History-making is nothing new for Quinn. The Canadian soccer star, who became the first openly transgender athlete to compete and win an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games, has added another milestone to their impressive list of achievements by scoring the inaugural goal for Canada’s professional women’s soccer league.
In a moment that will forever be etched in Canadian sports history, Quinn converted a penalty kick to become the first-ever goal scorer in the Northern Super League (NSL), helping Vancouver Rise FC secure a victory in the league’s debut match on April 16, 2025. This significance of the goal wasn’t lost on Quinn.
“It’s a pretty cool moment,” Quinn said in an article with CBC. “Not one I thought I’d have. I score goals few and far between, but I think it was just exciting for our team to get on the scoreboard. It was just such a team effort getting to that point, and it was really exciting to celebrate as a team.”
What made the game even more memorable for Quinn was the presence of Christine Sinclair, Quinn’s longtime teammate on the Canadian women’s national team and an international soccer icon.
“I think I’ve been in some really big games, and so I thought, ‘Oh, yeah, this will be easy to handle,'” they shared in an article with CBC. “But then definitely stepping onto the pitch and seeing [league co-founder] Diana Matheson and [Canadian soccer legend] Christine Sinclair with the ball, and just kind of sinking in how much work’s been done to get to this moment… that was a pretty surreal moment for me. It definitely kind of hit my heart in a different way than I thought it would.”
During Christine’s record-breaking career, she became the FIFA all-time leading scorer in the history of international soccer and was named Canadian Female Soccer Player of the Year 14 times, nominated seven times for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, and, as captain of the Canadian women’s national soccer team, won three Olympic medals.
Since announcing her retirement from professional soccer in 2024, Christine has joined NSL as part-owner of Vancouver Rise FC. She has been a strong supporter of the league since its inception, and her legendary status in international and Canadian soccer has helped draw attention to the league, while fulfilling her own long-held wish for Canadian players to have professional opportunities at home.
A Career of Breaking Barriers
Quinn’s impact extends far beyond NSL. With over 100 caps for the Canadian women’s national team since making their senior debut at 18, they’ve helped Canada earn gold at the Tokyo Olympics, bronze in Rio, four Concacaf medals, and competed in two FIFA World Cups.
In 2021, Quinn became the first openly non-binary transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics — and the first to win a medal. Two years later, they made history again as the first openly non-binary transgender footballer to play at the World Cup.
Before joining Vancouver Rise FC, Quinn spent six seasons with Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL. Quinn’s collegiate career at Duke University was equally groundbreaking, as they became the first Canadian to join the school’s women’s soccer program. Their selection as the third overall pick by the Washington Spirit in the 2018 NWSL College Draft made them the highest drafted Canadian in league history.
Beyond the Pitch: Advocacy and Inspiration
Off the field, Quinn has established themselves as a powerful voice for inclusion and diversity. As a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ2+ community, especially in sports, they’ve been involved with Athlete Ally since their collegiate days and have worked alongside Duke alumni and other activists to fight against anti-transgender legislation that limits or prohibits transgender athletes’ participation in sports.
Their work extends to leadership roles on the Canadian Olympic Committee Athletes Commission and the Canadian National Team Players Association, where they continue to advocate for more inclusive spaces in athletics.
Book Quinn for Your Next Event
As a keynote speaker, Quinn shares their journey as a transgender athlete and highlights the crucial role of allyship in helping members of the LGBTQ2+ community achieve success. Their personal story of finding authenticity while competing at the highest levels of sport offers powerful insights for organizations looking to foster more inclusive environments.
Contact us today to book Quinn for your next event. Organizations across industries have found Quinn’s perspective on allyship, resilience, and authentic leadership to be a catalyst for meaningful organizational change.
