Anja Heiner-Moller has made a conscious habit of saying yes to opportunities over her long soccer career.

Now the Danish coach is seizing a big one as she becomes the first head coach of Vancouver Rise FC 鈥� and she鈥檚 creating chances for others in the process.

鈥淭his is about opportunity to create role models and leaders,鈥� Heiner-Moller said on a video call Thursday. 鈥淪o we have a huge opportunity to inspire a lot of girls and boys and youth in Vancouver with this team. And I鈥檓 really looking forward to that.鈥�

Heiner-Moller, 46, joins the Northern Super League club following two years as head coach of Denmark鈥檚 U-19 national women鈥檚 team.

Despite a nine-hour time difference between Denmark and Vancouver, she鈥檚 been following the development of Canada鈥檚 first professional women鈥檚 league closely over the past three years.

鈥淔or Canada to have this league, it鈥檚 just a huge deal,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just feel the joy for these girls to have a women鈥檚 team to look up to.鈥�

Heiner-Moller knows what it鈥檚 like to have limited options as a player.

She played in more than 250 games for Danish clubs Brondby IF, Odense Boldklub and Hillerod G & I, and represented Denmark in 44 national team games before having to choose between playing and her studies in her mid-20s.

鈥淚 jumped directly into coaching and I haven鈥檛 been out of it since,鈥� said the UEFA Pro licensed coach who also has a master鈥檚 degree in sports science.

Before taking over Denmark鈥檚 U-19 squad, Heiner-Moller coached in the Danish women鈥檚 league. She also spent three years as an academy coach with Vancouver Whitecaps FC and North Shore Girls Soccer Club between 2018 to 2020 when her husband Kenneth Heiner-Moller was head coach of the Canadian women鈥檚 team.

The Heiner-Moller family 鈥� which includes two teenage daughters 鈥� has long wanted to return to Vancouver, Anja Heiner-Moller said.

鈥淧eople are open-minded, it鈥檚 a multicultural place, people are respectful,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love the mountains, I love the outdoor life, the ocean is there, the forest. I don鈥檛 know what you don鈥檛 have, actually.鈥�

There will be many flights in the family鈥檚 future, however. Earlier this month, Kenneth Heiner-Moller was announced as technical director of Major League Soccer鈥檚 San Diego FC ahead of the expansion club鈥檚 first season.

鈥淲e had huge decisions to make at the same time and we decided these are two careers. We didn鈥檛 want to say no to any of these (opportunities),鈥� Anja Heiner-Moller said. 鈥淲e wanted to say two yeses, so that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e done.鈥�

Rise sporting director Stephanie Labb茅 is glad they did.

The club had 鈥渁 ton of interest鈥� in the head coach job, she said, and Heiner-Moller was a candidate who quickly stood out.

鈥淔rom the first interview we did with Anja, I could see that our vision and goals really aligned well, along with playing style,鈥� Labb茅 said.

Heiner-Moller鈥檚 plan for a possession-based, attack-focused team fit with what Rise wanted, she added. The club also liked the tactical knowledge and attention to detail she brings, as well as the way she spoke about working with young players.

鈥�(We liked) Anja鈥檚 character and her passion for wanting to help athletes not just grow as athletes but as individuals and as humans,鈥� Labb茅 said.

With just months to go before the inaugural NSL kicks off in April 2025, Labb茅, Heiner-Moller and the rest of the club still have ample work to do.

More announcements about additions to the team will come soon, Labb茅 said, noting that she鈥檚 been working on building the roster for months.

Rise wants to sign top-quality players in order to build a team that can compete not only in the NSL, but in tournaments such as the CONCACAF Champions Cup, she said.

鈥淔irst and foremost, we鈥檙e looking to bring in players with professional experience,鈥� the sporting director said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 the key, to make sure we have leaders in the locker room, that we have players who鈥檝e been through a professional year, professional season and they can help bring that professionalism to help teach as well.鈥�

Heiner-Moller isn鈥檛 deterred by the challenge ahead.

鈥淲omen鈥檚 soccer is growing so fast. It鈥檚 crazy to look back and see how much it鈥檚 improved in years,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just feel joy about the under 19s I鈥檓 coaching now that their value as a soccer player is growing, it鈥檚 exploding. And all the opportunities are just open for them.鈥�