Ready for launch

Central Canadian Women’s Football League ready to launch in 2015

If one word can describe the growth in women’s football throughout Canada, that word would be exciting. The promise of the Central Canadian Women’s Football League only adds to such unprecedented growth in the sport. While the biggest challenge shall be finding enough players, coaches and volunteers to fill its anticipated inaugural season in 2015, a feeling of optimism reigns predominantly.

Founded by Aaron Ellis and based out of Nobleton, Ontario, a suburb located north east of Toronto, the CCWFL plans to launch with a four-team league in 2015, featuring all teams from the Greater Toronto Area. Expansion plans include the addition of two to four teams per annum with the goal of eventually becoming a province-wide league. Of note, the presence of an Ontario-based league would help address a key need that has been lacking since 2010. With Canada claiming the silver medal in the first two IFAF Women’s World Football Championships (2010 and 2013), those national teams did not feature any player from an Ontario-based team.

As the 2012 Canadian Women’s Nationals did not feature a provincial team from Ontario, the hopes for a competitive Team Ontario in the future would certainly add a new dimension to the nationals. Considering that the city of Toronto alone accounts for at least 20 percent of Canada’s population, there is an untapped talent pool that may serve as the difference between gold and silver at Women’s Worlds event in the next decade.

While issues such as logistics, communications and finances are off-season concerns that shall determine if the CCWFL shall be ready for play in 2015, recruitment is obviously a key priority. Considering that many universities throughout Ontario offer women’s flag football as a competitive and intramural sport (there are even flag football tournaments at the university level), it may serve as a great starting point to discover and develop young talent, providing them with competitive exposure to the game.

One initiative that the CCWFL has introduced is the opportunity to have an exception for players aged 16 and 17 participate in the league. Despite being ineligible to compete until they become 18, these “rookies” earn the opportunity to train and practice with teams, gaining a first-hand exposure to the sport.

Despite the fact that the CCWFL will likely endure the growing pains that accompany any new league, the reality is that its lasting legacy may be in helping to unify women’s football in Canada. Existing Canadian leagues include the four-team Maritime Women’s Football League, covering Atlantic Canada and the nine-team Western Women’s Canadian Football League competing throughout the Prairies.

Complemented by the Montreal Blitz, the only Canadian-based team in the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL), a female league in Ontario is long overdue. Eventually, the dream of a Canadian championship featuring the Blitz and champions from the CCWFL, MWFL and WWCFL may become as crucial to the Canadian sporting conversation as the Grey Cup.

Although the current reality of female sport in Southern Ontario is that many young women tend to gravitate towards hockey, basketball and soccer, as these sports offer scholarships at the NCAA level, the advantages of female football are numerous. A key element that defines female football in North American is that it makes all feel welcome. Whether it be welcoming players of all body types, ages and backgrounds, there is a place for everyone, providing positive reinforcements.