The city’s only female professional soccer team, the Calgary Wild FC, has been on the road battling it out against Vancouver, Halifax, and Toronto.
But on May 6, the team returned home to McMahon Stadium for their first ever practice on their home field, ahead of a pivotal Mother’s Day match-up against Ottawa.
Head Coach Lydia Bedford said that despite the team’s 1-2 record on the road, there’s confidence upon returning to Calgary.
“Every team is obviously starting, and we’ve often been the first team they’ve hosted. So, we’re hitting all of the last-minute issues, like training times getting changed and hotel venues not being maybe what we expected. But I think that’s really good learning for us, because some teams haven’t had an away game yet,” Bedford said.
“For us to be where we are in the table, having faced those three different opponents, and I think our players have shown in every one of those games that we’re willing and able to compete.”
She said that the 1-0 Vancouver win with a penalty kick, followed by their 4-1 commanding victory over Halifax, and a tight 2-1 loss to Toronto showed that there was strength and resilience within the roster to build on.
That roster building continued this week ahead of the Mother’s Day home game, with the addition of UEFA A licensed goalkeeping coach Tony O’Neill as head of goaltending and assistant coach.
“I know Lydia really well from our role and our time at Leicester City. It was a no-brainer, really, when she picked the phone up to me, told me about the project, the vision,” O’Neill said.
“It’s a project that you can have a massive input in, and it can go anywhere. I think that’s the whole project in terms of the league and the team, I just think the vision is amazing. To be part of that, and that making history, I think, for me is a no-brainer.”
He and Bedford both said that this weekend was the game that the team wanted to win for the fans.
“I’d love this place to have more than 15,000 people in it on Sunday, and it to be absolutely rocking. I don’t know that we’ll get there, but what I know about our fan base, and this town, is that this is the moment people come and watch us play,” said Bedford.
Not being able to play in front of the home crowd, including friends and family, had been a difficult start to the season said defender Grace Stordey, who also hails from Calgary.
She said the previous weekend’s fan meet and greet at Bow Valley College was a big boost to the team.
“Knowing win or loss, you have a support system that is all for you. It’s really special, and it’s a good feeling, because you know the lows are lows, but that just makes the highs even higher,” Stordey said.
Stordey said emotions were high for Sunday’s game.
“The group of girls we have are all very excited. I think Calgary, as a city I know, will have good energy. So, if fans are bringing energy, I can promise you that the girls will bring even better energy.”
The Wild FC takes on Ottawa Rapid at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at www.calgarywildfc.com/games/calgary-ottawa-2025-05-11.
