In a move that could please husbands across the foothills plans are in place to establish a new ladies football team in the region.
Three former members of the Calgary Rage of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League (WWCFL) have spearheaded a movement to create an Okotoks team, the Lady Outlawz, for play in the inter-provincial league starting in 2013.
The team’s head coach, Barry Hunter, said the decision to bring ladies football to the foothills came as a result of the interest he received from Rage players residing in Big Rock country.
“I travel down to Okotoks quite often and I checked with a couple of schools there and girls were playing rugby and there was an interest and I checked with a couple businesses just to see what the sponsorship was like,” he said.
The coach said it costs approximately $30,000 to run a team per season, and he was pleased enough with the feedback he received to take steps towards making the vision a reality.
“We got a great response from the businesses, they thought it was a great idea and they would help us out in any way they could,” Hunter said. “We basically sat down and decided to go forth with this venture for 2013.”
Hunter, a coach with 26 years of experience on the sidelines including three years with the Ladies Calgary Rage, said he’s looking for players from all backgrounds to fill the roster.
“We take them all, you know women come in all shapes and sizes,” Hunter said. “I’ve coached some women over the last three years that have never played sports before in their life and they’ve come out and really enjoyed it.
“We had a 56-year-old grandmother last year and she was in great shape … there’s no age limit.”
Hunter said he expects to carry a team of between 35 and 40 players during the first season, a number he says gives the team some relief should the Outlawz be beset by injuries or late drop-offs.
“The first year is going to be basic training and teaching some of these women, the majority of them are either housewives at home or single homes and they just want to get out and take their aggression out on somebody so this was a good way for them to do it.”
Okotoks resident Roberta Gordica played for Hunter on the Rage for three seasons before moving to Okotoks. Gordica, the site manager for Sheep River Storage in Okotoks, said she knows firsthand of the benefits of football.
“It’s a tremendous outlet to get active, to lose weight. Not everyone wants to lose weight, but I’ve lost 150 pounds,” said Gordica who has played the sport for seven years. “It’s one way women can fit together and everyone bonds together as a team. It’s just a totally different experience.”
Gordica said the sport offers the women the freedom to enjoy themselves in a team setting.
“There’s not many sports for women to go out there and do as a team,” Gordica said.
“It’s something for yourself instead of your family or your kids, we’re always doing something for everybody else, but not ourselves.”
For those with trepidation about the hard-hitting nature of football, Gordica said there’s room on the roster for every type of player.
“Football has a spot for anybody. There’s a position for any athletic ability in football,” said Gordica, a defensive lineman.
Gordica and fellow-Okotokian and quarterback Tatrina Medvescek-Valentine have shared the organizing duties with Hunter. The former said she’s received interest in the team from women ranging from Foothills Composite Falcons mothers to roller derby ladies.
The WWCFL is a full tackle league with the same rules as the Canadian Football League, save for its inclusion of shorter 12-minute quarters. The WWCFL, a seven-team league with clubs representing all three prairie provinces, is a spring to summer league with training for the Outlawz planned for January to March.
Hunter said he’s had discussions with the CWCFL executive and the process of getting a team to meet league approval is pretty straightforward.
“Basically, all we have to do is let them know our intentions and when we’re going to decide to field a team,” Hunter said.
The Outlawz have an information session planned for March 22 at the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
“We’re going to try and rent a room there just to let anybody that’s interested from the age of 16 and up,” Hunter said.
“We’re going to let them know what the WWCFL is all about, some of our past experience being with the Calgary Rage and what we did with that program.”
For more information on contact Outlawz head coach Barry Hunter at 403-973-0042 or at [email protected]
