Canadian soccer's Quinn paying forward mentorship that has led them to success
CBC
This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.
Cookies might not be the typical superfood of exceptional athletes, but for Canadian women's team player Quinn, they are a go-to.
"Definitely my favourite food in the whole world," said the 27 year-old midfielder. When I asked Quinn about a specific food they miss when not at home in Toronto, they told me — without hesitation — that it is President's Choice Baked By You Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and that their family has it well-stocked in the fridge.
Quinn plays professionally with Seattle's OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League and based on recent performances, looks to be in fine form.
That's good for Canada's women's team, which won't play again until a friendly on July 14th in Australia, just ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup . The tournament starts July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
WATCH: Quinn's scores 1st goal in NWSL:
During our conversation, Quinn humbly explained why the team is so unique and full of potential. They also told me their strongest leadership quality is understanding the pivotal roles that senior players have. Quinn explained their contributions in a way that shows that creating spaces for new voices and perspectives is meaningful for them.
Quinn's decisiveness and sincerity are two characteristics that makes them a phenomenal teammate and also the perfect person to be featured in a new mentorship initiative.
The See Them, Be Them program, an initiative from GE Appliances, will have Quinn mentor and guide eight soccer players (ages 13-17) from across Canada. There will also be 100 girls and gender diverse kids participating online so the program can reach the maximum number of youths.
That mentorship piece is exactly why Quinn decided they wanted to be a part of it. Mentorship and having access to watch and interact with the women's national team was pivotal in Quinn's own youth and they feel they can offer that back to the next generation.
Soccer North is back with a focus on the Canadian women's team as it prepares for the FIFA Women's World Cup. Join host Andi Petrillo and special guests on Friday for insight and analysis leading into tournament.
WATCH: Keeping up with the Canadians:
"It was important for me growing up playing soccer to be able to interact with the national team," Quinn said. "I actually got to see a training session in Toronto one time before the national team played. And I got to talk to some of the players after the session. That, for me, was a really important and inspiring moment to understand where I wanted to go with soccer.
"So, this initiative is just another opportunity for young girls and gender diverse athletes to interact and see where they can go with sports."
