There’s nothing quite like playing in front of a hometown crowd – just ask Ottawa Rapid FC’s Keera Melenhorst. “Getting to represent Ottawa on a professional stage is something I didn’t think was possible,” she said. “To be back home to have my support system here every week has been super special.” Melenhorst had an impressive rookie season in the Northern Super League, finishing the regular season with six goals and a league-leading seven assists. This week, she was named NSL’s 2026 Midfielder of the Year, a target she’s chased since joining the team. “It’s a reflection of the team and the players around me who have allowed me to step into this role and flourish,” she said. Born and raised in Ottawa, Melenhorst played a variety of sports including boys’ youth hockey and gymnastics. Soccer wasn’t a career that parents Michelle Gaydamack and Rob Melenhorst had in mind for their daughter. “We just put them in for fun, there was no local (professional) team, you never thought there would be a local team,” said Gaydamack. “At four years old, it was cute to see them running around picking flowers.” But even at an early age, Melenhorst showed great promise. “She’s always been a driven person, we just knew if she set her mind to something she’s going to go out and grab it,” said Rob Melenhorst. It was at an international youth tournament that Melenhorst realized what her future could hold. “I was one of two girls on the team,” she said. “We went to Morocco and played against every country you can think of. That just opened my eyes to what football could do for me,” Melenhorst said. At 14, she left home to train under the Canadian youth national team system in Toronto, eventually going on to play at the collegiate level in the U.S. She would go on to represent Canada at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and won a bronze medal at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 championship. “It was incredible experience putting on a jersey that has the national team logo on the front and your last name on the back,” she said. “You want to do that as many times as possible.” She spent a year playing professionally in Sweden and what once seemed impossible, became a reality this past May. From her NSL debut at TD Place, her ability to create chances and score goals was hard to ignore. “Keera has made our midfield a lot more dynamic she’s excellent on the ball and she’s been able to link our defense with our forwards throughout the year,” said Ottawa Rapid FC technical director Kristina Kiss. Melenhorst extended her contract to the 2027 season hoping to build on her success this past year, while continuing to her journey guides the way for future athletes. “This city means a lot to me, I’m proud of the season we had and I’m so happy to make the decision to come home,” said Melenhorst. “When I talk to the girls at my old [soccer] club I’m so happy I can show them there is that path in Ottawa playing club soccer, coming back home to play professionally and represent Ottawa.” Ottawa Rapid FC return to TD Place on Saturday, Nov. 7 for the second leg of their semi-final against AFC Toronto. The match is at 2 p.m.
