Vancouver Rise FC has its first head coach — former Danish national team midfielder Anja Heiner-Moller.
Heiner-Moller, 46, joins the Northern Super League club following two years as head coach of Denmark’s U-19 national women’s team.
She previously coached in the Danish women’s league, and spent three years as an academy coach with Vancouver Whitecaps FC and North Shore Girls Soccer Club between 2018 to 2020.
Heiner-Moller played in more than 250 games for Danish clubs Brondby IF, Odense Boldklub and Hillerod G & I, and represented Denmark in 44 national team games.
Rise announced the signing Thursday, with sporting director Stephanie Labbé saying in a statement that Heiner-Moller is an “emerging coach” who knows how to get the best out of her players.
The NSL is set to kick off its inaugural season in April 2025.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.