Winger Melanie Forbes happy to be back in Canada, with the NSL’s Ottawa Rapid FC

By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press on January 7, 2025.

The logo for the Ottawa Rapid FC of the Northern Super League is shown in this handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Ottawa Rapid FC *MANDATORY CREDIT*

After playing in Portugal and Iceland, Melanie Forbes is happy to be back in Canada – thanks to the Northern Super League.

The 25-year-old winger from Mississauga, Ont., and midfielder Julia Benati, a 28-year-old from Dorchester, Ont., are the first player signings announced by Ottawa Rapid FC.

While Forbes enjoyed her time abroad, she welcomed the chance to be closer to her Michigan-based boyfriend after 3 1/2 years apart. Plus she believes in the new domestic women’s pro league, which kicks off in April.

“You have the right people leading the league,” she said.

Forbes had other options in the NSL but says the Ottawa franchise seemed the right fit.

“I think when deciding between these things, you ought to listen to your gut. And my gut was pointing towards Ottawa,” Forbes said. “Every interaction I had with Ottawa I was just so excited after each one. And they really made it work for me.”

“I look at the environment that Ottawa’s creating and I really think it has a big future ahead,” she added.

Ottawa is happy to have the playmaking winger.

“Melanie is a player with an exceptional understanding of the game, demonstrating a keen awareness of both its tactical nuances and strategic demands,” Ottawa technical director Kristina Kiss said in a statement. “She seamlessly combines her technical skills with an attacking mindset, making her a formidable presence on the field.”

Born in the United States to an American father and Portuguese-born Canadian mother, Forbes came to Canada when she was seven.

She played her collegiate soccer at Indiana University where she made 85 appearances (including 29 starts), collecting nine goals and seven assists in 3,376 minutes. It proved to be a learning experience with Forbes having to adjust to new coach Erwin van Bennekom, formerly of Duke, arriving midway though her time as a Hoosier.

“A lot of people ended up leaving. I’m just fortunate that I stayed close to the people that stuck it out with me and through that built really good relationships,” she said. “To this day I still stay in touch with those people.”

The new coach came with new recruits, meaning fewer starts for incumbents like Forbes. She kept her head down, tried not to take things personally and kept at it.

“That’s the reality of the game. It’s very much a business,” she said.

Another lesson learned.

Forbes earned numerous academic honours at Indiana including Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2018, 2019, 2020-21) and Academic All-Big Ten (2018, 2019, 2020-21). She arrives in Ottawa with a bachelor’s degree in human biology and master’s in health-care management.

Medical school remains a possibility after soccer.

After Indiana, Forbes spent 18 months in Portugal where she helped Lisbon’s Sport Futebol Damaiense win promotion to the top tier. It was another learning experience, offering a different style of football than the athletic brand of the NCAA ranks.

In Portugal, the emphasis was on a “pretty style of soccer” – playing in tight spaces and connecting with teammates.

“I loved that,” she said.

Her time there also gave her a chance to learn Portuguese and connect with relatives

She then moved to Iceland, spending 18 months with Keflavíkur IF. She helped it avoid relegation her first season although the club has since gone done.

“Iceland, the country, was beautiful. I’m a big science nerd so (I) loved learning about the volcanoes and the nature, geography of it. And just really taking the time to explore it,” said Forbes, who left Iceland in October.

On the field, the game was “definitely a lot more direct” than that in Portugal. Another adjustment period.

Benati, as captain of FC London, was named League1 Midfielder of the Year for the fourth time last season (also winning in 2019, ’21 and ’22). A multiple league all-star, she was honoured as League1 Ontario MVP in 2022.

She scored 41 goals in 76 games since joining London in 2016.

Benati also had stints with Portugal’s Valadares Gaia and Norway’s Medkila after a stellar collegiate career at the University of Buffalo. Away from soccer, she earned her chiropractic degree.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2025