Who is she?
Katrine Pedersen is the new head coach of Rapid FC, Ottawa’s first professional women’s soccer team.
What’s her background?
The native of Horsens, Denmark is a mother of two — Bjørk and Louie — and lives with her partner, Maiken. Her playing career spanned nearly two decades, during which she represented Denmark from 1994 to 2013. For the last 10 years of her international career, she captained the team, playing in three FIFA World Cups and five UEFA European Championships. At the club level, Pedersen played in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Australia and England.
After retiring, she filled a talent development role with the Danish Football Association. In addition to coaching, she is as an ambassador for the Global Goals World Cup, an international women’s football tournament promoting the UN’s sustainable development goals.
What is she known for in Ottawa?
Pedersen now leads Ottawa’s Rapid FC which will compete in the Northern Super League, the first professional league for women’s soccer in Canada.
What do people say about her?
In an emailed statement from Rapid FC to Capital Current, Kristina Kiss, technical director of Rapid FC and a former Canadian national team player, recalled their time playing together.
“I first met Katrina when we played together at IF Floya in Norway. She was a true professional, always bringing the team together both on and off the field. She worked tirelessly and truly believed in the importance of teamwork to achieve success.
“That’s the mentality we want to instill in our players at Rapid FC.”
In an interview with the CBC, Kiss said Pedersen is “an all-around really good person.”
What is a lesser known fact about her?
Pedersen is one of only four Danish women to hold the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching certification available in Europe, which is awarded after completing the UEFA ‘B’ and ‘A’ licences, Kiss said. This qualification is predominantly held by men.
