The AFC Toronto captain is using her platform to create more opportunities for young athletes while ensuring the next generation sees itself represented in the game.

TORONTO, ON (July 16, 2026) — Nikayla Small has always been the type to stay after. After practice. After the final whistle. After the last autograph is signed.

For the AFC Toronto captain, some of the most meaningful moments happen away from the spotlight – spending time with young fans, connecting with families, and finding ways to give back to the communities that support the game. It's a mindset that has followed her throughout her career, from coaching youth teams while in college to signing every jersey she can after matches.

Now, Small is taking that commitment one step further through a foundation, The Small Foundation, dedicated to creating opportunities for young athletes through free clinics, equipment support and mentorship opportunities, ensuring the next generation feels seen, supported and inspired to chase their own goals.

THE SMALL FOUNDATION
The mission is simple and personal: remove barriers that prevent young people from participating in sport.  

Access sits at the core of everything the foundation does. In Canada, winter can make training inaccessible without expensive indoor facilities, while the cost of equipment and programming can put sport out of reach for many young athletes. 

Small wants to create spaces where young people can simply show up — with access to coaching, equipment and opportunities to play — without having to worry about the financial barriers that often stand in the way. 

That commitment is rooted in her own experience growing up. As a young Black athlete, Small rarely saw players who looked like her competing at the highest levels of the women's game. While the foundation’s primary focus is on improving access to sport for all young athletes, representation remains a separate and equally important part of her motivation. 

“I just want to give all these young girls and boys someone to look up to who looks like them, so they can believe they can be in this position too.”

There was no single defining moment behind it all. Small has always been the type to help. Whether staying after training to work with younger players, coaching youth teams while in college, or connecting with supporters after matches, giving back has long been part of who she is. As she saw more young people embrace the sport and experienced the support surrounding the women's game, she felt compelled to create opportunities for the next generation.

SPORT AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Small credits the team environment for shaping who she is as a leader and a community builder.

“Being in a team environment week in and week out, you learn how to work with so many different people. Communication is so important – you learn quickly what your communication style is by being in this environment.”

That same respect she carries on the pitch extends everywhere else – to her teammates, to her coaches, and especially to fans. Walking off the field without acknowledging the people who came to watch is not something she does, because she knows she represents something far bigger than herself.

COMMUNITY AS BELONGING
Ask Small what community means to her and she does not hesitate.

“Community means a sense of belonging. You can build a community anywhere, as long as you’re feeling welcomed, feeling represented, and feeling like you belong there.”

The foundation has already started to create that feeling. When parents and kids approach her after events to share what it has meant to them, that is what tells her it is working, and that there is always more to give, no matter what else is going on in her life.

LOOKING AHEAD
Small is thinking big. The foundation is in its early days in Toronto, but she has no intention of keeping it there – her hope is to one day take it international. And for anyone who wants to make a difference but doesn’t know where to start, her advice is as direct as she is on the pitch:

“Just ask. If you see somebody doing something you want to do, reach out to them. There are so many ways to connect with people now. Just ask.”

Match Details:
Honouring leadership, legacy, and the role sport can play in driving meaningful change.
AFC Toronto vs. Vancouver Rise FC
July 18, 2026 | 4:00 PM ET
York Lions Stadium

Join the action and secure your tickets here

About AFC Toronto
AFC Toronto is a founding club in the Northern Super League, Canada’s professional women’s soccer league. Following a first-place finish and Supporters’ Shield-winning inaugural campaign in 2025, the club continues to build momentum in its second season — driven by a commitment to high performance, meaningful community connection, and the long-term growth of the women’s game in Canada.

Rooted in Toronto and guided by its ethos — Run It Our Way — AFC Toronto exists not only to compete at the highest level, but to create a platform where girls and women can lead, grow, and thrive both on and off the pitch.

Media Contact
Christina Miller
Director, Public Relations, Media & Communications
AFC Toronto
cmiller@afctoronto.ca