A graduate of Richmond Hill, Ont.'s Our Lady Queen of the World Catholic Academy, Cloey Uddenberg credits elements of her blossoming career as a professional athlete to her time growing in faith in Catholic elementary and high schools.

“ I think what my time there really taught me was the values of faith, family and connections with people. The York Catholic District School Board showed me that under all of the education, extracurriculars, sports and clubs is something bigger and that is your faith in God,” Uddenberg said. 

“That foundation of faith is behind me in everything, so whether things are going my way or not, I know God is behind me no matter what, and I can just rely on His strength.” 

An avid soccer fan growing up in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, Uddenberg recalls watching countless games at Toronto’s BMO Field, the home of Toronto Football Club. Now, on the back of high-level play across standout university programs at the University of Guelph, the University of South Alabama and Purdue University, the 2021 USports National Rookie of the Year has earned her place on the same pitch she visited as a spectator many years before. Uddenberg is a member of AFC Toronto of the Northern Super League, the first coast-to-coast women's professional soccer league in Canada.

Her club career saw her rise in the ranks as a key member of Barrie’s Simcoe County Rovers FC, where she was named a league First Team All-Star in 2022 before becoming the league's Midfielder of the Year and repeating as a First Team All-Star in 2023. By 2024, Uddenberg had become the club's all-time appearance leader.

Her skills on the pitch, coupled with her personality outside of the lines, allowed Uddenberg to land her first professional contract when she signed with AFC Toronto in November 2024, part of the club's commitment to recruit the best players from the GTA ahead of 2025’s kick-off.

Uddenberg finds herself in the unique position of representing a new chapter for women’s soccer in Canada. Kicking off as a top-division league on April 16, the Northern Super League is already priming itself as the measuring stick for competitive Canadian women’s soccer. 

A daunting task for Uddenberg to be sure, the All-Canadian says the trick thus far has been not falling into the trap of complacency while still enjoying the journey as it comes.

Part of that journey was Uddenberg's long-awaited home debut April 19 when AFC Toronto fell to Montreal Roses FC in each team's NSL debut. 

“Being able to play professionally at home in front of my family and friends has been a dream come true, but I think I have so many more goals in mind with soccer that I'm not satisfied with where I'm at,” Uddenberg said. 

“However, the  first game was honestly surreal,” she admitted. “Being in the stadium I grew up watching, in front of 14,000 fans with my parents in the stands, made everything worth it for that moment. It didn’t hit me until the day after.” 

Uddenberg is also recognized for her work as a mentor with her business, 84 Soccer Training, where she coaches the next generation of young soccer players. While her current schedule is jam-packed between her own professional club training and mentoring, she said the middle of the chaos is exactly where she wants to be right now. 

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything. With the training, people sometimes think that I’m inspiring the kids, but in reality, they are often the ones inspiring me. It brings me back to the YCDSB, where so many teachers believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself; they never gave up on me. Having those teachers inspired me to give to others the same way and help them grow as I did,” she said. 

Having been honoured by the York Catholic board, and hoping for similar admiration from AFC Toronto and its fans in time, Uddenberg shared her advice for students and young athletes who find themselves where she was just a few years ago. 

“ If you have big dreams and aspirations, just believe in yourself because you are always going to have people who don't believe in you and who tell you that you can't do it. Have faith in God and that He has a plan for you — those are the two things that have gotten me to where I am today,” she said.