Katrine Pedersen 1st head coach of Ottawa's Northern Super League women's team

Katrine Pedersen, who won a Danish-record 210 caps as a player and then served as an assistant coach with Denmark's women's team, has been named head coach of Ottawa Rapid FC.

The 47-year-old Pedersen is set to take charge of the Northern Super League team Nov. 1 although she plans to visit Ottawa before then. The six-team women's pro circuit begins next April.

Pedersen played for Denmark from 1994 to 2013, spending the last 10 years as captain. At club level, she played in Denmark, Norway and Sweden as well as Australia (Adelaide United) and England (Fulham).

"I am truly thrilled to be appointed as head coach of Rapid FC," Pedersen said in a statement. "A new chapter in the history of women's professional soccer is being written, and I'm eager to embark on this exciting journey with the club.

"My career in football has taken me to places I never imagined, and that journey has laid the perfect foundation for this new challenge. I look very much forward to helping build a professional environment where players will grow and learn together and challenge each other in the pursuit of excellent performances."

A member of the Danish Football Hall of Fame, Pedersen was named Danish women's player of the year three times (2007, 2011 and 2013).

She joins the team from the Danish Football Association, where she served in a talent development role.

Pedersen, who played in three World Cups and five European Championships, is one of four Danish women to have a UEFA Pro Coaching Licence.

"We're extremely excited to have her come on board," said Kristina Kiss, a former Canadian international who is Ottawa's technical director. "It's really the perfect coach, the perfect hire for us."

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