YORKTON – Canadian Jade Kovacevic has made history, becoming the first player to sign for the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first professional soccer league for women.
Kovacevic, a forward from Acton, Ont., signed with AFC Toronto recently to break the ice in the league’s player recruitment. Later that day, Montreal Roses FC announced the signings of Charlotte Bilbault and Gabrielle Lambert.
“It’s exciting,” Kovacevic told Yorkton This Week, adding it’s such an opportunity – to play professionally in her home country was something she has dream of “from the moment I started playing this game.
Just the existence of the NSL is a huge step for Canadian soccer, in particular on the women’s side of the sport, said Kovacevic.
“It’s everything I would have dreamed of as a little girl,” she said, adding having a domestic professional league gives young girls something close to home to aspire too. “. . . It’s (the NSL) something to aspire to when they go to tournaments, when they go to games, when they go to practices.
“They can see the pathway.”
Kovacevic is a striker from London, Ont., who has represented Canada at the U17 and U20 FIFA Women’s World Cups and excelled at Louisiana State University.
After college the 30-year old made history abroad as the top scorer for Roma Calcio Femminile in Italy and GYŐRI ETO FC in Hungary.
Back in Canada, she holds the all-time scoring record in League1 Ontario with over 170 goals, earning five Golden Boot awards and four MVP titles.
Now she is set to perform on the national stage in her home country, where Kovacevic recognizes players will need to do more than play soccer – they will need to be ambassadors for a new league trying to carve out its place in Canadian pro sports.
While noting she is not ‘officially’ an ambassador she does recognize she needs to play a role.
“Being in this position comes with a lot of power and influence whether we asked for it, or not,” she said.
It’s a mantle of responsibility Kovacevic takes willingly though.
“I hope I am able to inspire some young players,” she said.
As for ‘selling’ the league and Toronto AFC in particular Kovacevic said they need to build community.
“It definitely begins with community engagement,” she said, adding that is an essential first step toward the obvious “need to fill the seats.”
So the team, the league, the sport has to offer a positive experience for fans so they will want to be part of things, said Kovacevic.
Kovacevic does think there are good reasons to give the league a look, starting with the calibre of players which she expects to be fielded in season one. She notes the success of Canada as a women’s soccer nation, and the NSL will be an opportunity to see some of those “hometown heroes” live “competing in your own backyard.” She added people may be surprised but “. . . the talent has been here the whole time there just hasn’t been a platform (to show it off domestically).”
Kovacevic said the league will be a chance for soccer fans to “support local football” and she believes once they watch the game on the pitch they will become fans.
Now Kovacevic waits for the games to begin.
“I would love to wake up and be lacing up to play,” she said, adding that will at least have to wait until January when the preseason begins.
The NSL is set to kick off its first season in April 2025 with six teams. Along with Toronto and Montreal, the four other clubs comprising the league are Vancouver Rise FC, Calgary Wild FC, Ottawa Rapid FC, and Halifax Tides FC.
