Vancouver to Seattle: Holly Ward’s trade from the Rise marks a big next step for her career

Last month, Vancouver Rise FC dropped their biggest offseason transfer news till date — Holly Ward was sent to the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Seattle Reign FC.

This is not just another offseason headline. For the young Canadian forward, it represents the next chapter in her football journey, one that has been closely tied to Vancouver for years. 

Ward grew up in North Vancouver and joined the club’s development pathway back in 2018, when the program was still part of the Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy. Over time, she progressed through the system and built a reputation as one of the most promising young attackers in the region.

When the Northern Super League (NSL) launched in 2025, she returned home to sign her first professional contract with the Vancouver Rise, giving her the opportunity to begin her pro career in the same region where her football journey started.

That decision turned out to be a career-defining and history-making one. During the club’s inaugural season, Ward cemented herself as the Rise’s most dangerous attacking player, starting 27 games and finishing the year with eight goals and five assists. Her speed, ability to finish, and willingness to take on defenders in a one-on-one duel made her a constant threat to opponents.

While those numbers were impressive on their own, her most memorable moment came in the NSL championship final. With the match tied against AFC Toronto, Ward scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win that secured the Diana B. Matheson Cup for the Rise in the league’s first-ever championship.

Her performances with the club also paved the way for her to take the international stage. Ward was called up to the Canadian women’s national team and later became the first NSL player to score for Canada.

Now, she will test herself in a new environment in the NWSL. Her arrival in Seattle comes at an interesting time for the league and the club’s forward line. Canadian striker Jordyn Huitema, who had spent several seasons with the Reign, was recently traded to Chicago Stars FC. During her time in Seattle, Huitema made 70 appearances and scored 10 goals, becoming an important part of the team’s attack before beginning her next chapter in Chicago.

With Huitema moving on and Ward arriving, the shift reflects a changing moment for Canadian forwards in the NWSL. One established national team player begins a new challenge while another young attacker arrives, hoping to make her own mark.

For Vancouver, Ward’s departure will undoubtedly leave a gap in the attacking forward line, with winger Lisa Pechersky transferred to Montreal and forwards Jessica De Filippo, Latifah Abdu, and Mariah Lee remaining.

At the same time, her story represents exactly what you would want out of a club’s pathway — a player who joined the academy as a teenager, returned home for her professional career start, and is now pursuing international opportunities while representing the country. 

Ward’s move to Seattle is about more than a single transfer. It is a reminder that the pathway being built in women’s soccer in Canada is beginning to produce results — and that players developed in leagues like the NSL are ready to take the next step onto the global stage.