The first-ever Northern Super League expansion side now has a name: Winnipeg Ember FC.
The club, powered by Canadian soccer legend Desiree Scott and former Valour FC head coach Rob Gale, has made its third major announcement after confirming the team and home-stadium plans at the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex.
The five colours on the logo are midnight dusk, violet haze, sunset blush, ember glow, and destroyer pink, named in honour of Scott's nickname "the Destroyer," which she earned throughout her playing career.
At the centre of the logo lies the Sundog, an animal which resembles a wolf at first glance. The name itself comes from a colourful illusion seen mainly during the winter, where ice crystals appear on each side and in the middle as sunlight passes through them, which are high in the sky.
The animal is a prairie legend, a guardian of the light that protects the skyline from first light to last light.
Finally, the crest features a star to the top right of the Sundog, which has been described as the "morning star and its connection to the first light of day."
The club's tagline has also been confirmed: Let Them Howl, while their hashtag across social media will be #GrowTheGlow, which has been explained to mean that an ember grows the brightest when others are behind it, as everyone involved with the club, from players to fans, is essentially adding to the glow.
Plenty of other factors must be confirmed before the Ember take to the field, as stadium plans must be confirmed, players need to be signed, and kits must be designed, but all of that will be announced in due time.
Rob Gale and Desiree Scott have already confirmed open tryouts, which could uncover some gems from Manitoba.
As Winnipeg has gone almost a year without professional soccer following the dissolution of Canadian Premier League side Valour FC, they haven't had to wait long for it to return, and if all goes well for the Winnipeg Ember, you can only imagine a potential pathway for CPL soccer to return to Manitoba's capital city.
