CALGARY –The luck of the Irish has arrived in Calgary as goalkeeper, Jackie Burns (Cookstown, Northern Ireland), and forward, Sarah Griffith (Naperville, Illinois.) have added their names to the Calgary Wild FC roster on Friday.
Griffith, a dynamic attacking player, adds offensive resiliency to the Wild’s lineup, while Burns completes a trio of elite goalkeepers poised to make an impact this season.
“We are very excited to have Jackie and Sarah join us in Calgary. They are both proven performers in high-pressured situations, and bring extensive international experience to our club,” said Alix Bruch, sporting director, Calgary Wild FC. “They are intelligent and highly-skilled players who I know will be inspiring role models for youth in our Alberta community through their commitment to drive change on and off the pitch.”
Sarah Griffith began her professional career in 2022, selected 35th overall of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) draft to her hometown club, the Chicago Stars. In her rookie season, Griffith played 11 matches with six starts, recording two goals, one assist and 13 shots.
After the NWSL season, Griffith went on loan to the Newcastle Jets FC in the Australian Women’s A-League. She returned to the Chicago Stars for 2023 and 2024, tallying six assists during her time there before joining the Wild on loan for the 2025 season.
“The Wild FC embodies competitiveness and achievement on and off the field,” said Griffith. “With the Wild FC, I hope to win championships and help push the boundaries of women’s professional soccer to provide opportunities for young girls in sports.”
During her NCAA Division I career at Purdue University, Griffith earned Big Ten Forward-of-the-Year honours and was named to the All-American Second Team in 2021. She helped lead Purdue to the second round of the NCAA Tournament (the team’s first NCAA berth since 2009 and fourth second-round appearance all-time), was second among all NCAA Division I players with 2.67 shots on goal per game and led the Big Ten with 20 points and nine goals in 10 conference games. In addition, she set five school records including: goals in a season (16), consecutive games with a goal (eight goals in 16 games), consecutive games with a point (17 points in eight games), shots (101), shots on goal (56); and tied three records including: game-winning goals (six), career overtime points (four), and goals in a game (three).
Giffith’s resilience was proven in 2018, when she was sidelined by a near-career-ending condition, Spondylolisthesis, a spinal disorder requiring surgery. After 18 months of recovery, she returned to the field, starting all 20 matches of the season and contributing three goals, three assists, and two game-winning goals.
Off the pitch, Griffith is dedicated to giving back, volunteering with organizations such as the Chicago Ronald McDonald House, the Boys and Girls Club, and coaching youth soccer in the Chicagoland area. Her passion for the game, particularly inspiring young girls, stems from falling in love with the sport in her own backyard.
“I was fortunate to have players locally that played professionally who I could look up to and see a future of professional women’s soccer and know that it was possible,” said Griffith. “I want to share the love and joy of the game and instill confidence in young women to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.”
For Jackie Burns, playing professionally was a dream she never imagined.
“I can’t say playing professionally was the objective from a young age because I thought it was going to be a challenge being female and being a goalkeeper,” said Burns. “It was only when I was doing my masters did the thought of being a professional feel like a possibility.”
Burns grew up playing with boys until she joined the female team at age 13. By 15, she was playing at the top level for the Mid Ulster Ladies. At 18, she moved to the United States to play NCAA Division II soccer for Carson-Newman University (2016-18). She finished her rookie campaign with a 17-4-1 record, earning her All-SAC second-team honours and broke the SAC record for shutouts in a season (14). In her second year, she posted a school record of six straight shutouts. By her third season, she had the best goals-against average in the SAC (0.86) and was the all-time winningest goalkeeper in program history (48). She transferred to Lee University for her 2020 and 2021 seasons, where she was named to the 2021 D2SIDA First Team All-American.
Internationally, Burns made her mark at the senior level with Northern Ireland in 2013 at age 16 and has since earned over 50 caps, including representing Northern Ireland in the 2022 European Championship. She has also played in Europe, winning a league title with Glenotoran. She made her Women’s Super League debut with Reading FC and also played for BK Häcken of the Swedish League, as well as recently with Bristol City FC of the English Football League Championship before landing in Calgary.
“Canada is known for their success in women’s soccer, so it is exciting to be involved with a Club that is going to be the stepping stone to professional soccer in the country,” said Burns. “Lydia (head coach) has great aspirations for the team, and I am driven to be a part of that.”
Burns and Griffith will join their 20 teammates in the Calgary Wild FC’s debut on April 16 in Vancouver, as the team faces the Vancouver Rise in the first-ever Northern Super League match at 7 p.m. PDT. The Club, led by head coach, Lydia Bedford, begin their season with a three-game road trip (Halifax Tides, April 26; AFC Toronto, May 1)before the home-opener at McMahon Stadium, May 11 at 5 p.m. MDT.
2025 Northern Super League Schedule
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Calgary Wild FC is one off six teams in the newly created Northern Super League which will begin its inaugural season in 2025, featuring some of the best women’s soccer players in the world. Shop our exclusive merch and be one of the early #fansinthewild. For the latest news and information on Calgary Wild FC, visit www.calgarywildfc.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and X. Follow the league at www.nsl.ca.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Chris Dornan
Calgary Wild FC
T:403-620-8731
E-mail: hpprchris@shaw.ca