Vancouver Rise Removes Sporting Director Role, Steph Labbe Exits

The inaugural Northern Super League champions are restructuring ahead of the 2027 NSL season, removing the sporting director position.

That’s the job which the club’s first-ever staff hire, Stephanie Labbe, has held since joining the Vancouver Rise in 2024. The former Canada goalkeeper simulteanously confirmed her exit.

“While this is not how I envisioned my time at Vancouver Rise FC coming to an end, it’s clear with the club’s new direction, it’s time for me to look forward,” posted Labbe online.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we built, the people who made it possible, and the impact we’ve had on the game. But just as importantly, I’m proud of how I showed up every day, authentically, with conviction, and with a genuine commitment to doing what I believed was right for the club and its players.”

Labbe is one of Canada’s most recognizable figures in women’s soccer, having backstopped Canada to Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020. The goalkeeper earned 86 senior caps for Canada, representing Les Rouges at three Women’s World Cups, and also helped Canada capture bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

After hanging up her gloves in 2022, she joined the Vancouver Whitecaps as general manager of women’s soccer, helping lay the foundation towards Vancouver’s eventual entry into the Northern Super League. Hired as the first employee of the Vancouver Rise, she was a cornerstone piece in building the Rise’s identity, culture, and early recruitment strategies.

Chief Soccer Officer Robyn Gayle will continue to lead the Vancouver Rise sporting department, which the club described as undergoing a ‘strategic shift’ in how it invests resources to drive the greatest impact towards sustainable, long-term growth.

Gayle had served as interim sporting director during Labbe’s maternity leave before being named Vancouver’s chief soccer officer in December 2025.

The Northern Super League side finished third in its inaugural season but stormed to a playoff championship win in Toronto, though its second campaign has proven more turbulent: Vancouver parted ways with inaugural head coach Anja Heiner-Moller last month, appointing Iain Darbyshire as interim head coach as the club battles to secure a playoff spot.

Few people get to say that they were employee #1.

Labbé was hired before the NSL began, and she played a key role in making history as an inaugural NSL champion.

Thank you Steph, for everything that you have done in building up Vancouver Rise FC.

📰 | https://t.co/HXAQewXHKF pic.twitter.com/cS5fimTN2j

— Vancouver Rise FC (@VancouverRiseFC) October 16, 2026

“We are incredibly grateful to Steph for everything she has done to help build this club,” said Rise interim President Aditi Bhatt. “Steph was our first employee, joining before the league even existed, and has been an incredible advocate for women’s soccer in Canada. She played a vital role in building Rise FC and will always be part of our history as inaugural NSL champions.”

Bhatt said that following the decision to eliminate the sporting director position, Labbe chose to conclude her time at the club.

“We are thankful for her dedication and the lasting impact she has made with Rise FC,” added Bhatt.

The Vancouver Rise has two matches remaining in the regular season, facing Ottawa Rapid this weekend for what could potentially lead to a playoff clinch scenario should Halifax lose to Montreal.

Whatever happens next, however, will come without the club’s first-ever employee as part of the process.

“As this chapter comes to a close, I’m excited about what lies ahead,” said Labbe. “I believe deeply in where women’s soccer is going, and I know there is still so much opportunity to push the game forward through bold leadership, high-performance environments, and a commitment to building something that lasts.”