CALGARY—Two more Canucks, including Calgary’s Talia White and British Columbia’s Jenaya Robertson, will suit up for the Calgary Wild FC when the inaugural season of the Northern Super League kicks off this spring. 

White, a standout centre back/fullback, becomes the fourth hometown player to join the Calgary Wild FC roster that will be one of six teams playing in Canada’s first ever women’s professional soccer league. Goaltender Sarah Keilty-Dilling, fullback Grace Stordy and winger/outside back Caleigh Boeckx were the first three Calgarians signed prior to the holiday season.

“The Calgary Wild FC feels like home to me, not just because it is in Calgary, but because of the values the club stands for. It’s an incredible feeling to have the opportunity to play for a professional team in Calgary where I’ve grown up, played youth, university and semi-pro soccer,” said White. “There’s something special about representing your roots, playing in an environment where you are surrounded by the community that knows and shaped you. Being surrounded by such a passionate group motivates me to embody those same values of hard work, resilience, and teamwork. It will not just be about individual success at the Wild FC. It’s about supporting one another and striving to be our best both on and off the pitch.”

White has never wavered in her pursuit of excellence on and off the field throughout her career which began in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she has thrived in all of the team environments the sport has presented her.

After playing five seasons with the University of Calgary Dinos (2016-2021) where she racked up a field full of accolades including Canada West and University of Calgary Rookie-of-the-Year in 2016; USports’ First Team All-Canadian (2018); University of Calgary Player-of-the-Year (2018); a two-time Canada West Conference First Team All-Star; and Canada West champion. Equally impressive was her performance in the classroom. The five-time Academic All-Canadian was on the Deans List in Kinesiology throughout her varsity career.

White got her first taste of professional soccer playing with South Hobart (2022) and the Essendon Royals (2023) in Australia where she was named Player-of-the-Year with both clubs. She then hit the pitch with Treaty United FC in Ireland.

“I have always  reminded myself to enjoy the process: savouring every victory, learning from every setback, and cherishing every moment because those experiences are what make the journey worthwhile,” added White, who is keen to leverage the opportunity to be a role model for young Canadian girls. “I want to show that my pathway to playing in this Canadian league, going to school in Canada, that you are still valued the same as a player who may have gone somewhere else. Hopefully my story will help bridge the gap and show that USports is a top league and that success isn’t linear, but with determination and support, anything is possible.”

Inspired as a 14-year-old watching Christine Sinclair and the Canadian National Team play live near her home in Delta, B.C., Jenaya Robertson is soon to realize her own dream of playing professionally in Canada. 

“Leaving the stadium that night with Sinclair’s autograph on my jersey, I felt an incredible drive to take my game to the next level. Just watching a women’s team compete on home soil made me believe that dreams like mine could come true – no matter the obstacles, or if it meant moving halfway across the world to pursue it,” said Robertson. “Today, after years of playing overseas, I am incredibly grateful and honoured to be able to compete professionally in my own country. More than anything, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to inspire the next generation of young Canadian girls and boys, just as I was inspired all those years ago.”

The midfielder realized that a professional career did exist in Europe beyond the college game, signing her first professional contract in Germany (FC Würzburger Kickers) before making stops in Spain (CP Cacereño) and Ireland (Shelbourne FC and Athlone Town AFC where she was a President’s Cup champion).

Recognized as a late starter in the game, Robertson’s natural talent and passion for the soccer quickly shone through in her development, leading her to a standout career with the Trinity Western University Spartans where she amassed 34 goals and 14 assists (2015-2020).  Robertson was named USports Player-of-the-Year and First Team All-Canadian in 2020. She broke the single-season goal-scoring record for the Spartans in 2020, scoring 14 goals in 14 games. Robertson was also presented with the Murray Hall Leadership Legacy Award during the Spartans’ 2019 season.

Committed to giving back to her community in a variety of ways, Robertson is connected to TeamUp – a non-profit sports charity that works alongside humanitarian organizations to improve the lives of children in underserved communities around the world, through which she has travelled to conduct sports clinics while assisting with community service projects.

This work has shaped her personal values and inspired her to join the powerful movement being sparked by the Calgary Wild FC.

“I am beyond excited to represent the Calgary Wild FC. Someone once told me, ‘It’s not always what you do, but who you do it with that makes an experience so much richer.’ From the moment I met with the leadership team, I knew this club was trying to build something special,” said Robertson, who captained the Trinity Western University Spartans to two Canada West gold medals and a USports final. “This is a true testament of all the people working so hard behind the scenes of this club. To help build something alongside others who want to make a difference on and off the pitch has made this a very easy decision. I can’t wait to get to work and grow something great alongside all the players and staff.”

The two USports alumnae’s passion for community and making positive impacts on the world strongly aligns with the values of the Calgary Wild FC and the new Northern Super League.

“We have built the Calgary Wild’s foundation on the bedrock of inclusion and community. Talia and Jenaya exemplify these values while leveraging the platform they have in sport to make their communities better,” said Alix Bruch, sporting director, Calgary Wild FC. “They have both pursued excellence on the pitch and in the classroom without compromising on their desire to build capacity in their respective communities. In addition to providing a boost of energy to our club, they are sure to be role models for young Canadian girls, proving there is a pathway to professional football through Canada’s university system.” 

The Calgary Wild FC rang in 2025 by naming football trailblazer, Lydia Bedford, as the club’s first ever coach.  The Calgary Wild FC have announced 11 players including Calgary’s Sarah Keilty-Dilling, Grace Stordy, and Caleigh Boeckx, along with British Columbia’s Jaclyn Sawicki and Christie Gray.  An impressive lineup of notable international names including: Afghan-Canadian humanitarian Farkhunda Muhtaj and Sonia O’Neill from Toronto, New Zealand’s three-time Olympian Meikayla Moore; and Mijke Roelfsema from The Netherlands.

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, featuring 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