Quinn, a pillar on the pitch for Canada, is relishing off-field leadership role

Asked to identify the standout attribute of the Canadian national team heading into the Women's World Cup, Quinn doesn't hesitate.

The midfielder, an influential leader both on and off the pitch, highlights the unity of the Olympic-champion Canadians as their greatest attribute. Cultivated over several years, Quinn says that togetherness will be a "huge X-factor" during the tournament in Australia and New Zealand later this month.

"We've always said that our biggest strength is to be the most connected team," they told theScore. "We have a lot of veterans that have 20-something years of experience on the national team, and we also have some newer faces. Making sure everyone feels empowered this World Cup, because we're going to need every single person on our team to play a really important role."

The OL Reign star, 27, is one of the pillars on a Canadian team that is continuing to blend its established veteran core with emerging talents.

That amalgamation of youth and experience was evident in Tokyo two years ago, when Canada made history by capturing its first Olympic gold medal in women's soccer. Quinn featured in every single match during the Tokyo Games, helping lead the team to the championship contest alongside fellow mainstays like Kadeisha Buchanan and iconic captain Christine Sinclair. Come the decisive shootout against Sweden, though, it was the next generation that took center stage. Jessie Fleming, Deanne Rose, and Julia Grosso all scored from the penalty spot to secure the memorable victory.

They were 23, 22, and 20 years old, respectively, at the time.

Providing guidance and mentorship to young peers, be it soccer teammates or others, has become central to Quinn's life. They excel in the role, as Canada's coach Bev Priestman noted after the Olympic triumph.

Quinn, a trailblazer as the first openly transgender and non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal of any kind - let alone gold - recently partnered with GE Appliances Canada to champion the See Them, Be Them Initiative, a new program which will see the Toronto native mentor eight soccer players from across the country through a combination of on-field activities and, crucially, off-field conversations. Open to girls and gender-diverse athletes aged 13-17, the initiative, which will also include a virtual mentorship session for 100 young athletes, resonates deeply with Quinn.

"Being able to see someone that you relate to in a career that you want is hugely important. For me, coming out as transgender, I didn't really have the role models that I would have loved to have seen when I was younger," said Quinn, who came out as transgender in 2020. "When I hear young fans say 'because I saw you on the national team, I decided to rejoin the sport or stick with the sport that I love because I realized there could be an inclusive space for me,' I think that is hugely important."

Canadian Women & Sport, an organization that aims to build better sport through gender equity, noted in its 2022 Rally Report that girls drop out of sports at a higher rate than boys when they enter adolescence. Many point to a lack of relatable role models as one of the primary reasons.

Quinn understands the sentiment.

With professional women's soccer not easily accessible, especially on TV, they cited the national team as a source of inspiration in their younger years. "I loved the national team," said Quinn, who, with a chuckle, described themselves as a Charmaine Hooper "superfan."

Just as Hooper did for them, Quinn is now inspiring the next wave of athletes in the country and beyond. That includes sharing not only their positive experiences but discussing the trying times, too. Being the last person cut from the 2015 World Cup squad, for instance.

"That was a huge disappointment for me, but now I can look back on it with a lot of appreciation for what I learned through that process," said the midfielder, who is back at their best after dealing with a leg issue earlier in the season. "There is light in the process."

It also entails being one of the faces of the national team's ongoing battle with its federation, Canada Soccer, to secure equitable pay and treatment for the program; Quinn was one of several players that testified during a government hearing on the matter earlier this year.

Leaving the sport, and the world, in a better position than they found it clearly matters to the two-time Olympic medalist. That's why, with everything else swirling around, Quinn remains steadfast in their commitment to advocacy work and mentorship.

All those responsibilities, and the attached spotlight, inevitably bring additional pressure. Quinn emphasizes the importance of outside activities, whether that's enjoying things off the pitch like paddleboarding or simply taking a relaxing stroll through nature, as vital to maintaining balance in their life.

But the off-pitch endeavors aren't a distraction. Far from it. They have given Quinn "another sense of purpose."

"As an athlete I strive to succeed, and for me it's being a world champion at this World Cup. That's my goal," Quinn said. "But (being a role model) really changed my perspective and understanding of why I'm involved in sport every single day and what legacy I want to leave. It's really painted a larger picture of the impact that I can have in my community through the sport that I love. It's been a really powerful experience for me and a big motivator.

"It's why I wake up every morning and go to work every day."

The work on the pitch officially begins next week, when the Canadians, ranked No. 7 in the world, begin their quest for a first World Cup title against Nigeria. For Quinn, the work - on the field and off it - has been going on much longer. It will continue well after the final whistle blows this summer.

"Advocacy work is a long journey over time ... it's bit-by-bit, every single day," Quinn said. "I'm not going to solve all the world's problems in one day."