Ownership group of community leaders from business, finance, real estate, marketing, and sports continue to build with goal of creating opportunities for women, postive change within the community
CALGARY - Two Canadian men’s professional soccer players, Charlie Trafford and Sam Adekugbe, have kicked in to help Alberta’s only professional women’s sports team build a championship squad one week before the opening game of the Northern Super League. Both men are joining the ownership group of Calgary Wild FC.
Fresh off retiring from the Calgary Cavalry FC after helping the team win their first Canadian Premier League title, Alberta’s Charlie Trafford and Vancouver’s Sam Adekugbe have both confirmed they will join the powerful sports movement. By bringing their passion and energy for soccer and Alberta to the ownership group of the Calgary Wild FC – one of six founding teams of Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league – they will help contribute to the team’s focus on inclusivity and community-building.
“Being part of Wild FC is an honour, but what truly excites me is the mission behind it – a movement that’s creating opportunity, empowering women, and inspiring the next generation with role models and belief. It’s about bringing communities together, growing the game of soccer across Canada, and building something bigger than any one team,” said Trafford. “It’s a magical thing to witness, and an incredibly exciting time for Canadian soccer. Sport has the power to inspire and to teach — resilience, leadership, confidence — life skills that go far beyond the field. I’ve lived that journey, and it continues to shape everything I do. This league will elevate role models, open doors, and help shape a stronger, more connected future through the power of sport.”
The Calgary-born Trafford, who is the co-founder along with his sister Sya, of “Trafford Farms” – a family run urban farming business that grows local produce year-round – discovered his passion for soccer in the foothills of Rocky Mountain country. Developing his skills growing up in Calgary, Trafford played college soccer for York University before following a career that led him to the professional ranks in Europe. The former Canadian National Team player began his senior professional career in Finland, playing with IFK Mariehamn, TPS and KuPS. His journey in soccer also made stops in Poland, The Netherlands, Scotland and Wales before returning to Canada to play with the hometown Cavalry FC in 2022.
After hoisting the North Star Cup earlier this month, Trafford added his name to the ownership group of Calgary Wild FC that is made up of a collection of people with a range of expertise from the world’s of business, finance, construction, marketing, and sports – and all who have a shared passion to leverage sport as a catalyst for postive change within Calgary.
“I was fortunate to play professionally in my hometown of Calgary and experience what that can mean. I had the privilege of being part of one of the strongest club cultures in the country, thanks to leaders like Linda Heathcott, Ian Allison, and Tommy Wheeldon Jr. They built a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, and I carry those lessons with me.,” added Trafford. “I hope to bring a piece of that experience to the Wild FC – to help bridge the soccer and business worlds, and to support this Club in becoming something truly special.”
Sam Adekugbe, who plays left-back for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, is also all-in on the Calgary Wild FC movement. Adekugbe was born in England and lived there until he was 10 years old when his family moved to Calgary where he grew up playing the game and embraced his family’s leadership in the community.
His mother, Dee, is the executive director of Ruth’s House – a charitable organization that supports individuals of African descent who are facing family crises and violence. His mother and father are both pastors dedicating their lives to positively impacting others. Sam’s brother, Elijah, plays for York FC and runs Offszn Best for Calgary’s elite ballers – young prospects and veteran pros alike. His sister, Ruth, is also a talented footballer playing at Grant McEwan, and has coached club football in Calgary.
“I’m excited to join Calgary Wild FC. Soccer in Calgary has been a huge part of my family’s life. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the sport that has brought us together and to contribute to a community that shares my passion for the game,” said Adekugbe who received his Canadian citizenship in 2016 and has represented the maple leaft at both the youth and senior level.
Adekugbe represented Canada at the FIFA World Cup Qatar in 2022. He was a Concacaf champion later that year. Soccer has taken him around the world, playing with clubs in England, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Turkey.
“Charlie and Sam are generous community leaders, who not only care about the city they are from, but understand the importance of role models, and that shows both in the way they play on the pitch, but also through their work in the community off the pitch,” said Deanna Zumwalt, founder and chair of the Calgary Wild FC.
“They both exemplify what this growing ownership group is setting out to achieve. This model is not about one deep-pocketed owner, but a group of community leaders contributing what they can to make our community stronger by giving young women the opportunity to soar as leaders on and off the pitch. They all have a shared passion for sport, and all believe the Calgary Wild FC is a game changer for creating opportunities for women in sport and business.”
In October 2024, NHL-star defenseman, Josh Morrissey and his wife Margot, expressed their commitment to being an active part of the journey for the Calgary Wild FC, also providing a financial boost to the Club as one of the organization’s founding investors. Like Trafford and Adekugbe, both are proud of their Calgary roots, and remain committed to improving their communities, leading them to an investment in the Calgary Wild FC in an effort to contribute to having a sustainable women’s team in the city.
“We have built our foundation on the bedrock of inclusion and community. Charlie, Sam and Josh exemplify these values while leveraging the platform they have in sport to make their communities better,” added Zumwalt. “I can’t think of two better role models who support the Calgary Wild FC’s mission – on the field of play and in their communities – to help us kickstart the growth of an inclusive fan base that is wild for soccer while providing a source of inspiration in the lives of young Calgarians, Albertans and Canadians. We are grateful to have both of them helping to boost the movement.”
Zumwalt and the Calgary Wild FC leadership group will continue its mission to attract additional investors who believe in the movement, while the Club’s sport operations staff puts the finishing touches to their preparations for the inaugural season which kicks off April 16 when they take on the Vancouver Rise at BC Place Stadium.
About Calgary Wild FC
Calgary Wild FC is one off six teams in the newly created Northern Super League, which will begin its inaugural season in 2025, and feature some of the best women’s soccer players in the world. Shop our exclusive merch and be one of the early #fansinthewild. For the latest news and information on Calgary Wild FC, visit www.calgarywildfc.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and X. Follow the league at www.nsl.ca.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Chris Dornan
Calgary Wild FC
T: 403-620-8731
E-mail: hpprchris@shaw.ca