Ottawa Rapid FC – a new era for women’s soccer and local ownership
From left: Stephanie Spruston, Ottawa Rapid FC’s chief operating officer, Thomas Gilbert, co-founder and CEO, and Heidi Bloomfield, chief sport officer.
Photo: Benjamin Madore
Ottawa Rapid FC – a new era for women’s soccer and local ownership
By Jamie Deans
The Glebe has a rich sports history, with a strong community spirit and a deep love for local teams going back almost 125 years. Long known for its involvement in amateur and professional sports, the Glebe welcomed another professional team and further strengthened its legacy as Ottawa’s entry in Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league hit the pitch at TD Place last month.
The arrival of Ottawa Rapid FC marks an exciting milestone for both the city’s sports scene and the growth of women’s sports. With local ownership, passionate leadership and a strategic focus on community and gender equity, Rapid FC hopes to make a significant impact on the local sports landscape.
The founding of the club is a direct response to the increasing demand for a high-level women’s soccer team in the nation’s capital, as well as a call to action for greater representation and opportunity in women’s sports.
“This is about breaking down gender perceptions and normalizing women in sports,” said Thomas Gilbert, the team’s co-founder and CEO. “It is a chance to create opportunities and provide a bridge between youth and professional sports in our city.”
For Gilbert, who has lived in almost every province and territory at some point, Ottawa has always been the place he has come back to and is in many ways his home. His family lives here, and he and his fiancé have permanently relocated to the Glebe, a convenient three-and-a-half-minute-walk to the stadium.
“When the opportunity came up to take on a role as the owner and operator of a club, with my deep personal connections in Ottawa, seeing the way that this city has rallied behind women’s sports and knowing the incredible soccer community that exists here, I jumped at the opportunity to bring a team to this city,” said Gilbert.
Following the launch of the club last August, Gilbert’s next task was to round out the ownership group, which began with him and fellow co-founder, retired Canadian national team star Diana Matheson. Gilbert sought local individuals who were not only committed to the success of the team but also deeply invested in the community and the future of women’s soccer.
“We were looking for people who understood and embraced the notion that, at its core, the club’s vision is to drive social change and that we need to be a positive organization firmly grounded in our community and fully integrated into the fabric of the city.”
The result is a diverse range of owners, composed of several notable figures, including Ottawa Senators minority owners Seth Boro and Jen Hamilton, David Renfroe, Chris Riddoch and Kyle Braatz, who also holds a stake in the Senators.
One member of the ownership group holds the distinction of also being a part of the club’s senior management team – Heidi Bloomfield is the team’s chief sport officer. Bloomfield’s initial discussions with Gilbert were as a potential investor, but things quickly evolved once the two realized her leadership skills and experience in both strategic planning and day-to-day operations would be key to the club’s future.
“Having lived in Ottawa previously, I always wanted to come back. After talking to Tom and hearing the vision for the club, I knew Rapid FC was the right fit. Anybody that knows me, knows this is exactly where I should be,” said Bloomfield.
Another member of the senior management team is a longtime fixture in the Glebe and a veteran in Ottawa’s sports and entertainment community – Stephanie Spruston, formerly the vice president of corporate services and general counsel with OSEG, was one of the team’s first hires last August. Spruston, who grew up in the neighbourhood, served on the Glebe BIA Board for seven years, raised her two older kids here, and she and her husband still call the neighbourhood home.
As this historic season progresses, Ottawa Rapid FC’s commitment to the community and its focus on local ownership is poised to redefine the sports landscape in Ottawa. The city can look forward to an exciting new chapter in its sports history, one that celebrates both the athletes and the community that supports them.
In May, Rapid FC will host Vancouver on May 15 at 7 p.m. and Montreal on May 25 at 2 p.m. at TD Place.
Jamie Deans is the communications officer for Rapid FC, the city’s new professional women’s soccer club.