'It's really inspiring': Halifax Wanderers launching semi-pro women's team

The team will focus on recruiting local athletes with the goal of one day having a fully professional women's team in Halifax, says Halifax Wanderers president Derek Martin.

Team will play in League1 Atlantic, a semi-pro division coming in 2024

Celina Aalders CBC News Posted: Aug 13, 2023 11:27 AM EDT | Last Updated: August 13, 2023

A blue and white flag waves in the air at a soccer game. It reads, — Fans packed into the Wanderers Grounds pop-up stadium in Halifax on Saturday for a sold-out match. The venue seats 6,500 people. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

Thousands of soccer fans gathered at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax on Saturday afternoon, where the theme of the match was "women in sports."

This was just two days after the Halifax Wanderers FC announced the launch of a semi-pro women's team set to compete in League1 Atlantic, a new organization starting next year.

The Wanderers will field both men's and women's teams in the league, making it the "highest level of women's soccer in Atlantic Canada," according to League1 Canada's website.

A man wears a light pink shirt and a blue land yard around his neck. He has light blonde and grey hair. — Derek Martin is the founder and president of the Halifax Wanderers. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

"Really giving girls that play the sport here in our city and in our community people to look up to," said Wanderers founder and president Derek Martin.

"When they can see stars that are out on the field in front of 5,000 or 6,000 people kind of living out their dream I think that's a great message for young girls here in our community, and something that they can aspire to do as well."

Martin saidSaturday that the League1 Atlantic teams will focus on recruiting local athletes, with the goal of one day having a fully professional women's team based out of Halifax.

"At the present time, there isn't a professional [women's] league in Canada," said Martin. "There's a few groups that are looking to get a league started. So we want to be ready when the opportunity presents itself."

A woman with round gold classes smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black and blue ball cap and a black and yellow soccer jersey. — Keara Turner is a big Wanderers fan. She holds season tickets and comes out to every game. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

Many Wanderers fans are excited about the announcement.

Keara Turner, who's on the board of directors of the Privateers 1882 Supporters Group, a Halifax Wanderers fan club, said the creation of a women's team is "long overdue."

"To have an organization that really believes in women's football, and wants to bring that level of women's football here to the Atlantic region, I think it's just really amazing," she said.

Girls are wearing bright green and white soccer jersey's. They are warming up for their game on a turf field with cones set in place for drills. — Halifax City Soccer Club's under-13 girls team warms up for its game Saturday. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

The girls from the Halifax City Soccer Club's under-13 team were excited to talk about the new women's team while warming up for their game on Saturday.

"It's really inspiring," said Sabah Almasalmeh, the team's goalkeeper.

A young girl smiles. She wears a black hijab and light blue soccer jersey. — Goalkeeper Sabah Almasalmeh looks forward to a new women's semi-pro team in Halifax. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

"I'll go watch all the games, and learn from them and learn their tactics," said Eleanor McHenry.

According to Martin, the women's team will recruit players of all ages.

"It'll be fully fledged, the best team we can field," he said.

The team will have its own name and logo, which Martin said will be revealed in the coming months.

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