Stephanie Labbe remembers arriving at a new club abroad and having to start from the ground up in building a home.
91裸聊视频淪o many times when I was an athlete and I was playing in Sweden or in the U.S. or France, you91裸聊视频檙e showing up to this apartment that doesn91裸聊视频檛 really feel like home,91裸聊视频� said the former Canadian international goalkeeper who is now sporting director of the Northern Super League91裸聊视频檚 Vancouver Rise. 91裸聊视频淚t feels like you91裸聊视频檙e living in someone else91裸聊视频檚 space.91裸聊视频�
Canadian Tire is giving players in the new NSL a helping hand on that score.
With a multi-year, multimillion-dollar partnership announced Wednesday, the company will support players as they settle into their new environments with 91裸聊视频渇unding and resources.91裸聊视频�
The Home Field Advantage program will also help the NSL91裸聊视频檚 six clubs 91裸聊视频渙ptimize facilities as they prepare for the season ahead.91裸聊视频�
Canadian Tire was one of the first corporations to jump on board when former Canadian international Diana Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert announced Project 8, the precursor to the new league that is set to kick off in April.
The new sponsorship deal was announced at an NSL panel discussion Wednesday, part of a Sports Marketing Canada Council event. It will also see Canadian Tire displayed at stadiums and on broadcasts with the company91裸聊视频檚 red triangle logo displayed on the left sleeve of every club jersey.
The panel featured Labbe, Helena Ruken (AFC Toronto), Isabele Chevalier (Montreal Roses), Gilbert (Ottawa Rapid), Courtney Sherlock (Halifax Tide) and Deanna Zumwalt (Calgary Wild) with Canadian Tire91裸聊视频檚 Ashley Curran, Canadian Tire91裸聊视频檚 associate vice-president, community Impact and sport partnerships, serving as moderator.
91裸聊视频淚 would say everybody that91裸聊视频檚 involved really believes this is about elevating a generation of female leaders on and off the pitch,91裸聊视频� Zumwalt told the audience. 91裸聊视频淲e know that one per cent may go on to play pro soccer but that other 99 per cent, if we can draw them into sport, keep them involved in sport, they go on to incredible things. We know that.91裸聊视频�
For Labbe, the NSL will also offer Canadian players a chance to build their own brand at home. In the past, the women had to leave Canada to find a pro team, thus missing out on domestic sponsorship deals.
91裸聊视频淥ne of the hardest things I had as an athlete was to really try to build those partnerships,91裸聊视频� she said in an interview. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 one thing to be here once a year do a photo shoot and 91裸聊视频楬urray this is awesome.91裸聊视频� But to actually build something over time and have brands be able to actually access these athletes consistently, as well as for these athletes to build that relationship and connection to community, it91裸聊视频檚 a fantastic experience for them. And they are so excited for that opportunity91裸聊视频�
And Labbe suggested that Canada could actually benefit from being one of the last of the women91裸聊视频檚 elite soccer powers to create a domestic league, having learned from others.
91裸聊视频淲e get to start in a much better place and build a much better foundation so that we can grow and catch up to them in a much faster way,91裸聊视频� she told the audience. 91裸聊视频淎nd hopefully avoid a lot of the mistakes that they made over the years.91裸聊视频�
The NSL and team officials were in town for two days of separate meetings, marking the first the that club owners, presidents and sporting directors have come together in advance of the six-team circuit91裸聊视频檚 startup.
The agenda includes finalizing league competition rules, prioritizing safe-sport initiatives and reviewing the league91裸聊视频檚 2025 business plan.
The closed meetings will include an address by Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer91裸聊视频檚 chief executive officer and general secretary, as well as a visit to FIFA91裸聊视频檚 2026 World Cup office in Toronto on Thursday to get an update on tournament plans.
Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 panel came 132 days before the league91裸聊视频檚 kickoff, said NSL president Christina Litz.
The meetings include Portugal91裸聊视频檚 Jose Maria Celestino da Costa, the NSL91裸聊视频檚 head of soccer operations who landed in Canada this week. He arrives from Estoril Praia, a men91裸聊视频檚 top-tier club in Portugal, and the Portuguese Soccer Federation, helping establish the women91裸聊视频檚 league there.
New board chair Mark Cohon, who served as CFL commissioner from 2007 to January 2015, is also on hand.
