Christine Sinclair has always wanted to leave soccer in a better place for future players.

The Canadian legend believes her latest role as part owner of Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 new professional women香蕉视频直播檚 soccer team will do just that.

Vancouver Rise FC announced Monday that Sinclair is joining Greg Kerfoot in the club香蕉视频直播檚 ownership group as the National Super League prepares to launch in April.

香蕉视频直播淭he future of soccer in Canada depends on the Northern Super League, depends on clubs like Vancouver Rise,香蕉视频直播� Sinclair said on a video call. 香蕉视频直播淎nd I香蕉视频直播檓 honoured and privileged to be a part of it.香蕉视频直播�

Kids need to see women香蕉视频直播檚 professional sports to know that they, too, can play for a living, the soccer star said.

香蕉视频直播淚 think of myself as like a 10-year-old, if I had the opportunity to go watch women香蕉视频直播檚 professional soccer every second weekend, how that would have impacted my life, how that would have changed my life,香蕉视频直播� Sinclair said.

香蕉视频直播淏ecause I was convinced I was going to be a major-league baseball player because that香蕉视频直播檚 all I could see on TV. These young girls growing up will have a completely different reality.香蕉视频直播�

Hailing from Burnaby, B.C., Sinclair is one of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 most revered athletes and ended her international career last year as the world香蕉视频直播檚 top goal scorer with 190 goals.

She helped the women香蕉视频直播檚 national team win gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and bronze at both the 2016 Games in Rio and the 2012 Games in London.

Last month, the 41-year-old Sinclair announced that she will retire from professional soccer later this year after playing her 11th season with the Portland Thorns of the National Women香蕉视频直播檚 Soccer League.

The Thorns are set to play the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite team in a CONCACAF W Champions Cup match at B.C. Place in Vancouver on Oct. 15 before closing the regular season campaign on Nov. 1.

Being unable to play professional soccer for a Vancouver team is one regret that Sinclair said will linger as her playing days come to a close.

香蕉视频直播淭hat would have been a dream,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淭hat would have been a dream,香蕉视频直播� said Sinclair, who previously played semi-pro soccer with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL W-League. 香蕉视频直播滲ut when you know you香蕉视频直播檙e done, you香蕉视频直播檙e done. And I香蕉视频直播檓 gladly hanging up the boots at the end of this season.香蕉视频直播�

Rise sporting director Stephanie Labbe admitted she hoped she would see her former national team teammate don a Vancouver jersey, but understood Sinclair香蕉视频直播檚 decision.

香蕉视频直播淚 know all too well that feeling of when you香蕉视频直播檙e ready to retire, you香蕉视频直播檙e ready to retire and move on to what香蕉视频直播檚 next,香蕉视频直播� Labbe said. 香蕉视频直播淪o it was a quick change of direction from, 香蕉视频直播榃ell, if you香蕉视频直播檙e not coming as a player, what else can you do? How else can we get you involved?香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a no-brainer for me to have Sinc involved in the club in some capacity.香蕉视频直播�

Launching a new league is nothing new for Sinclair. She was involved when the now-defunct Women香蕉视频直播檚 Professional Soccer made its debut in 2009, and when the NWSL began in 2013.

Those experiences have shown what香蕉视频直播檚 important for a new league, she said, from how much players are paid to how many teams are included.

香蕉视频直播淚 think previous leagues started way too big and then weren香蕉视频直播檛 able to sustain themselves,香蕉视频直播� Sinclair said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think what the Northern Super League is doing is starting at a realistic base.香蕉视频直播�

With six founding teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, the NSL is set to kick off its inaugural season in April. Each team is set to play a 25-game schedule next year.

Labbe said she expects Rise will announce the club香蕉视频直播檚 first player signings and head coach in the next several weeks.

Sinclair declined to say what her ownership percentage will be, calling it instead 香蕉视频直播渁 small chunk香蕉视频直播� and saying her role will be to bring awareness to the club and help it grow.

香蕉视频直播淲hatever they need from me, I香蕉视频直播檒l be there to help support,香蕉视频直播� she said.

The appetite and support for women香蕉视频直播檚 sports is growing, Sinclair said, so joining the NSL 香蕉视频直播渕akes perfect sense.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭he time is now for women香蕉视频直播檚 sports,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淚f you go across Canada 香蕉视频直播� obviously we did with the national team 香蕉视频直播� people are begging to be able to watch professional sports here in Canada, women香蕉视频直播檚 professional sports.香蕉视频直播�