TORONTO — After playing soccer at three U.S. colleges and professionally in Iceland, Leah Pais wanted to come home.
AFC Toronto was only too happy to oblige and the 22-year-old midfielder/forward from Mississauga is the second signing of the new Northern Super League franchise, following former Vaughan Azzurri teammate Jade Kovacevic.
"I have missed birthdays, I've missed Thanksgivings, Easters. And every time I come home, the grandparents look a little older, my mom and dad have got some grey hair. Even my dog too," Pais said in an interview. "Missing out on the memories, it's not easy for people.
"So when I heard that I had an opportunity to come home and play in front of everyone again and still have a girls' night in or still go to a sleepover or see my best friend get promoted to her dream job, for me that's an ideal situation and I was super-excited to come home and play."
Pais, whose name is pronounced Pace, was also drawn by the new league's "light at the end of the tunnel."
"Here in Canada we have a league where women can prepare and pave the way for future little girls. The next generation, they now have someone to look up and they have a goal to reach."
Pais' resume includes winning the NCAA title last December with Florida State, helping the top-ranked Seminoles to a 5-1 win over No. 2 Stanford in the U.S. collegiate championship game.
She started her collegiate career in 2017 at the University of New York at Albany where she led the delightfully named Great Danes in goals (five) and was named America East Rookie of the Year.
When her coach moved to Temple, she decided to enter the transfer portal to see what kind of interest she might attract and jumped at a scholarship offer from the University of Pittsburgh and the chance to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
She played for Pitt from 2020 to 2022, earning to All-ACC Academic Team honours, and wanted to play one final year there. But Pitt was unable to help with a scholarship so she reached out to a list of top schools. Perennial powerhouse Florida State was among those interested.
"It's been a whirlwind of a ride but honestly I wouldn't change it for the world, because each time I've gone somewhere bigger and better," Pais said. "And the experiences have taught me a lot professionally but also personally."
Pais started playing soccer at five or six, spurred on older brother Brandon who played (and was coached by their father). From 14 to 16, she was involved in Ontario youth teams.
Pais earned League1 Ontario first-team all-star honours with Vaughan in 2019 — when she was named Young Player of the Year — and in 2023.
The 2023 season was when she teamed up with Kovacevic.
"Our chemistry was on point," Pais said enthusiastically.
"We're going to have a great time on the field (at AFC Toronto)," she added. "And now that we get to do it on a professional stage together in front of so many fans, both at home, it's a dream come true."
The six-team NSL kicks off in April, with teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax as well as Toronto.
Pais has played everywhere from fullback to striker but expects to play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing with Toronto.
"I'm comfortable anywhere in the top five," she said.
During her collegiate career, she also excelled at making an impact off the bench. At Florida State, she had two goals and added eight assists in 867 minutes, playing in 22 games with three starts.
After college Pais had offers from clubs in Brazil, Hungary, Mexico, Portugal and Sweden but chose Iceland and Thróttur Reykjavík FC., arriving in February. She spent eight months in Iceland, getting a good feeling about her destination when she saw the Northern Lights from the plane.
"From then on I said this is going to be anything but ordinary," she said.
She enjoyed life on and off the pitch there, even going up against veteran Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who had the best of her in a league meeting.
"She's an amazing goalkeeper and she made some wicked saves that game. She shut me down," said Pais. "It was really fun to play against a superstar like that."
Pais graduated from Pitt with a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in criminal justice.
"Leah’s path to this point speaks volumes about the kind of player she is," Toronto coach Marko Milanovic said in a statement. "She’s determined, fiercely competitive, and has a never-say-die attitude. Leah is already playing out in her head what kind of player she wants to be — a determined competitor who will do whatever it takes to win. "
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2024
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
