Anja Heiner-Moller has made a conscious habit of saying yes to opportunities over her long soccer career.

Now the Danish coach is seizing a big one as she becomes the first head coach of Vancouver Rise FC 91裸聊视频� and she91裸聊视频檚 creating chances for others in the process.

91裸聊视频淭his is about opportunity to create role models and leaders,91裸聊视频� Heiner-Moller said on a video call Thursday. 91裸聊视频淪o we have a huge opportunity to inspire a lot of girls and boys and youth in Vancouver with this team. And I91裸聊视频檓 really looking forward to that.91裸聊视频�

Heiner-Moller, 46, joins the Northern Super League club following two years as head coach of Denmark91裸聊视频檚 U-19 national women91裸聊视频檚 team.

Despite a nine-hour time difference between Denmark and Vancouver, she91裸聊视频檚 been following the development of Canada91裸聊视频檚 first professional women91裸聊视频檚 league closely over the past three years.

91裸聊视频淔or Canada to have this league, it91裸聊视频檚 just a huge deal,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 just feel the joy for these girls to have a women91裸聊视频檚 team to look up to.91裸聊视频�

Heiner-Moller knows what it91裸聊视频檚 like to have limited options as a player.

She played in more than 250 games for Danish clubs Brondby IF, Odense Boldklub and Hillerod G & I, and represented Denmark in 44 national team games before having to choose between playing and her studies in her mid-20s.

91裸聊视频淚 jumped directly into coaching and I haven91裸聊视频檛 been out of it since,91裸聊视频� said the UEFA Pro licensed coach who also has a master91裸聊视频檚 degree in sports science.

Before taking over Denmark91裸聊视频檚 U-19 squad, Heiner-Moller coached in the Danish women91裸聊视频檚 league. She also spent three years as an academy coach with Vancouver Whitecaps FC and North Shore Girls Soccer Club between 2018 to 2020 when her husband Kenneth Heiner-Moller was head coach of the Canadian women91裸聊视频檚 team.

The Heiner-Moller family 91裸聊视频� which includes two teenage daughters 91裸聊视频� has long wanted to return to Vancouver, Anja Heiner-Moller said.

91裸聊视频淧eople are open-minded, it91裸聊视频檚 a multicultural place, people are respectful,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 love the mountains, I love the outdoor life, the ocean is there, the forest. I don91裸聊视频檛 know what you don91裸聊视频檛 have, actually.91裸聊视频�

There will be many flights in the family91裸聊视频檚 future, however. Earlier this month, Kenneth Heiner-Moller was announced as technical director of Major League Soccer91裸聊视频檚 San Diego FC ahead of the expansion club91裸聊视频檚 first season.

91裸聊视频淲e had huge decisions to make at the same time and we decided these are two careers. We didn91裸聊视频檛 want to say no to any of these (opportunities),91裸聊视频� Anja Heiner-Moller said. 91裸聊视频淲e wanted to say two yeses, so that91裸聊视频檚 what we91裸聊视频檝e done.91裸聊视频�

Rise sporting director Stephanie Labb茅 is glad they did.

The club had 91裸聊视频渁 ton of interest91裸聊视频� in the head coach job, she said, and Heiner-Moller was a candidate who quickly stood out.

91裸聊视频淔rom the first interview we did with Anja, I could see that our vision and goals really aligned well, along with playing style,91裸聊视频� Labb茅 said.

Heiner-Moller91裸聊视频檚 plan for a possession-based, attack-focused team fit with what Rise wanted, she added. The club also liked the tactical knowledge and attention to detail she brings, as well as the way she spoke about working with young players.

91裸聊视频�(We liked) Anja91裸聊视频檚 character and her passion for wanting to help athletes not just grow as athletes but as individuals and as humans,91裸聊视频� Labb茅 said.

With just months to go before the inaugural NSL kicks off in April 2025, Labb茅, Heiner-Moller and the rest of the club still have ample work to do.

More announcements about additions to the team will come soon, Labb茅 said, noting that she91裸聊视频檚 been working on building the roster for months.

Rise wants to sign top-quality players in order to build a team that can compete not only in the NSL, but in tournaments such as the CONCACAF Champions Cup, she said.

91裸聊视频淔irst and foremost, we91裸聊视频檙e looking to bring in players with professional experience,91裸聊视频� the sporting director said. 91裸聊视频淚 think that91裸聊视频檚 the key, to make sure we have leaders in the locker room, that we have players who91裸聊视频檝e been through a professional year, professional season and they can help bring that professionalism to help teach as well.91裸聊视频�

Heiner-Moller isn91裸聊视频檛 deterred by the challenge ahead.

91裸聊视频淲omen91裸聊视频檚 soccer is growing so fast. It91裸聊视频檚 crazy to look back and see how much it91裸聊视频檚 improved in years,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 just feel joy about the under 19s I91裸聊视频檓 coaching now that their value as a soccer player is growing, it91裸聊视频檚 exploding. And all the opportunities are just open for them.91裸聊视频�