The official blows the whistle three times to signal full time at Setters Place on August 7, 2026, in Red Deer, Alberta.  

The final score reads Edmonton BTB seven, Callies United zero.  

For second year Huskie striker Tao Hein, he celebrates not just a league title and advancement to the 2027 TELUS Canadian Championship, but a four-goal performance and the culmination of a remarkable season in the Alberta Premier League (APL). 

"I was happy when that final whistle went. Honestly, my first thought was just going to my mom. I just wanted to go and give her a hug. It's like years of hard work. It's like you finally achieved something where you didn't think that you could actually do it." 

Hein, who is three games into his second season with the University of Saskatchewan Men's Soccer program, was named player of the match in the title-clinching contest after finding the back of the net four times and bringing his season total to 12 goals in 14 matches.  

In just his second season in the APL, he finished as the league's leading scorer while playing among post-secondary, Canadian Premier League, and even former professional players. 
 
While Hein is well on his way to becoming a rising star in the sport, and quickly making his way into the spotlight, his journey to this point has been years in the making and an impressive achievement in and of itself. 

His story began, like many kids getting into sports at a young age, with Timbits soccer. 

However, as he continued to play over the next several years it became clear to him that his ability and play were growing at a rate much faster than those around him on the pitch. 

"I went from playing community soccer until eventually East Side, then Lakewood, and then the Provincial Soccer League. I just kept excelling. I think the older I got, the better I got, and eventually it became something that I wanted to pursue." 

While the desire was there, it was another few years before he realized it was a passion that could become more than just a hobby or fun extracurricular activity. 

"I think it probably clicked when I was 14. My junior team (Saskatoon Alliance) won the league, and I was top goal scorer that year." 

Hein's team went on to win the next season as well, earning themselves a trip to a national tournament where he finished as the top goal scorer yet again, as his team captured the title.  

"After that, that's when I was like, hey, I really think that I can make something of myself." 

He did, and continues to do so. 

His first taste of the next level came courtesy of his current coach at Edmonton BTB, Kondeh Mansaray, who invited the young striker to join the team at a national showcase tournament in Toronto, featuring the country's top teams. 

From his first appearance, his knack for finding the back of the net was evident. 

"I took a BTB team [to the tournament] and said, man, I need a striker. Someone that can put the ball in the net." said Mansaray. "So, I contacted Tao." 

"He was an amazing striker, scored goals, created goals. That was probably the third time we went to that tournament as BTB. And I think that was the first time we scored. We never won anything, but that was the first time someone scored three goals. And Tao had three goals, one assist." 

"So, for me, if you can produce at that level against that type of talent in a shorter game, a more intense game, that proved to me that Tao had what it takes to succeed in the APL." 
 
Huskie Men's Soccer head coach Bryce Chapman saw something similar when he first discovered the young striker who would one day be scoring in green and white. 

"I think Tao has been a goal scorer since day one. We started tracking him back in the Saskatoon Alliance days, so they were on a two-year cycle where they were chasing a national championship and eventually got it in their second year, and Tao was a massive piece to that group," said Chapman. 

"The one thing that obviously caught your eye is he scored goals. He was a goal scorer. But I think the thing that a lot of people don't understand is he's really grown up over the last number of years, growing into a really strong person, good character, and has continued to grow as a player during that time." 

While he may be a polished teammate and athlete now, it was not always easy for a young player from Saskatchewan to make the jump. 

"At first, it was hard, I was 16, 17 going in at the time. It's hard to play with a bunch of men and there were multiple players coming off pro seasons. To be honest, I was scared. A few practices, I'll be honest, I was crying because it was so hard. It's difficult going into a new environment. But I learned so much, and the only way to get better is by putting yourself in situations where you're uncomfortable." 

Despite the challenges that came with joining BTB, a belief in himself continued to push him to compete, get better, and find his way in the new league. 

 "The coaches love him because he's very competitive and he wants to get better. He wants to win," said Mansaray. 

"We worked on those two things, just the awareness, the technical part, making sure every action is clean, every first touch is good, every decision you know your next decision, and also his strength to hold up the ball against bigger defenders." 

His dedication to his craft paid off early and often, during his first season in 2025.  

Hein appeared in all 14 matches and scored the lone BTB goal in his debut appearance.  

From that point on there was no denying he belonged.  

He went on to finish the season with 14 goals and four multi-goal games while helping BTB to a second-place league finish. 

Following the APL season, he made his debut as a Huskie and while the campaign started slow, he still finished with four goals and five points while earning Canada West All-Rookie honours. 

"I think he grew into that season, to be honest," said Chapman. "I think he came in and we got the feeling he had a lot of weight on his shoulders and a lot of pressure to be that person or that goal scorer. But as he settled in and fit within the template that we were putting out on the field, I thought he just grew as a player. 

"Looking at this year's training camp and at the end of last year, he started to expand his capacity as a player. And not just to be a goal scorer. He's tenacious on the press. He's tenacious in the [defensive transition] phases of our game, which is very important. And now he's starting to grow and become a footballer that has pro habits and pro qualities." 

Those professional habits and qualities were on full display this past summer as he scored 12 goals to help Edmonton BTB to an Alberta Premier League title. 
 
His performance came as little surprise to Chapman, who simply enjoyed watching his striker do what he does best - score. 

"I think nothing surprised us during the [APL] season. Obviously we watched games over the course of the summer and stayed in touch. I think the coolest part of that was that final game. He came to us saying, hey, we've got this makeup game. Can I leave camp for a day? And obviously we supported that," said Chapman. 

"I think it was important for him to finish his season with BTB and it was a massive game to get a full three points. And what does he do? He knocks out four goals. And that was pretty cool. I think everyone in this room, the staff, we're pretty proud of him. And if you look at that game, he scored four goals and they were all four different goals. And I think that's kind of the unique piece about Tao is he's not just a one-dimensional striker. He'll find those scrappy 2-yard goals, but then he can hit a 25-yard banger and find different ways to be that offensive threat." 

In addition to the league title, Hein and BTB also earned entry to the 2027 TELUS Canadian Championship which features the best teams from all levels of Canadian soccer. 

Provincial Premier Leagues, the Canadian Premier League (CPL), and even Major League Soccer (MLS) will all be present, providing Hein with another opportunity to put his talents to the test at the next level. 

Before that though, he will look to help the Huskies to a similar result this season as a member of a team with lofty expectations and looking to take the next step as a program. 

Through three games, the Huskies are 2-1-0 with Hein already well on his way to meeting, and surpassing, his totals from a season ago with three goals and four points. 

"This season, as a team, at the very least, I want to make playoffs. I think that's not even a question, I feel like that's a minimum for this year," said Hein. 

"I'm manifesting that on a team level. And personally, I just want to have a good season for the team. I want to do what I can no matter the role. Obviously, I'd like to put up points and do that, but I just want to do what I can for the team and then hope that we can have good team success."