alignment will bring cohesion and consistent performance all season.

Building a brand is a long game with no end to the work. The process is much more enjoyable when all involved align with their authentic self and build based on collective core values.

To truly elevate football in our country we need to change the landscape at the senior competitive level. Which only leads to promotion/relegation. At the moment, we have a mix bag of competition which creates an unbalanced platform.

The new structure will support football while placing clubs in healthy discomfort. Holding a League 1 franchise license is the bare minimum investment. To stay in the top tier clubs will need to be innovative and invest on and off the field to produce top standards and outcomes.

Individuals need to see value in what you are providing, and that perception of value varies from person to person. One example, a young Simcoe family whose daughter plays soccer, would find value in the pathway and the opportunities Rovers FC would provide for their daughter. The connection starts with supporting that vision with offering local camps involving Rovers FC players and staff. The connection organically evolves into attendance to matches. As we build the community, we simultaneously invest in maintaining the highest standards to deliver quality performances.

This is a loaded question which could be answered through various perspectives.

In short and simple terms, the pathway is not complete without a sustainable domestic professional league for women. Again, to simplify the solution, where and how are the limited resources allocated to in our system. How much is invested in uncovering innovative ways to demonstrate the value professional women sports bring to a culture. It takes different thinking to fix a system problem that’s not gender specific.

In my opinion, it’s our responsibility now as a league 1 franchise holder to actively engage and support initiatives that make a 2025 launching possible.