She’s already achieved glory on the world stage, but Deanne Rose, an 18-year-old soccer star and Olympic bronze medalist, is happy to embrace her small-town roots. Indeed, she traces her remarkable success on the soccer field to her early years with the Alliston Soccer League. “My mom [Anne Marie Rose-Mighty] put me in soccer when I was about four years old,” she says. “I’ve always loved the freedom and fast pace of being on the soccer field.”

That passion is also evident when Rose talks about her hometown. “I love the small-town atmosphere because you get to know a lot of the people,” she says. “When something good happens in your life, it seems like everyone knows about it and is so supportive.” Her sense of community has kept Rose focused and grounded through her meteoric rise in the world of soccer.

Lift-off began a few short years after that first experience with the town’s soccer league, when it became clear that Rose had a natural

talent for the game. Seeking more of a challenge, she joined the Bradford Soccer Club when she was nine years old. “It was a rep team about 30 minutes away from home, which was more of a competitive level of soccer,” she explains.

I didn’t realize how many people from Alliston were following us and watching us on TV. It’s exciting to know so many people in the town are supporting you.

During her time on the Bradford team, Rose grew as a player, so much so that in 2014, when she was 15, Canada Soccer selected her to join the Canadian national youth program — a development team that aims to prepare members for the women’s national squad. “It was an amazing opportunity and experience to be able to compete at that high-level environment,” she says. And always looking to up her game, Rose left the Bradford team in 2015 to join the provincial powerhouse Scarborough GS United team, where she would help the squad capture its fourth straight Ontario Cup title.

That December, Rose’s talents scored her a spot on the women’s national team as it competed in an Olympic qualifying event in Brazil. Despite being the youngest player, at 16, Rose held her own, and Canada Soccer again selected her, this time to join the Olympic team.

At the Rio Olympics, Rose made Olympic history, becoming the youngest player to score a goal. She also recorded an assist in Canada’s thrilling bronze-medal victory over Brazil. “It was unreal and just the best experience of my life,” she says. “Being able to score for the team was my dream going in, and it was fulfilled in the best way possible. The support from the team and the older players was amazing. Being part of that team during the Olympics was a great feeling.”

That feeling followed her home. “It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time to know so many people in the town are supporting you and people are rooting for you,” she says. “I didn’t realize how many people from Alliston were following us and watching us on television.” That local support and celebrating continued as Rose’s breakthrough success in 2016 earned her Canada Soccer’s Canadian Under-17 Player of the Year award.

“This award caps off a fantastic year for the youngest goal scorer in Olympic history,” says John Herdman, head coach of the women’s national team. “Deanne’s international journey has only just begun, and I am certain that she will be delivering many more great memories for Canadians in the years to come.”