As Halifax prepares for April kickoff, city embracing 1st pro women's sports team

Inside a Halifax hotel ballroom on a cold night in early February, kids and adults lined up for a chance to take a picture with a shark.

As the Northern Super League (NSL) prepares to begin its inaugural season this spring, Halifax Tides FC welcomed its season-ticket holders to the hotel to meet their new team.

In addition to meeting Jawslyn, the fabulous teal scarf-wearing shark who is the Tides' mascot, anyone could strike up a conversation with team management or a player. Many kids brought their soccer balls to get signed by the team.

The Tides haven't played a game yet — that will come on April 26, when the team hosts Calgary Wild FC at the Wanderers Grounds in downtown Halifax — but from the popular mascot to the team's teal merchandise, the Tides already have a presence in this east coast city. 

Halifax is home to men's soccer, lacrosse, basketball and major junior hockey teams. But the Maritime provinces have never had a women's professional sports team. The Tides will be the first, and the fans at the first team event were eager to show their support.

For some, it was something they've waited decades to see.

When Meredith Higgins played soccer growing up, playing professionally seemed far outside the realm of possibility.

As an adult, the season-ticket holder is excited to watch her favourite player, Erin McLeod, who is a keeper just like Higgins. It's even more important, she said, for young girls to see what is possible.

"It's demonstrating over and over again that there is a market for us," Higgins said about the fans in Halifax. "We supported the Mooseheads [QMJHL team] for such a long time and the players that have come through and the world juniors that have come through. I think it's finally time for the women to shine."

Other season-ticket holders, like Katie Malone, are new to the sport. When the NSL was announced, she immediately hoped Halifax would have a team. When the team was confirmed, Malone became a soccer fan.

"I enjoy going to any live sporting game and if women are playing, I'm even more excited about it," Malone said.

The NSL has teams from coast-to-coast, from the Tides in the east to Vancouver Rise FC in the west. In the middle is Montreal Roses FC, Ottawa Rapid FC, AFC Toronto and Calgary Wild FC.

The Tides were born last June, when the name and logo were officially unveiled. The ship is steered by club CEO and co-founder, Courtney Sherlock, and president, Val Malone.

But for many, the moment the Tides really started to take shape was in the fall, when the team announced McLeod as its first player signing. The former Canadian national team goalkeeper, who owns Olympic gold and bronze medals, had most recently played professionally in Iceland.