‘It’s amazing’: New mothers thankful for support from the Halifax Tides

Two members of the Halifax Tides are grateful for the support of their team as they juggle raising their child and being professional athletes.

Erin McLeod has been playing professional soccer for years, representing Canada at the Olympics and winning gold and bronze medals at the World Cup. She and her partner, Gunnhildur ‘Gunny’ Yrsa Jonsdottir, both play for the Halifax Tides.

What’s new for the couple is the support they’ve received from the team since becoming mothers.

“I think it means the world, honestly,” McLeod said.

“I’ve been playing a long time, and I have a lot of former teammates, but unfortunately, they had to kind of choose, and they ended up retiring a lot earlier.”

Jonsdottir had a cesarian section when their son Baldwin Leo was born six months ago but that hasn’t kept her off the field.

“After a C-section getting fit, it’s not easy,” said Jonsdottir. “And I’m still so far from being where I want to be, but I’ve been able to play 90 minutes.”

The new mothers say their teammates, who take turns babysitting, have been phenomenal. Baldwin gets invited to games and practices. McLeod said they’ve made him part of the team.

“I heard these, like, screams from the other side of the locker room and that was just because Baldwin has his own locker,” said McLeod. “Just how everyone’s received two mothers on the team and a pretty cute baby, it’s amazing.”

Jonsdottir said Baldwin’s locker and media pass is a demonstration of the team’s support for mothers.

“It was amazing for him to see that when he grows up that he got his own locker,” she said.

McLeod said she is happy for their teammates who are assuming more responsibility as her focus changes to include more than football.

“I think what’s been wonderful is to have such a bigger purpose,” McLeod said. “As much as I care about football, you know, there’s moments when you look at him and you want to be good role models.”

Jonsdottir said being around the team gives her a wider perspective.

“We’re very grateful for this opportunity for him to grow up in such a strong community of togetherness, powerful women and even men,” Jonsdottir said. “He gets a lot of really great male role models too.”

She said being mothers on the same team presents its own challenges.

“It would be nice if the other partner could take him,” said Jonsdottir.

She and McLeod are on the same schedule which makes the team culture important. She said the community around the Tides organization was the reason they decided to sign with the franchise and Jonsdottir has ties to the province – through her great aunt, Gunn Baldursson.

“The OG, the original, Gunnhildur actually went to Acadia University and was a really great soccer player and violinist,” said McLeod.

Baldursson played with the Canadian national team. After she died in a car accident, they retired her number at Acadia and named the Gunn Baldursson Tournament after her.

Jonsdottir never had the opportunity to meet her great aunt but she’s heard stories and gotten to know her through the soccer community. She wears number nine for the Tides in honour of her aunt and changed the name on the back of her jersey.

“I’ve never had my first name actually on the back of my jersey,” she smiled. “I want to just honour my great aunt who played here in Nova Scotia and had a huge impact on the community here.”

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