The minds behind VancouverB次元官网网址檚 new womenB次元官网网址檚 professional soccer team had a lofty goal as they looked to name the club B次元官网网址� they wanted to simultaneously inspire and capture the essence of a new era.

Vancouver Rise FC was unveiled as the moniker for the cityB次元官网网址檚 new Northern Super League team on Monday.

B次元官网网址淚 think it has that sense of empowerment, that sense of feeling,B次元官网网址� said sporting director Stephanie Labbe. B次元官网网址淚 get goosebumps, still, thinking about how much the word B次元官网网址榬iseB次元官网网址� and this team, Vancouver Rise, can embody and can be connected to.B次元官网网址�

A teal shield-shaped logo was also revealed, crowned with three snow-capped mountains and including a bursting golden sun.

The colour of the sun is special to Labbe, who was CanadaB次元官网网址檚 goalkeeper when the team captured an Olympic championship at the Tokyo Games.

B次元官网网址淧ersonally, I really like having gold in there,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t has a special place in my heart.B次元官网网址�

The process of choosing a name and logo wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy, said Rise president Sinead King.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got so many ideas and you want to get it perfect. You start to overthink absolutely everything,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that the decision makers wanted something that personified what it means to be a woman in professional sports.

B次元官网网址淲hat are the opportunities? How do we get to elevate the pathways for them? And we feel like Rise really brings that to life.B次元官网网址�

The NSL includes six founding teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. Ottawa Rapid FC, Halifax Tides FC and Calgary Wild FC have already unveiled their names and logos.

The league is set to kick off its inaugural season in April, with each team playing a 25-game schedule. But thereB次元官网网址檚 still ample work to be done before players hit the pitch.

Which field Rise will play on has yet to be announced, though King said Monday there may be opportunities to have some games at B.C. Place, home to Major League SoccerB次元官网网址檚 Vancouver Whitecaps and a stadium with a capacity of nearly 55,000.

Rise and the Whitecaps share an owner in Greg Kerfoot, but will operate as separate clubs.

B次元官网网址淲e want to have our own home and our own stadium,B次元官网网址� King said.

Labbe also still needs to build out the RiseB次元官网网址檚 roster, a process that can be daunting, she admitted.

B次元官网网址淥ne good thing is I love doing puzzles, and so I feel like every time IB次元官网网址檓 doing something, IB次元官网网址檓 adding another piece to the puzzle, and so it doesnB次元官网网址檛 scare me,B次元官网网址� Labbe said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really, really exciting. And every time I get a new piece that I can add to it, it just brings more excitement, and it makes it feel more real.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver is already B次元官网网址渄eep into the processB次元官网网址� of looking for a head coach and is hoping to name one in the next month, she added, and news of their first player signing should also come B次元官网网址渟oon.B次元官网网址�

The team will include players who have World Cup experience, Olympic experience and youth national team experience.

Attracting athletes to Vancouver hasnB次元官网网址檛 been an issue, said Labbe, who played in Europe and the NWSL in the United States.

B次元官网网址淭he amount of talent that comes out of this country is unbelievable. And to me, itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of untapped talent right now,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think giving these players a place where they can actually pursue these opportunities, not just think about going to college and then maybe not pursuing it any further than that, but really dreaming of this and being a part of this.B次元官网网址�

The goal is to make NSL one of the top five leagues in the world, with teams that could compete alongside the NWSL, or the leagues in the U.K., Germany and Spain.

B次元官网网址 about the new league may be slow to trickle out, King said, but that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean decisions arenB次元官网网址檛 being made behind the scenes.

B次元官网网址淭he Northern Super League is incredibly organized. ItB次元官网网址檚 really collaborative through all the clubs. We all want to make sure weB次元官网网址檝e got a sustainable and successful league. So I think weB次元官网网址檙e all confident that weB次元官网网址檙e going to be ready for April. There might be some hiccups along the way, because launching a league is a massive undertaking, but weB次元官网网址檙e not looking to push (the start date) back.B次元官网网址�