Halifax Tides FC is a professional women's soccer club based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It will compete in the Northern Super League upon its launch in 2025, in the top tier of the Canadian soccer league system. The professional soccer club is one of two in Atlantic Canada, alongside the HFX Wanderers of the men's Canadian Premier League.
 | |
| Founded | 2024 |
|---|---|
| CEO | Courtney Sherlock |
| League | Northern Super League |
| Website | Club website |
History
editAfter discussions between a consortium of Halifax businesspeople and the Northern Super League (NSL) – which was then provisionally known as Project 8 – began in late 2023,[1] the club was first incorporated as Atlantic Women's FC Limited in early 2024, as one of the NSL's six founding franchises.[2][3] Its status as an NSL club was publicly announced by the league in April, becoming its fourth member after Vancouver, the Calgary Wild, and AFC Toronto.[4][5][6] The club's branding was unveiled through an event in downtown Halifax celebrating the club's "launch" on 13 June.[7][8]
Identity
editThe Tides' colours are "ocean cyan", "granite purple", and "ship grey".[8][9] Its crest depicts the saltire on the flag of Nova Scotia as a pair of colliding waves in front of a ship's bow.[7] The ship forms the outline of the crest "as a reminder to always propel forward", while the Moon is depicted at its centre, allegorising the club's intended impact on the local community to the Moon's tides.[7] Four vertical stripes decorate the base of the crest, representing the four predecessors of the Halifax Regional Municipality prior to their amalgamation in 1996: Halifax, Bedford, Dartmouth, and Halifax County.[9][10] The crest was first registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office in April 2024.[2]
Stadium
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The Halifax Tides are in discussions with the Halifax Regional Municipality to play their home games at the Wanderers Grounds in downtown Halifax.[11][12] The Wanderers Grounds is a grass field located between the Citadel Hill and the Halifax Public Gardens, upon which a 6,500-seat "pop up" stadium was built in 2018 for the HFX Wanderers of the Canadian Premier League.[11][13][14] The Wanderers are proposing a CA$40 million upgrade of the venue with 8,500-seat permanent grandstands.[15][16]
Organisation
editCourtney Sherlock, a veterinarian and entrepreneur, serves as the Halifax Tides' chief executive officer (CEO).[4][5][17] She was one of the co-founders of the club alongside former national team player Mary Beth Bowie, and businesspeople Adam Baggs, Tara Larsen, Andrea Thompson, Amanda Sparkes, and Miriam Zither.[3] Sherlock was introduced to Zither through a mutual friend who recognised that both families had children who played soccer. Despite not having an interest in soccer herself, Sherlock was quickly motivated to offer her leadership after joining the club.[1][17]
References
edit- ^ a b Bauman, Martin (11 April 2024). ""Never been done before": Meet one of the women bringing pro women's soccer to Halifax". The Coast. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
So, when she met her Atlantic Women's FC co-founder Miriam Zitner in November of last year and heard about Project 8 [...] she saw a chance she couldn't pass up. Never mind if she had no background in soccer of her own.
- ^ a b "Halifax Tides Logo — 2320403". Canadian Intellectual Property Office. 9 April 2024. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
Applicant; Atlantic Women's FC Limited [...] Filed; 2024-04-09
- ^ a b Jacques, John (12 March 2024). "Halifax To Get Pro Women's Soccer Team". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The provincial company listing shows [...] Marie Bowie, Amanda Sparkes, Tara Larsen, Courtney Sherlock, Miriam Zitner, and Andrea Thompson listed as directors. Bowie is a former national team player...
- ^ a b Stevens, Kayleigh (10 April 2024). "Kicking off in Halifax: Professional women's soccer league to hit the ground running next year". Global News. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The club is one of four debuting in Canada over the next couple of years as part of Project 8 [...] The other clubs are located in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. Atlantic Women's Football Club CEO Courtney Sherlock...
- ^ a b The Canadian Press (9 April 2024). "Halifax becomes latest city to sign up for Project 8 Canadian women's pro soccer league". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto were the first to come on board. Courtney Sherlock, the co-founder and CEO of the Halifax entry...
- ^ Price, Melanie (9 April 2024). "New professional women's soccer team to debut in Halifax in 2025". CTV News Atlantic. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The founding clubs will be located in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Halifax.
- ^ a b c Kaiser, Leigha (14 June 2024). "Halifax Tides FC: Northern Super League announces East Coast team's name, new logo". CTV News Atlantic. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
Halifax Tides FC's new badge is in the shape of a naval ship, as a reminder to always propel forward. Elements within the club's badge include waves in the shape of an "x," symbolizing the cross in our province's flag. A moon within the badge represents its influence on the tides symbolizing the club's intended impact on the community.
- ^ a b The Canadian Press (13 June 2024). "Northern Super League's East Coast team will be called Halifax Tides FC". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The team also showed off its logo and colours — cyan, purple and grey...
- ^ a b Cook, Glenn (13 June 2024). "Rising Tides: Halifax NSL Club Unveils Name, Crest". SportsLogos.net. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The club's colour palette includes Ocean Cyan, Granite Purple and Ship Grey. [...] four stripes below represent the four former municipalities that amalgamated into the Halifax Regional Municipality.
- ^ Northup, Kevin (14 June 2024). "Halifax Tides FC to bring pro women's soccer to N.S." Surge 105.1. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
It also has four stripes, signifying Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Halifax County.
- ^ a b Jacques, John (13 June 2024). "Northern Super League: Halifax Tides Makes A Splash". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
Matheson had stated previously that Halifax will likely be the only team playing on grass, which implies that Wanderers Grounds may fit the bill...
- ^ "Halifax Tides FC To Be Halifax's First-Ever Professional Women's Soccer Team". Northern Super League. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
...Tides FC is thrilled to be working with the city on an agreement for usage of the Wanderers Grounds.
- ^ The Canadian Press (20 June 2017). "Soccer stadium, team touted for downtown Halifax". TSN. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
...a pop-up stadium at a downtown municipal sports field...
- ^ Molinaro, John (14 July 2019). "Inside pro soccer's long-awaited return to the Maritimes". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
...Wanderers Grounds, a historic parcel of land wedged between Citadel Hill and the Public Gardens in the heart of the city.
- ^ Ryan, Hayley (14 September 2023). "Halifax's professional soccer team pitches city on $40-million stadium". CBC News. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
Facility would hold 8,500 people in stands...
- ^ Bailey, Mitchell (26 April 2024). "Halifax Wanderers push for stadium expansion as ticket demand skyrockets". Global News. Archived from the original on 26 April 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The project is estimated to come with a $40-million price tag...
- ^ a b Davidson, Neil (9 April 2024). "Project 8 women's pro soccer league unveils Halifax as 4th franchise". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
The Halifax franchise has three investors so far with Miriam Zitner and Adam Baggs joining Sherlock. Sherlock is a veterinarian and entrepreneur [...] Sherlock was introduced to Zitner by a mutual friend who knew both had kids who played soccer. Zitner and a group had already had some meetings with Project 8 and Sherlock soon joined the consortium.