In 2022 Smith was enjoying at North Toronto Nitros. She ripped League1 Ontario up.
By the point the semi-professional league got here to an finish, she had scored 18 targets in 11 video games and it will be the final time enjoying membership soccer in her house nation.
That summer time she moved south of the border, to Penn State College in Pennsylvania. Once more, her time there was fleeting.
Regardless of arriving at Penn State with a severe cruciate ligament damage, sustained on the Beneath-20 World Cup, and a frail run of type, the calls from Europe arrived by the tip of her freshman yr.
“It was neat to observe her be capable to be an 18-year-old as a result of I do not assume there’s been quite a lot of occasions the place she’s been in a position to be her precise age,” mentioned former Penn State College head coach Dambach.
“Since leaving Penn State she has put herself on the market and put herself in uncomfortable conditions and I believe by means of these she was in a position to actually develop and develop.”
And so, one yr on from that season in Canada, she had left faculty and moved to Portugal to hitch Sporting, regardless of heavy curiosity in France and England.
Batlle y Font was instrumental in persuading Smith to maneuver to the comparatively obscure Portuguese league – and reaped the rewards.
“I will not say that our venture is healthier than these golf equipment, clearly it is completely different,” mentioned the 30-year-old. “I believe she understood that we actually needed her.
“I believe that she selected us as a result of she understood that she would have the identical rights and identical duties as different gamers, however she wouldn’t be yet one more participant.
“As soon as she made the choice, we by no means felt that she was taking a look at us as a minor membership, in comparison with the opposite golf equipment concerned about her.”
It didn’t take her lengthy to make an impression in Portugal.
“She was 18 and he or she was enjoying in opposition to skilled gamers and he or she would make a little bit of a idiot of them.
“When she performed we’d take a look at one another and say, ‘how did we idiot this woman to be right here? How fortunate are we?'”
Once more by the tip of one other fruitful season, she was packing her baggage and Batlle y Font was receiving enquiries from a number of golf equipment in Europe.
“There have been extra golf equipment and, to be sincere, with higher affords than Liverpool, however not the form of venture that Olivia needed,” mentioned Batlle Y Font. “As soon as once more, this exhibits how very grounded Olivia is.”
Her debut season within the WSL noticed her rating seven targets in 20 video games for Liverpool, in addition to being named the PFA younger participant of the yr. When she arrived at Arsenal this summer time, it was her third membership in three years.
“I positively assume it isn’t snug, however you must be snug being uncomfortable,” mentioned Smith, chatting with reporters in pre-season. “And it has been fairly robust for me personally, not figuring out what is going on to return subsequent.
“Like my first season, I by no means anticipated to depart after one season, particularly final season, solely having one season in what I believe is the very best league on this planet after which coming right here.
“So it is definitely not straightforward, particularly with my household so far-off, but it surely does make transitions simpler.”
