An all-girls tackle football team in London is aiming to win its second provincial championship at the Ontario Women’s Football League’s (OWFL) semi-finals against Kingston this weekend.
The U19 London WOLFPAAC was recognized as the OWFL’s first-ever champions in its inaugural year in 2023 but narrowly lost by one point in last year’s finals. This year, with their largest roster of 30 players, the team hopes to bring the trophy back home.
For the players, it’s about more than just winning. They’re also striving to inspire a growing number of young women who want to play sports like tackle football, said Jessica Knight, 17, one of WOLFPAAC’s captains.
“Having been the first team ever to have [the OWFL] title means a lot to me because being a trailblazer for this sport is what’s guided me through, making that impact, so future girls don’t have to deal with the struggles of not knowing they’re capable of or being underestimated,” she said.
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The team’s president Scott Knight mentioned that they’re expanding outreach efforts to form a U16 team and a league for women aged 18 and older. (Isha Bhargava/CBC)
The girls look up to female athletes in professional leagues like the WNBA and PWHL as role models who are paving the way for younger girls interested in sports, according to Knight.
“A lot of people are shocked that tackle football is getting really popular,” she said. “Now girls are getting paid to play football which is the dream for most of us. Seeing that, it’s changing my whole mindset about what my future could look like.”
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Laryssa Stoyko and Alexa Taylor both age 14 joined WOLFPAAC this season. Although they’ve played tackle football on co-ed teams before, they feel an all-girls squad provides them with a sense of community that makes playing even more enjoyable. (Isha Bahargava/CBC)
WOLFPAAC is working on outreach initiatives aimed at creating a U16 team and establishing a league for women aged 18+, and due to rising interest, they’ll soon be able to expand their six-on-six roster into nine-on-nine games, Scott stated-he’s also Jessica Knight’s dad.
“Our goal is to promote women in every aspect of the game,” he said.
For some players, being part of an all-girls squad fosters camaraderie and connection. It’s one reason Laryssa Stoyko from Moncton N. B., age 14 decided to join this season.
Both Stoyko and Taylor have previously played on co-ed teams; while they found it helpful as an introduction to tackle football, they’ve enjoyed forming lifelong friendships within this team even more so.
“With WOLFPAAC we’re so much more coordinated and we’ve really grown together,” said Stoyko.
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WOLFPAAC has been training hard ahead of their match against Kingston Sharks at an OWFL semi-final game on Saturday. (Isha Bhargava/CBC)
Last week they secured first place in Ontario and made it into playoffs undefeated while allowing only three touchdowns throughout their entire season. With an important game against Kingston Sharks approaching fast, WOLFPAAC intends on keeping its winning streak alive according to Knight.
“Obviously it’s another undefeated team we’re playing against and we’ve faced teams ranked higher than us who have similar wins but we’ll go out there and play-that’s what matters,” she stated. “We’re going to stick together as family; the only ones who can beat WOLFPAAC mentally are ourselves.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p. m. on Saturday at London’s City Wide Sports Park.
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Expanding Outreach for League Growth
However, with a growing sport comes challenges in spreading awareness and encouraging new players to give football a shot regardless of their skill level, according to Alexa Taylor, 14, who joined WOLFPAAC after moving from Brantford to London. The hope is that will change. With tackle football set to become an Olympic sport in 2028, OWFL leagues have expanded greatly over the past three years, said WOLFPAAC’s president Scott Knight. He noted that their first season only had three teams but now there are 13 teams participating.Source link
