Quinn Signs with Vancouver Rise: What This Means for the Northern Super League
For a long time, the NWSL was the most important league in women’s soccer. Then we had the WSL, which started a new conversation about which league was the best. We were also introduced to the USL Super League, and the question of whether it can coexist with the NWSL started to rise. Now, more leagues are starting to appear, which only indicates the game’s growth. The most recent addition is the Northern Super League.
The Northern Super League is set to begin this April, and so far, it looks promising. It seems even more promising because Vancouver Rise, one of the league’s teams, signed Quinn. Quinn’s signing adds a lot to the new league. Not only are they a great player, but they were part of the NWSL for a long time. Now, we might be in front of a new league that would compete for people’s attention.
What Quinn Brings To the Northern Super League
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The fact that Vancouver Rise signed Quinn is huge. The 29-year-old Toronto native brings a lot of experience to the league just before its inaugural season. The Canadian midfielder has spent a long time in the NWSL, including six seasons with Seattle Reign. Quinn was part of the team that helped the NWSL side win the National Women’s Soccer League Shield in 2022. Before that, they played for Paris FC, Vittsjo GIK, and Washington Spirit.
Not only is Quinn bringing a lot of experience at the club level, but they have been essential for Canada on the national level. With more than 100 appearances, they bring with them a lot of national experience to the Northern Super League. Quinn was part of the team that led Canada to Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games. They also played a part in gaining Canada bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Having talented players with a lot of experience, like Quinn, join the league will change the way people look at the Northern Super League. “This is a professional league. It’s going to be exciting to watch players who are at the peak of their careers want to be playing here. And I think that’s turning heads and making people more and more excited to see our inaugural season and how competitive the games are going to be,” said Vancouver Rise’s president Sinead King.
What Quinn Says About Joining The Northern Super League
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Quinn appeared very excited to join the Northern Super League despite being new. However, this newness doesn’t erase the fact that the Northern Super League will open more doors to female players. For years, Canada had no professional league where Canadian women could compete. They would have to seek professional soccer in other countries, and this is where the NWSL comes in the picture. Now, Quinn is returning home.
“I’m so excited to come home and play professional soccer in Canada. With Vancouver Rise FC, we hope to inspire a new generation of talented young athletes in Canada and beyond,” they said, according to the official Vancouver Rise FC website. The move means a lot for Quinn, who isn’t just returning to their home but also helping elevate the game. Everyone can realize that Quinn is one of the biggest players to join the Northern Super League.
Quinn also believes that Vancouver Rise can set the standard for soccer in Canada. “I think with my decision to join this organization, it was with the full confidence that this is the team that’s going to be pushing the standard both on and off the field of what professional soccer should look like in Canada,” they said.
How Quinn Grew Up With No League in Canada
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Quinn also had some things to say about the fact that Canada didn’t have a league before. “Growing up in Toronto, I think every opportunity the national team came to town, I was begging my parents to take me. It was really the only opportunity I got to see professional soccer players in action. I didn’t even dream of playing professionally because I didn’t understand that, because it had never been in my home backyard,” they said.
Now, things are changing. Canadian players will no longer have to leave their homes to seek professional soccer elsewhere. They now have the Northern Super League to think of. It’s an essential moment in women’s soccer and in Quinn’s life as well. There are many young players like Quinn who won’t have to only look forward to the national team coming to play.
Quinn Wants To Inspire The Younger Generations
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Playing in the Northern Super League isn’t just a way of Quinn to return home, it’s a lot more than that. They are also excited to inspire the younger generations who will no longer have to stare at the “glaring gap” existing in Canadian soccer. Before, Canada had this gap when no league took place, while many countries already had their leagues. This is changing now, and Quinn is part of this change.
“I think this is just such an incredible opportunity for young athletes to finally see themselves and what their future can look like on the pitch. That’s the most exciting thing for me, is to be able to show the younger generation of such talented athletes that we’re seeing now that there’s an opportunity for them, there’s an opportunity for them right now,” Quinn said.
How The Club Reacted To Signing Quinn
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Many people are excited to see Quinn join the Northern Super League, including Vancouver Rise’s sporting director, Stephanie Labbe. Labbe believes that Quinn won’t just elevate the team but that they will also inspire young Canadians. “Having Quinn be a part of Vancouver Rise FC is a game-changing moment, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have someone of their quality on the pitch,” Labbe said.
“Quinn is bold, and real, and everyone who crosses paths with them understands the power of being authentically you, and how that can elevate yourself and everyone around you. I am so proud that our supporters get the chance to cheer for someone of their quality, and I know Quinn will be a force to be reckoned with in our league,” Labbe continued. It is true. Quinn will be a force in the Northern Super League.
Vancouver Rise’s head coach, Anja Heiner-Moller, had words of her own to say about Quinn joining the club and the Northern Super League. “For them to come in to inspire fans, but also players with that huge experience they have from NWSL and the Canadian women’s national team, that’s of huge importance,” she said.
How Quinn Adds To The Inclusivity of the Northern Super League
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Quinn isn’t just bringing their experience to Vancouver Rise and the Northern Super League, but they are also saying a lot about the league’s inclusivity. Quinn became the first transgender nonbinary athlete to win an Olympic medal in 2021. They became the first nonbinary athlete to play at the FIFA World Cup in 2023. Quinn was also the first trans, nonbinary athlete in the NWSL.
Quinn was one of the reasons that helped the NWSL reconsider its policies when it comes to inclusivity. They have always been an advocate of LGBTQ+ rights. Now, Quinn joining the Northern Super League will help this new league become inclusive as well.
What Did Quinn Say About Inclusivity in the Northern Super League
“I think this is just another aspect that will push this league to be the most inclusive league in the world. And I think that there is a really great opportunity for that. So to set that standard, I think, is a really exciting thing,” Quinn said.
Going back home and continuing to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights might have been part of the reasons behind Quinn’s decision. There are more reasons as well. When asked by CBC reporter Shireen Ahmed if the rising homophobia and transphobia in the USA due to political changes affected their decision, Quinn said yes.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. That definitely crossed my mind and played an aspect and understanding about what’s happening in the U.S,” they said.
“I think it’s an important time to use the resources in Canada and the advocacy work in Canada to continue to make change and make sure that the environment and atmosphere for Canadian sports continues to be inclusive, and what’s happening in the United States isn’t just a mirror of what’s about to happen in Canada,” Quinn added.
What’s Next For The Northern Super League
Quinn joining the Northern Super League is just the beginning. She is joining Nikki Stanton and Shannon Woeller, who are also set to play for Vancouver Rise. The six-team league also has Halifax Tides FC, Montreal Roses FC, AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild FC, and Ottawa Rapid FC. The beginning might not be perfect, but what matters is that it exists. With time and players like Quinn, the Northern Super League will hopefully only get better.
Image via @thequinny5
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