At just 16, Finnah Gordon is already carving her reputation as an inspiring young coach at the Calgary Foothills Soccer Club. Her passion isn’t just for the game; it’s for the kids she coaches, the culture she’s helping to shape, and providing tools that kids can use both on the pitch and off.

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From a Tough Start to a Powerful Purpose

Finnah began her soccer journey at the age of two, but at just 12, she had an experience that would have caused many to hang up their cleats: a negative experience with a female coach. So negative, in fact, that she left her club and moved to Foothills. Instead of letting that experience drive her away from soccer, Finnah used it as fuel. “It made me want to become the kind of person that she was not,” she says.

That club’s loss was Foothills’ gain!

Coaching with Heart

Finnah took on her first coaching role with the Foothills Grassroots outdoor program at 14. Now in Grade 11, Finnah impressively coaches multiple youth teams and has run school programs at Copperfield School, Cefa Early Learning, and Sibylla Kiddle in Cranston. Whether she’s leading sessions for toddlers or head coaching her U12 girls team, she brings a level of empathy, energy, and emotional intelligence that stands out.

“Anxiety and stress can be a challenge for kids, especially at this age. I relate to that. I talk them through it. We go there together, instead of pushing it aside.”

Her players are young, but the impact is real. She’s not just coaching soccer; she’s building confidence, resilience, and trust.

Coaching with Heart

Since joining Foothills, Finnah has found a home and a launchpad. She credits the Club and others for giving her opportunities and mentorship that helped her believe in herself as a leader.

• Mentors like Al Fernandes, who first nudged her toward coaching.
• Sarah Taylor, who got her into the TELUS She CAN Coach program.
• Cat Fox, who coached her in the TELUS She Can Coach program and suggested that funding for coaching licenses was available through Foothills.
• Riley Murray, an outstanding coach who built her confidence and taught her to trust herself.
• Foothills TD, Greg de Carnys, who is mentoring Finnah on her coaching path, including setting goals and providing coach shadowing opportunities.
• And Foothills Operations Manager, Colin Mackay, who helped obtain the necessary internal approvals for her C license funding.

Foothills and her mentors have helped Finnah build technical skills and the confidence to lead, even in tough situations.

As a young coach just a few years older than her players, she’s found ways to connect deeply with the girls on her team. She’s built a sense of community, planning team pool nights, organizing girls-only events, and always being the kind of role model she wished she had. And the parents have noticed.

“They tell me how much their daughters love having me as a coach. They see the connection I have with the girls—it’s more than just soccer.”

A Leader in the Making

Finnah’s story is a powerful reminder of how young women in sport can lead from the front, even when the path isn’t easy. She’s already faced the challenges that come with being a coach, and she’s handled them with grit, grace, and heart.

*** “Finnah is a passionate and driven young coach. She has shown lots of potential and has a particular passion for working with Grassroots aged players, so we are working together to help her grow her expertise in this area. Expert Grassroots coaches, like female coaches in general, are in short supply, so I’m really excited to help her progress on the journey she’s started. Greg de Carnys, Foothills Technical Director”***

Finnah’s advice to other young girls with dreams of coaching, playing, or leading in soccer?

“You have to be resilient. You’ll go through tough times. Maybe you won’t like every coach, or every experience. But keep going. Be the one who changes it for someone else.”

The Future Looks Bright

With her eyes set on becoming a full-time coach and continuing to grow through every level of the game, Finnah’s journey is just getting started. But already, she’s making a difference—in every drill, in every pep talk, and in every little girl who looks up and sees someone just like her, doing what she dreams of doing.

“I want to inspire more female coaches to help close the gender equality gap,” Finnah says. “Soccer is very much a male-dominated sport, for coaches and players at all levels, including the very top. I want to change that.”

If Finnah’s accomplishments to date are an indication, we have no doubt she will accomplish that!