The AFC Toronto midfielder signed a professional contract before finishing high school, co-captained Canada at a youth World Cup, and is now living the professional dream she has had since she was a young girl

There was no single moment. No one game, no one call-up, no one jersey that made Olivia Chisholm decide this was what she wanted. It was always the plan.

Growing up in Toronto, the dream was professional soccer. And when the Northern Super League launched and AFC Toronto came calling while she was still finishing high school, that dream arrived faster than almost anyone could have anticipated.

“Thinking back on it now, it was pretty crazy. Not many people get to sign a professional contract in their hometown while still completing high school, which is something I will never take for granted. It was definitely challenging managing both school and soccer, but it taught me so much as a person.”

Now, one year into her professional career, Chisholm is preparing to play at BMO Field for Youth Soccer Day, a full-circle moment at the same stadium where she once sat in the stands watching the players she hoped to one day become.

THE CALL-UP
When Canada came calling for the first time, Chisholm tried to take it all in.

“It was a pretty surreal feeling. You work towards something like that your whole life so when the call finally came through, it was hard to process. I always reminded myself I belonged there, to enjoy myself, and to always be proud to represent Canada.”

That experience also shaped how Chisholm thinks about leadership. At the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, she was named co-captain, a role that taught her something she carries into every environment she steps into now.

“It isn't about being the loudest person on the pitch or always having something to say. There are definitely moments for that, but there were also moments where being there for someone or setting standards through my actions felt far more important.”

TWO DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
Her experience with Canada’s youth teams has also given Chisholm a unique perspective on her development. While national team camps bring together players from across the country for short periods, AFC Toronto has given her the opportunity to grow within a consistent professional environment alongside the same teammates and staff.

“They are definitely different environments. With Canada, you get called into camp and play with new players from all around the country for a few weeks, whereas with AFC you get to consistently be in the environment training with the same players every day. Even though they are very different in that sense, both environments push me to be better on and off the field, which helps me be better in both environments when I’m in them.”

A DIFFERENT KIND OF PATH
For a long time, the NCAA was seen as the default route for serious young players in Canada. Chisholm represents a generation for whom that is no longer the only answer.

“The NCAA is still an amazing pathway and one a lot of players chose, but having another option here in Canada is really important. For me, being able to play professionally at home and continue developing in an environment where I can be close to my family, my teammates and the soccer community that helped me get here means a lot.”

She hopes that visibility changes what young girls believe is possible for themselves.

“Hopefully, having more professional opportunities in Canada makes young girls realize that there are different ways to get to where they want to go.”

FULL CIRCLE
Youth Soccer Day at BMO Field lands exactly one year after her professional debut. Chisholm does not take that coincidence lightly.

“My professional debut was a milestone for me, so to come back and play on BMO on Youth Soccer Day is special. I remember being the young player watching older players, wanting to be in their position one day. So being able to now be on the other side of that and hopefully be someone young girls look up to is a reason, and continues to be a reason that I do what I do.”

And for any young girl in the stands watching her and wondering if it could happen for them too, she has a message that sounds simple but means everything coming from someone who has lived it.

“I would probably say to simply enjoy it. It is easy to get caught up in the pressure of how good you think you should be or how good you need to be. There are definitely moments where I’ve doubted myself or wondered if I was doing enough, but I think the biggest thing is to just continue doing the hard work and surround yourself with people who believe in you and make you enjoy the game. As cliché as it is, this all comes with dreaming big. A few years ago I wouldn’t have imagined that I would be where I am now, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”