Shannon Woeller grew up sitting in the stands at Swangard Stadium, cheering on her hometown Vancouver Whitecaps.

In a few short months, the Canadian defender will be the one playing on a local field, inspiring the next generation of soccer stars.

The Vancouver Rise announced Woeller as their first player signing in club history Monday.

Returning to Vancouver and playing in the newly created Northern Super League 香蕉视频直播渕eans everything香蕉视频直播� to the 34-year-old athlete.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 so special. This is so special for me to come home, be with my friends and my family, and also have the opportunity to help grow Canadian women香蕉视频直播檚 football,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Woeller is an intelligent, proven leader who香蕉视频直播檒l set the tone for the squad, said Sinead King, Rise香蕉视频直播檚 president.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 her professionalism, her leadership, her athleticism, but also her homegrown talent,香蕉视频直播� she said.

The Rise announced last month that Anja Heiner-Moller will be the team香蕉视频直播檚 head coach. Currently coach of Denmark香蕉视频直播檚 U-19 women香蕉视频直播檚 team, Heiner-Moller previously worked in Vancouver 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 women香蕉视频直播檚 team.

Woeller played for Kenneth Heiner-Moller during her time on the national squad. She made 21 appearances for Canada香蕉视频直播檚 women香蕉视频直播檚 national team, including at the 2019 Women香蕉视频直播檚 World Cup in France where the country was ousted by Sweden in the round of 16.

She also played with Stephanie Labbe, a former Canadian goalkeeper who香蕉视频直播檚 now Rise香蕉视频直播檚 sporting director.

The duo started talking about the new club and Woeller was eager to jump at the chance.

香蕉视频直播淚 couldn香蕉视频直播檛 get the idea out of my head once I thought that this was an opportunity,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淥bviously, there香蕉视频直播檚 a big history of football in Vancouver, and the way the organization is being built, everyone香蕉视频直播檚 really impressed me. So it was a pretty easy decision for me.香蕉视频直播�

Woeller began her professional career in 2008, playing for the semi-pro Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL W-League, then went on to play for the Seattle Sounders in the same league. When the league folded in 2012, Woeller took her talents overseas, suiting up for clubs in Norway, Iceland, Germany, Spain and Sweden.

Each stop provided another set of lessons.

香蕉视频直播淚 think what香蕉视频直播檚 really cool about having all those different opportunities is every league you go to, you can learn something different from. So I think that香蕉视频直播檚 been really helpful for me,香蕉视频直播� Woeller said.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I was in Germany, they were just really good tactically. In Spain, technically, obviously, they could play out of, like, a two inch square. And then Sweden香蕉视频直播檚 pretty physical, but also a good combination of tactical as well. So I think just sort of putting all those experiences together is good, because you can help people in different ways.香蕉视频直播�

Pursuing a soccer career abroad can be difficult, though. Players miss their families and can have trouble adapting to a whole new language and culture.

香蕉视频直播淧laying overseas is an incredible opportunity, but it香蕉视频直播檚 also not easy,香蕉视频直播� Woeller said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 hard to be so far from home for so long. And I think when you香蕉视频直播檙e over there too, you see girls, they香蕉视频直播檝e got families, they香蕉视频直播檝e got lives, and it香蕉视频直播檚 hard not to be a little bit jealous of that.香蕉视频直播�

The newly created Northern Super League 香蕉视频直播� set to kickoff its inaugural season in April 香蕉视频直播� gives Canadian players choices, she added.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 been a really long time coming. And I think there was a lot of years where I didn香蕉视频直播檛 think that this was ever going to happen.香蕉视频直播�

Now the veteran defender is looking forward to providing girls an opportunity she didn香蕉视频直播檛 have growing up 香蕉视频直播� a chance to watch professional women香蕉视频直播檚 soccer in Vancouver on a regular basis.

香蕉视频直播淚 would have absolutely loved it. I would have begged my parents to go every day,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 mean, I grew up going to the Whitecaps games at Swangard at the time when I was a kid, I loved that. And so now that girls can go see female games all the time, I think it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be huge.香蕉视频直播�