Why I joined OneSoccer: Jordan Wilson reflects on playing days and a new adventure

Football is Forever.

A 40-yard ping to your teammate on the touchline. A tackle that rattles both you and your opponent. Scoring a goal. Defeat. Triumph. The grind. There's nothing quite like it. As far back as I can remember, it's always been football. Football has always brought me joy – and I'm certain it always will.

Outside of being my outlet since senior kindergarten, football has also been a vehicle. In high school, it kept me focused and out of trouble. As a young adult, it allowed me to get a scholarship and a degree from university. And as a pro, football gave me a home in cities around the world that I never even dreamed of being in. I learned a different language, and I immersed myself in a different culture. I was able to grow and challenge myself as an individual through this beautiful game. I could never repay football for what it's done for me.

It's never an easy decision to hang up your boots and step away from the game you've played your entire life. Especially, knowing you could still ball and contribute greatly to a team in this league. However, I've decided to shift my focus, and I know that is what’s best for my present and my future. It's time for me to redirect the dedication I've had as a player into covering the game in Canada as an analyst. To stay connected to the game I love and to do so in the country I love is a blessing, a privilege and a dream job in my eyes.

When I reflect on my time playing in the Canadian Premier League, I've identified some areas that could use some growth and development. But personally, the glass is half full because the CPL has changed the trajectory of my life. If the league wasn't in place, I wouldn't have been able to come home in 2020 to continue my football career while being close to my family. I wouldn't have been able to make connections at OneSoccer and pursue a career that I'm passionate about.

Being a part of the media industry was something I always knew I would enjoy. I love the pace of it, and how spontaneous it allows you to be. Most of all, it keeps me connected and involved with the game I know and love.

My professional career is over, but I promise you – this is just the beginning.

– Jordan Wilson.