Join Canadian Club Toronto on April 13 for a virtual panel featuring former Olympian Diana Matheson and Thomas Gilbert, co-founders of Project 8.
Project 8 is working to establish a professional Canadian Women’s Soccer League, solidifying Canada as a global leader in sport and gender equality. In conversation with TSN’s Kate Beirness, Diana and Thomas will discuss why now is the time to establish the league, how it will take shape in the lead up to a 2025 launch, and the importance of women’s professional sports in inspiring the next generation.
*The link for the livestream will be provided closer to the event date*
Diana Matheson
Co-Founder and CEO, Project 8
Diana Matheson will always have her place in Canadian Olympic history for scoring the goal in the 92nd minute that won Canada the bronze medal at London 2012. It was the country’s first Olympic medal in a traditional team summer sport since Berlin 1936. Four years later, Matheson was again a key player for Canada, appearing in all six of the team’s games en route to a second straight bronze medal. That was Matheson’s third Olympic Games, having made her debut at Beijing 2008.
Matheson has competed at four editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, including Canada’s fourth-place finish in her debut in 2003, the same year she first competed with the senior national team at age 18. She played just one game in the 2015 edition on home soil, suiting up for Canada’s quarterfinal match with England. That was an accomplishment in itself, having torn her left ACL in October 2014 in a friendly match against Japan. She had also broken her foot early in 2015 while rehabbing the knee injury. She was unable to play at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after undergoing toe surgery; instead she served as a studio analyst for the Canadian broadcast of the tournament.
Matheson represented Canada at two Pan American Games, winning bronze at Rio 2007 and gold at Guadalajara 2011. Those are among her more than 200 international appearances for Canada, during which she has scored 18 goals and added 22 assists. When she made her 200th appearance with Canada in October 2018, she was just the second woman to ever do so on the soccer pitch.
Thomas Gilbert
Co-Founder, Project 8
Strategy and operations leader with 10+ years’ of experience building and launching innovative solutions. An achiever and strategic thinker always striving for excellence, development, and growth.
Kate Beirness
Host, SportsCentre on TSN
Kate was born and raised in Port Perry Ontario. Her parents John and Chris were both teachers and always encouraged her dream of playing in the WNBA. Fortunately they also encouraged her to have a plan B! In grade 12 Kate tore her ACL and although she was determined to play basketball as long as she could, she was cut from a CIS team which forced her to change her focus.
Kate’s first job in the “biz” was actually at Sportsnet booking travel and completing expenses for their On-Air commentators. During that year she was given one of the best pieces of advice from her boss at the time. He said “if you are serious about this career, you need to leave and get on air every day.” Rather than accepting a full time job behind the scenes she took his advice, left Sportsnet and started volunteering at Rogers TV in the Durham Region while completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
After volunteering at Rogers TV for 2 years, she landed a part time sports anchoring position at the station and she felt like she hit the jackpot! For the first time she was making money to commentate sports, let’s just say no one was happier than her parents. 6 months into her “paid” gig a videographer position became available in Barrie Ontario at /A\ Channel (formerly the new VR). She landed the job and would spend 6 months at the station before getting the call to the big leagues! She made the move to TSN in December 2009.
In 2013 Kate was moved to fulltime anchor of the morning loop edition of SportsCentre. The following year Kate was paired with co-host Natasha Staniszewski forming SportsCentre’s first ever female anchor team!
Kate is currently the sideline reporter for all Toronto Raptors broadcasts on TSN and the host of Thursday Night Football. Throughout her nearly 12 years at TSN she has hosted many marquee sports events, including TSN Olympic Morning in 2012, CBC Olympic hockey in PyeongChang in 2018, 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, NCAA March Madness, the NBA Draft, and co-hosted the Grey Cup. On March 24th 2021 Kate was the host for the Raptors and Nuggets games which marked the NBA’s first all-female broadcast.
