HERSTORY Made: Northern Super League’s First 401 Derby | AFC Toronto vs. Montreal Roses

For much of the 2010s, the Canadian Women’s National Team carried the Canada Soccer program.  In fact, my first match with the Voyageurs occurred nearly 10 years ago in a friendly match against England ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.  And yet with all their success on the pitch as a Top 10 FIFA ranked team, there has never been a top division domestic league for our women to develop their skills at home – until now.

2025 marks the beginning of a new era in Canada for professional women’s soccer with the introduction of the Northern Super League.  Code named “Project 8” in its early development, the NSL is the brainchild of former CWNT player, Diana Matheson.  Having advocated for a domestic professional league for many years, Matheson took it upon herself to develop her own business plan that gained approval from Canada Soccer for the creation of the first ever Canadian Women’s premier division. 

The NSL has six founding clubs: Vancouver Rise, Calgary Wild, AFC Toronto, Ottawa Rapid, Montreal Roses, and Halifax Tides.  Each team will play 25 matches each over a six-month season from April through October.  The league will use the standard points system in world soccer – three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss – while tracking team rankings in a single table where the top four placed teams at the end of the season advance to the playoffs, which will conclude in mid-November. 

When it was announced that AFC Toronto would host its inaugural match against the Montreal Roses at BMO Field on April 19, I knew I had to be there for the first 401 Derby of the season.  With ticket in hand, I then searched online to find additional info on AFC Toronto’s official supporters’ group, Vermillion Vanguard.  They had shared info about a pre-match meet up at Something in the Water Brewery located in the heart of Liberty Village before they would lead a march to the match around 2:30pm EST. 

Following the march, we took our seats in the Supporters section where I just took in the atmosphere and pre-match ceremonies.  The place was buzzing with a sold-out crowd of 14,518 as the opening whistle blew to kick off AFC Toronto’s inaugural match.  Meanwhile, the Vermillion Vanguard found its footing before the group came together in unison with non-stop cheering and chanting in support of our hometown heroines.  Sadly, Tonya Boychuk silenced the crowd two minutes into the match by giving Montreal the early 1-0 lead.  That’s unfortunately all that it took for AFC Toronto to ultimately lose its first match of the season. 

Despite the loss, it was impressive to see such a large turnout for Toronto’s first ever professional women’s soccer team!  Kudos to AFC Toronto’s marketing team for generating such a successful public relations campaign for the city to take notice and show up!  Hopefully, this continues as AFC Toronto moves to its permanent home pitch at York Lions Stadium in North York moving forward.  We shall see! 

2025 Northern Super League Season

Match: AFC Toronto vs. Montreal Roses

Stadium: BMO Field – Toronto, ON

Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025

Kickoff: 4pm EST

Attendance: 14,518

Score: 1-0 (Montreal Roses)

Scoring Summary:  Montreal Roses – Tonya Boycuk (2’)

Disciplinary: Montreal Roses – Charlotte Bilbault (Yellow Card – 66’)

AFC Toronto Inaugural Starting Lineup

GK Sofia Manner (Finland)

DF Hong Hye-Ji (South Korea)

DF Kaela Hansen (Burnaby, BC)

MF Nikayla Small (Pickering, ON)

MF Emma Regan (Burnaby, BC)

MF Nyota Katembo (Montreal, QC)

MF Cloey Uddenberg (St. Kitts & Nevis)

MF Colby Barnett (USA)

FW Shaina Ashouri (USA)

FW Esther Okoronkwo (Nigeria)

Substitutes: Sierra Cota-Yarde (GK), Ashley Cathro (DF), Sarah Rollins (DF), Croix Soto (DF), Sonia Walk (DF), Aoi Kizaki (MF), April Lantaigne (MF), Ivymae Perez (MF), Kaylee Hunter (FW)

Total Shots: 15; Shots on Goal: 6; Fouls: 8; Offsides: 2; Corner-Kicks: 5; Saves: 1

Flight Report: AC 1918 – ATL to YYZ

It was a whirlwind five-day trip to Atlanta just to see Copa America 2024 Opening Match, but well worth it.  However, with the late nights and plenty of libations to go around, I was ready to head home at this point.  But not before we indulged at the business class lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for a bit, which was a perk given to us for using my Aeroplan miles to book this flight.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

Our original flight time was scheduled for 3:30pm EST, but I received an email update from Air Canada stating that our flight was now delayed to 4:50pm EST.  Carrie and I discussed whether we should grab something to eat nearby or just head to the airport now and kill several hours at the airport lounge instead.  It was shortly after 11am EST when I received this email, so we’re talking at least 4+ hours to kill here before boarding our plane.  Ultimately, we decided to kill time at the airport lounge, especially since I hyped up my last airport lounge experience to someone whose never enjoyed this type of luxury before.

United Club Lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

The Uber got us to Jackson-Hartfield International Airport within 20 minutes.  Airport security was standard, so there were no hiccups there.  The real confusing part was where exactly was this lounge that we had access to.  I struggled to find the Maple Leaf Lounge, which is Air Canada’s chain of business class lounges worldwide at select airports.  However, I was told by one of the customer service reps that our ticket granted access to United Airline’s business class lounge instead, called the United Club.

Tarmac view of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from the United Club

After nearly 30 minutes on the hunt for this lounge, we finally found the United Club.  And it was very underwhelming.  Spacious with bright windows overlooking the tarmac for any plane spotters wanting to kill time, the lounge felt more like a cafeteria with its standard round white tables and buffet style food options.  Multiple screens dotted the dining area with streaming services, but we were unable to watch any of Euro 2024 matches going on that day.  We grabbed some sandwiches, snacks, and alcohol over the course of the next couple of hours before heading closer towards our gate so I could find a bar playing some either Euro or Copa America matches while Carrie wanted to browse some of the shops.

Boarding AC 1918 - ATL to YYZ

The time had finally come for us to board AC 1918 after a couple of delays and an extra three hours added to our wait time.  As we boarded the Airbus A319, I noticed it was not the original plane that we were originally supposed to fly on.  You could tell right away with its seat formation of 2x2 within the first four rows of “Business Class” followed by a 3x3 formation all the way to the back at Row 42.  Air Canada has been absolute garbage this week but having used Aeroplan miles to help subsidize this once-in-a-lifetime trip, I’m limited to how much I can complain.  Let’s be thankful that we’re finally making our way home at this point.

Chicken Marcella, Spring Leaf Salad & Brownie with Red Wine

Given the short two-hour duration of this flight, meals were only served to those sitting in business class.  I had a chicken marcella, spring leaf salad with oil and vinegar dressing, and a brownie with two glasses of red wine.  My other option was the pasta entrée, which I wasn’t really feeling given I was still somewhat full from eating lunch at the United Club only a few hours earlier.

Inclement weather at Toronto Pearson International Airport

The flight went smoothly, except for the few minutes of turbulence we experienced about 20 minutes before we landed at Pearson International Airport due to inclement weather.  It was 21C with a slight drizzle in case anyone was keeping track.  Upon landing, we were required to wait approximately 20 minutes on the tarmac as our arrival gate wasn’t ready yet.  From there, Carrie and I went through customs and took our separate ways home while looking forward to our next soccer trip adventure together.

Inclement weather at Toronto Pearson International Airport

AC 1918 – ATL to YYZ

Operated by: Air Canada 

Aircraft: Airbus A319 (twin-jet); Seat: 2A

Cabin: Business: Meal / Business: Complimentary

Depart: 05:53PM EST – Hartsfield-Jackson International (ATL) – Gate F14

Arrive:  08:17pm EST – Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) – Terminal 1, Gate F36 

Flight Time: 2:24; Non-Stop Flight – 816 Miles/1313 Kilometers; Date:  June 22, 2024

Sweet Auburn | A Walk into America’s Civil Rights Movement

I still have a dream a dream deeply rooted in the American dream – on day this nation will rise up and live up to is creed, “We hold thee truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream … -- Martin Luther King Jr. (1963)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & Preservation District

Atlanta played an important role in the American Civil Rights Movement as the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Today visitors can pay tribute to his legacy by visiting the neighbourhood where he was born and raised.  After our visit to the World of Coca-Cola, Carrie and I parted ways with Adrian and Kathleen for the afternoon with plans to meet up later for dinner at BrewDog Atlanta.  For some reason, they had zero interest in going.  I was adamant having been there once before as it not only holds historical significance, but it is also the top tourist attraction in Atlanta.  Unlike the World of Coca-Cola, I was unable to change their minds for the second time in a row today.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & Preservation District Visitor Center

On the other hand, Carrie would be joining me.  As an Indigenous woman, I knew Carrie would appreciate some of the parallels between the American Civil Rights movement and the ongoing Indigenous Rights reconciliation across Canada.  We decided to walk to Sweet Auburn from Centennial Olympic Park as it’s a very short 30-minute journey over 2 Kilometers.  Along the way, Carrie started to see the stark contrast between the wealthy downtown core of Atlanta and poverty-stricken Sweet Auburn.  Her reactions were nearly identical to mine when I took this walk fifteen years earlier.  But it’s important to take this walk because once you arrive in Sweet Auburn, you develop a greater appreciation for how the American Civil Rights Movement came about. 

Birth Home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sweet Auburn had long been a self-contained community in the days before desegregation where African Americans could go about their daily lives free from racial harassment.  Here they established their own churches, banks, businesses, and homes.  The Sweet Auburn Walk is an official marker located at 33° 45.336’ N, 84° 22.445’ W at the intersection of Auburn Avenue and Jackson Street.  It is a map highlighting key buildings within the Sweet Auburn business district that is bordered by Jackson Street on the east and Courtland Street on the west.  The main points of interest are the Martin Luther King Jr. Visitor Center, Ebenezer Church, Dr. King’s birth home, and the tombs of Dr. King and his wife, Loretta. 

The Eternal Flame at the King Center

The Visitor Center was our first stop as it has a lot of information about Dr. King’s life and his contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement.  I especially enjoyed reading about the influence Dr. King had on President Jimmy Carter even though the two were not personal friends.  Following King’s 1968 assassination, Carter pushed through racial integration policies as Governor of Georgia in the early 1970s when the idea was still highly opposed.  And as President of the United States during the late 1970s, Carter pushed for more low-income housing, improve education access to underserved communities, appointed a record number of Black judges and officials, and was the first President to publicly endorse a national holiday honouring Dr. King.  It was President Carter’s deeply held belief that the American government had a moral obligation to lead by example in providing basic civil rights to all its citizens before they could hold oppressive regimes to accountability around the world. 

The final resting place of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. & Coretta Scott-King 

After spending a good hour or two in the Visitor Center, we continued our self-guided walking tour of Sweet Auburn by making our way to Dr. King’s Birth House.  Along the way, Carrie was shocked to see the dilapidated row houses we walked past.  When she asked me who lived here, I said it was predominately African Americans.  She was flabbergasted as these houses reminded her a lot of what she saw growing up within an Indigenous community, except these row houses were a lot worse for wear.  That was an eye opener for me because that comment only further intensified the social inequalities we saw before us. 

We finally arrived at Dr. King’s birth house, but it was closed for renovation.  From there, we made our way over to his tomb to pay our respects.  Along the way, Carrie reminded me it was Juneteenth – a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery.  Another comment that caught me off guard and humbled me for a few moments.  What were the chances that we would visit a key part of the American Civil Rights Movement on a day that celebrated the end of slavery in the United States following the American Civil War?  The timing of our visit was impeccable.  I couldn’t have planned for a better day to return to Sweet Auburn.

Hiking Adventures | Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park is in Caledon, Ontario – about 2 hours Northwest of Toronto.  A part of the Ontario Parks System since 1985, the Forks is a part of the Niagara Escarpment biosphere, including a significant portion of the Bruce Trail for hiking.  With the Spring weather upon us, I thought now was good as any time to hike this area for the first time.

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park

Open year round, the Forks are generally quiet during Winter and early Spring.  This is great for someone like me who enjoys a more solitude experience, as well as taking scenic landscape photographs.  The main activities you can do here include camping, hiking, and fishing.  During the winter months, you can do cross-country skiing and snow shoeing.  Horseback riding is allowed, but only along the Trans Canada Trail.

Kettle Lake at Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park

Park reservations are still required regardless of what time of the year it is.  It cost me just under $20 CDN for my daily vehicle permit, which isn’t too expensive considering I planned to spend at least 3-4 hours here for my hike.  You can reserve your daily vehicle permit for up to five days ahead of your visit either online or by phone.  I showed up the morning of my planned hike and called the Ontario Parks System to obtain my vehicle permit as it was mid-March and I wasn’t expecting too many visitors on this day.  However, I’d advised calling at least a few days in advance during the Summer if you have any plans for weekend visits as parking spots are limited.

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park - Meadow Trail

Once you’ve made your reservation, a receipt with your QR code will be emailed to you as the entrance gate is fully automated.  If you have any technical difficulties, however, you can press the call button on the gate for park staff to assist you.  In terms of what items you should bring, I highly advise a day pack, some food and snacks, a camera, and a fully charged phone to track your GPS location.  While there are signs throughout the park to indicate where you are and what trail you’re on, I like to use the All Trails hiking app to get real time data of my whereabouts.

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park - Meadow Trail

There are several trails you can use for your hike.  I chose the Meadow Trail-Dominion Trail-Bruce Trail-Trans Canada Trail Loop.  Along this route, I encountered several highlights, such as a kettle lake, a cascading waterfall, the Dominion Trail staircase, beautiful open meadows, and clear vantage points of the Niagara Escarpment, and the actual spot where the Credit River forks.  There’s a bit of a grind transitioning from the Dominion Trail to the Bruce Trail where the elevation is 55-60 degrees in some sections.  Otherwise, this loop is very scenic with an easy-to-moderate level of difficulty for hikers.

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park

Overall, the loop takes just under two hours to complete and covers about 8 Kilometers with an elevation gain of 213 meters.  I took a bit longer than this so I could take photos and enjoy some of the scenery along the way.  I also found myself extremely winded climbing up the ascent from the Dominion Trail to the Bruce Trail, which took me about 15-20 minutes to recover from.  In hindsight, I should have brought some protein bars or power drinks to reduce my recovery time even further.

 Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park - Cascading Waterfall along the Meadow Trail

Forks of the Credit Provincial Park - Hiking Stats                                                                       

Route: Meadow Trail - Dominion Trail - Bruce Trail - Trans-Canada Trail Loop

Distance: 8.04 KMs

Steps: 12,321

Moving Time: 1:43:45

Elevation Gain: 213 M

Date: March 16, 2024

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park - Staircase to the Dominion Trail

It was cloudy for much of the hike with a cooler temperature, which made my experience highly enjoyable.  When I arrived back to my car, the rain had started to fall.  I can’t comment on what it would be like to hike the same loop in the middle of the Summer, but I would strongly advise bringing the appropriate supplements and clothing to deal with any extreme heat.  And I certainly would not recommend hiking this loop in the middle of the winter as some parts are unlikely to be maintained, like the Meadow Trail.

Forks of the Credit River Provincial Park

Finally, if you plan on visiting several Ontario Provincial Parks – or revisiting some of your favourites – over the course of a calendar year, then you may want to consider getting an Annual Day-Use Parking Permit for about $100 CDN.  It’s something I might consider in the future if I take up hiking as a regular hobby.

Forks of the Credit Provincial Park - Hiking Stats                                                                       

Address: 717760 McLaren Road, Caledon Village, ON

Phone: (705) 435-2498

Size: 282.00 ha

Established: 1985

Park Classification: Natural Environment

Website: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/forksofthecredit

The Road to Qatar 2022 | Canada vs. El Salvador

It hadn’t been a full week yet since Canada began their Octagonal journey, and yet, here we were six days later back at BMO Field to watch them take on El Salvador.  In between these two matches, Canada picked up an additional point in Nashville with their surprising 1-1 draw against the United States.  I say surprising because the United States should have taken the win in this one, but sloppy defense in the 62’ led to Cyle Larin’s second goal of this third round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying.  But a point is a point, and we’ll take whatever we can get this early on.

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification - CONCACAF Third Round - Canada vs. El Salvador

Heading into this match, Canada was ranked at Number 59 in the FIFA rankings, and just sat above a few positions above El Salvador, who hadn’t qualified for the World Cup since 1982.  Like Canada, El Salvador was also heading into this match with back-to-back draws – both at home and with identical 0-0 scores against the United States and Honduras.  Both squads were coming into this match hungry for their first win in the Octagonal with additional pressure on Canada as hosts.

Per Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, capacity was capped to 50% of available seating again and masks were mandatory when not at your seat.  Otherwise, the Voyageurs section was full of die-hard fans waving Canadian flags and cheering their hearts out from the get-go – the only resemblance of “normalcy” in these strange times.  Speaking of “normalcy,” Canada jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with goals from Atiba Hutchinson in the 6’ minutes followed by Jonathan David’s 11’ tally.  Canada had a couple more scoring chances and were the more dominant team in this first half – a sign of the nerves slowly dissipating from the young squad. 

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification - CONCACAF Third Round - Canada vs. El Salvador

The second half saw more Canadian dominance as Jonathan David created a two-on-one opportunity that saw Tajon Buchanan put the game away in the 59’ with Canada’s third goal of the match.  By now, the stadium erupted in jubilant chants of “this is our house” knowing our first win of the Octagonal was well within our grasp.  El Salvador’s best chance during the entire match came at the 67’ minute when Milan Borjan made a fantastic reaction save while Richie Laryea’s last-ditch tackle stopped a clear chance.  When the final whistle blew, Canada stood victorious with a dominant 3-0 win and the much needed three points to close out this first window of the Octagonal.

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification - CONCACAF Third Round - Canada vs. El Salvador

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification – CONCACAF Octagonal Standings

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification - CONCACAF Third Round - Canada vs. El Salvador

After three matches, Mexico sits comfortably on top with 7 points from two wins and a draw in this first window.  Canada is currently in a three-way tie with the United States and Panama at 5 points each.  El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Jamaica round out the bottom half of the table.  With FIFA expanding this next World Cup to 32 teams, CONCACAF gets three guaranteed spots.  Thus, it’s crucial that Canada keeps pace with Mexico and the United States if we want to avoid an Inter-Continental Playoff for a ticket to Qatar.

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification - CONCACAF Third Round - Canada vs. El Salvador

Our next window of matches won’t begin for at least a month, but it will be our biggest test of the Octagonal.  Starting off in Mexico, we have our work cut out for us in the legendary Estadio Azteca where Mexico has only lost two World Cup Qualifying matches here throughout the stadium’s entire 55-year history.  Getting a draw against the United States in Nashville in this first window is one thing, but trying to replicate a similar result at Azteca would be anything short of a miracle.  We then round out the second window with an away match in Jamaica followed by a home match against Panama here at BMO Field.  Now we just sit back and wait to see what the Soccer Gods have in store for us!

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification – CONCACAF Third Round (Octagonal)
Match:  Canada vs. El Salvador
Stadium:  BMO Field – Toronto, ON
Date:  Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Kickoff: 7:30pm EST
Attendance: 14,926
Score:  3 – 0 (Canada)
06 ‘– CAN – Atiba Hutchinson
11’ – CAN – Jonathan David
59’ – CAN – Tajon Buchanan
Disciplinary:
CAN – Tajon Buchanan (Yellow Card – 18’)
SLV – Alexander Larin (Yellow Card – 33’)
CAN – Samuel Adekugbe (Yellow Card – 73’)