Success of women's soccer in Canada depends on next gen as much as reigning Olympic champs

As I sat in the press box during the Canada-Jamaica women's soccer match on Tuesday night, I could hear the cheers from the crowd beneath me. There were shrieks from young girls and thumping of feet on the stands. 

I munched on pretzels and drank coffee (press box staples) and took notes and tried to formulate intelligent and witty commentary to share on social media. 

The excitement was palpable. But after a stunning win over the Reggae Girlz in a very humid Kingston, Jamaica on Sept. 22, the Canadian team returned home for the rematch at a packed BMO field in Toronto. This was Canada's first home game in more than 15 months.

There is ongoing discussion about the growth of women's soccer in Canada and what that might look like. As I walked through the concourse, I met Sarah Nurse and Erin Ambrose of the newly formed Professional Women's Hockey League. They were proudly supporting a fellow Canadian team, with Ambrose wearing a Christine Sinclair kit.

Their presence reminded me that the journey of women's sports in Canada is not linear. There are ebbs and flows and there will be moments of struggle. The Canadian women's team has faced a lot of battles off the pitch that certainly affected on-field performance at various times in various ways. But the fans keep coming out.

I wasn't sure what to expect for the two-game, Olympic play-in series, considering the team's abysmal performance I witnessed at the Women's World Cup Australia. I knew that the match in Toronto was sold out. I felt grateful and relieved that Canadians knew the load that the team had carried and supported them nonetheless. This is exactly what is supposed to happen in sports. You don't abandon the team because of a tough result or challenging period.  

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