After scoring the goal that clinched Olympic bronze for her country, Diana Matheson finally became a household name among Canadian sports fans.
Now, she's hoping that the establishment of a new professional women's league in North America can help set up more young Canadian players for similar success.
"I was excited that the new league was finally official," Matheson told Canadian Soccer News. "I know a lot of players and executives and coaches on both sides of the border have been working very hard to put something in place."
And Matheson -- who has had several stints playing in Europe over her career, and is currently a member of Norwegian champions Lillestrøm -- says the new league might be enough to lure her back to playing on these shores.
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"I would definitely consider it, as I think many of my teammates would," said Matheson, who counted fellow Canadian Rhian Wilkinson as a teammate as Lillestrøm. "We all want to be playing in the top leagues in the world, and it's tough when the only options are in Europe or further.
"As a group we want to help continue to grow soccer in Canada, and it's hard to do that when you are in another continent. It would also be nice to be in the same time zone as family and friends! I think we all welcome the option to play top club soccer in North America."
With Melissa Tancredi, Erin McLeod, Emily Zurrer, Carmelina Moscato, Kaylyn Kyle and Stephanie Labbe among the Canadians who've gone abroad (Sweden, specifically) to play in 2012, it's clear that opportunities do exist for national-team members looking to play in a professional environment.
But Matheson says the importance of players having a domestic option can't be overlooked, particularly in the build-up to the 2015 Women's World Cup on Canadian soil.
"It's huge," she says. "It gives young players something to follow and aspire to in their own backyard.
"We need our players in professional environments, and this provides the opportunity to get more Canadians playing top soccer year-round. Having a stable U.S. league with a large number of Canadians will also hopefully get most of us on the same schedule, which the national team can then work around."
As to whether the league actually can provide the stability Matheson says is so important? Like many, she believes the cooperation between the CSA, USSF and FMF in backing the league is a source of optimism about its chances, saying "the new setup will help alleviate some of the financial burden for the leagues and owners."
"I think that's a positive sign that they don't plan on making the same mistakes that caused (WUSA and WPS) to fold before."
While the new league will consist of eight U.S.-based teams in 2013, Matheson remains positive about the prospect that, over the long term, it could follow a similar trajectory as Major League Soccer.
"Hopefully this league will be sustainable and will include Canadian teams in the future. Hopefully it will eventually emulate what the MLS has done on the men's side."
The only question, then, is what to call the new league. Any ideas, Diana?
"How about North American Soccer Association? No one is using that acronym, right?"
Well, it's unlikely she and other Canadians will be suiting up for NASA any time soon, but hopefully, as it relates to this new professional league, the sky truly is the limit.
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