Wild FC, Calgary’s new professional women’s Soccer team, now has a coach to lead its inaugural Northern Super League season: Lydia Bedford.
In a few weeks, the 37-year-old will leave her native England, where she currently serves as coach of a men’s under-18 soccer team.
Ultimately, I have always wanted to be a coach that advances women’s soccer and I want to be recognized for what I achieve on the women’s teams.
Open in full screen mode
The appointment to Brentford Under-18s was seen, at the time, as a decisive moment for the place of women in men’s football. She is one of the rare women to have held a coaching position in an English club.
Photo : - / Camille Cusset
With around twenty years of experience as a leader in the world of soccer, notably with the English professional women’s team Arsenal, Lydia Bedford receives an enthusiastic welcome from the players already known to the team.
It’s unreal, as soon as you hear about football women’s, Arsenal is the standard for the whole world at the moment
says the goalkeeper from Calgary, Sarah Keilty-Dilling.
Lydia Bedford says she also benefited from her time with a men’s team. I got used to a faster game. So when it’s a little slower, I think I have more opportunity to really absorb what’s happening and make good decisions on the spot.
Women’s soccer has always been close to my heart, and although I really loved being at Brentford, a fantastic club with great people, I always wanted to return to my first love.
A team in training
With only seven players recruited to date, one of the first challenges of Lydia Bedford will be to train the team. I already spend my evenings making calls with management regarding potential players trying to recruit.
It’s a truly incredible opportunity to be able to come to a new point and really shape the project the way I want it to be for the supporters.
It is obvious that I have links with players internationally that the club perhaps did not have before my arrival.
says the Londoner, who does not hide the fact that seasoned amateurs will perhaps see the arrival of players who have already gravitated to her professional circle.
With this appointment to Wild FC, Lydia Bedford becomes one of the women occupying the highest positions within a Canadian Premier League club.
The date of her arrival has not yet been set, but the new coach ensures she can be present for the start of the preseason.
The first season in spring
The Wild FC is one of the six founding teams of the Northern Super League, which will launch in April.
In addition to Calgary, the cities of Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Halifax will also host professional women’s teams.
Soccer in Calgary is on a roll right now. Last month, the men’s professional team, the Cavalry FCmarked its history by winning its first title in the Canadian Premier Soccer League.
