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| Jessie Buydens, left, a Saskatoon Valkyrie and an offensive line for Team Canada can be seen running to give support against the Regina Riot during a May 26, bout between the two teams. Buydens is just one of 15 players from Sask. WWCFL teams on the Team Canada roster. (Photo credit: Morgan Modjeski, Metro) |
Jeff Yausie, head
coach of the Saskatoon Valkyries, will lead Team Canada at the upcoming
International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Women’s World Championship
— and he’s taking many Saskatchewan players with him.
A total of 15
players from Saskatchewan’s two teams in the Western Women’s Canadian Football
League — nine from the Valkyries and six from the Regina Riot — have made the
cut for Team Canada. But despite Saskatchewan’s strong showing on the 45-player
roster, Yausie said it’s important to look ahead.
“It’s funny because
you focus on your team and your league and everything else, and really that’s
what we’ve been doing up to this past weekend,” Yausie said.
“But now we’ve got
to focus on Team Canada. It’s got nothing to do with Saskatchewan players or
Quebec players … we’ve all got to come together.”
Facing Germany,
Sweden, Spain, Finland and the United States, competition at the tournament
will be fierce. The Saskatchewan players, though, appear ready to tackle the
pressure.
“It’s really an
honour to wear the Maple Leaf and represent your country on an international
stage, especially doing something that you love to do,” said Valkyries player
Jessie Buydens, an offensive lineman for Team Canada.
“It’s not something
people get to do very often.”
Claire Doré of the
Riot, a slotback with Team Canada, echoed Buydens’ excitement.
“Particularly for us
as women football players in such a new sport,” Dore said, “that we can
champion this cause and bring equality to women’s sport in a new way, is just
incredible.”
The tournament will
run from June 30 to July 6 in Vantaa, Finland.
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