Sophia Doumos and Jade Brown are teammates at the Sioux Falls City FC in 2026. Photo: Supplied.
Amid the seemingly endless stories of doom and gloom and recurring chaos in Canberra football, there are positives that, sadly, struggle to get oxygen.
It is why there were so many people longing for Canberra United to succeed this season, given the possibility of extinction without a financial backer.
Under the circumstances, W-League coach of the year Antoni Jagarinec did a remarkable job in guiding the team into the finals.
Now, another positive story highlighting the ACT football system has emerged, not in Canberra, but in the unlikely setting of Sioux Falls in South Dakota.
Former Canberra NPL 1 rivals Jade Brown and Sophia Doumos have joined forces in the Sioux Falls City FC’s unbeaten start through the first four rounds in the Northern Conference in the USL W-League.
The summer semi-professional league is the second-tier competition in women’s football in the United States, serving as a pathway for college players into the pro league.
Jade, a former Gungahlin United NPL 1 player, is on a sports scholarship with Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee where she studies business.
Sophia played for Belconnen United in the NPL 1 and is also on a sports scholarship. She is studying elementary education and is transferring from Seminole College to the University of Dayton next season.
Playing in the summer competition is outside their university league, but because it is effectively in the off-season, it allows them to retain their NCAA eligibility.
This year’s USL-W is Jade’s second year after playing with Erie Football in 2025 before linking with the Sioux Falls City FC in 2026, while Sophia is playing in her debut season.
Named the Club of the Year in 2025, they are in good hands with Sioux Falls City, which is committed to development.
The sports scholarship system has been used by many Canberra sportspeople over the years, providing an elite pathway to move outside their comfort zone, a move that requires dedication and resilience, being away from home studying and playing at a competitive level.
For Jade and Sophia, it has extended their pathways beyond the ACT system while demonstrating the benefits of the effort put into their development in Canberra.