It's time to meet
Leda Naihin and
Vita Naihin. As Queen's Women's Soccer rookies, twin sisters, and Instagram trick shot-ers, these two have made quite the impact and the season's only half done.
Despite it being their first season with the team both girls have already started in games this season and Leda is making a convincing bid for rookie of the year with eight goals and four assists in nine games played.
"As a first-year I did not expect to come here and even be able to be starting games but then to actually play games and actually score goals," Leda said in an interview with Athletics and Recreation.
"I give all credit to our team because all of us know each other's strengths, and each other's weaknesses, and how we can get the best out of each other on the field."
These players, however, aren't only showing their skills on the pitch. Leda and Vita also have a
shared Instagram account where they post soccer trick shots and showcase their skills. So far, their account has gained over 5,000 followers and cultivated many opportunities for the sisters.
"We didn't know it would give us as many opportunities as it has. Since then, it's been a great way to meet people and connect with people worldwide—like different influencers—and it's been an amazing experience performing at different events," Vita said.
The platform means so much more to them than just the opportunities its created. Leda and Vita never set out to be Instagram famous. Instead, their primary goal is building a community.
As the sisters started to create content, they realized the void their account could fill. Most of the soccer posts they watched would feature American male soccer players and so they wanted to create a space for Canadian women who are equally as passionate about the sport.
"We wanted to create an outlet where we can inspire other female players and get them to try different things and have fun with it," Leda said.
Growing up and playing for most of their lives, these sisters know the pressure that accompanies higher performance sports. With their account, then, they hope to alleviate this pressure and remind players what playing and training is all about.
"Playing sports can put a lot of pressure on you so it's important sometimes to take a step back from all of that and just have fun with the ball and just enjoy what you're doing," Leda said.
For the twins their account has never been about the followers or likes. Instead, they're focused on building and interacting with their community and inspiring anyone who find their account.
This supportive community, however, doesn't stay confined to social media. The sisters cite the encouraging environment on the Queen's team as one of the biggest reasons for early season success.
"We're not just looking to make ourselves better, we are looking to make everyone on the field better," Vita said. "It's definitely one of the best team environments I've been in in my whole career of playing soccer."
As Leda and Vita gear up for the rest of the season, they have a few plans and goals in mind.
Leda wants to keep scoring goals and has her eyes on rookie of the year. Together they also hope to see their team all the way to medalling at nationals as they host on home turf.
And perhaps a little bit more devious, they also plan to keep confusing opponents. Strategically these twins wear the same shoes and love to pair their fancy footwork with twin deception. In many cases their opponents don't realize there's two of them on the roster until it's too late and time to shake hands.
Whether it's on Instagram or with the Queen's Gaels, one thing is certain, these stars don't plan to stop. As they look ahead to the rest of the season Leda says they have one plan that trumps all the rest: "Never drop our foot off the gas pedal."
Queen's University is hosting the U SPORTS Women's Soccer Championship from Thursday, Nov. 9 to Sunday, Nov. 12. Tournament passes are on sale now. The Early Bird Tournament pass is on sale now for $45 until Oct. 29 and includes admission for all 11 games, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, bronze medal game, and championship game.
For more information and to purchase tournament passes at the early bird rate, visit the Queen's Gaels tickets website.
