Growth in women's sports might be loud and messy at times, but it's part of the journey

There is no doubt that Canada is on an upward trajectory of the development of leagues and expansion teams, creation of jobs in women's sports and generally more attention to women's participation in the global ecosystem.

The PWHL is in its second year with plans to expand on the horizon, the NSL is set to launch next month in Vancouver, and the WNBA's Toronto Tempo will tip off in April 2026. 

Building those leagues and creating new spaces isn't always easy or glamorous. In fact, what we are seeing now has been building for years and in ways that might not be so obvious to everyone. Some of the current success we see has been laid on the foundations of learnings of yesterday. 

Whether it has been the collapse of other leagues, the intense research and marketing it took to convince people to say it's time to invest, it is still not an easy path. There have been bumps, there will be bumps and nothing will be seamless. It never is. I have been thinking about how much grace will be afforded to new ventures in women's sports.

Earlier this month, I sat down in the CBC digital studio with one of the most storied Canadian Olympians, Senator Marnie McBean, to talk about the growth of sports and well, women. I wanted to know what she thinks about barriers and limitations that might continue to exist.

McBean was Canada's chef de mission for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and has been an avid mentor for many athletes. She has witnessed this country's ebbs and flows, and has a unique perspective on what she sees around her. The self-deprecating and humble Olympian insisted I call her Marnie as we shared recipes about her famous ribs and talked about ideas she has for food shows. Then we got down to business.

The three-time Olympic gold