Canadian contingent composes part of exciting lineup for sensational Seattle Mist

As the Seattle Mist look to capture an elusive championship, their roster sees the addition of five dedicated Canadian players hoping to make that title dream come true. Never in the history of the Legends Football League has an American-based team seen so many Canadian athletes comprise roster spots, forging new friendships and eliminating borders.

Three of the Canadians are already familiar to Mist fans. Mary-Anne Hanson, Stevi Schnoor and Deanna Schaper-Kotter competed with the Mist in the 2013 Pacific Cup, a 27-25 victory over the Los Angeles Temptation. History was made on that day as Hanson became the first quarterback in the history of the event to play for two different teams at the Cup in consecutive years. In addition, Schnoor would become the first Canadian born player to garner MVP honors.

The Velludo sisters, Rebecca and Veronica, have waited over eight months for the opportunity to make their mark in female football. Having qualified for the BC Angels roster in 2013 (more on that later), Rebecca had played flag football with Hanson in Vancouver while Veronica had a significant background in soccer. Of note, they are the first pair of Canadian sisters to compete on the roster of an American-based roster in the LFL.

Multi-talented Deanna Schaper-Kotter brings a remarkable athletic background to the Mist lineup. Having also excelled in basketball and volleyball, she would look just as comfortable on the hardcourt for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm as she does on the Seattle Mist’s gridiron. Statuesque, articulate and well-spoken, she has already established herself as a fan favorite among the Mist faithful.

Having endeared herself to Mist fans with her sterling performance in the 2013 Pacific Cup (which included three touchdowns), Schnoor is affectionately known as Stevi Wonder. Also a prominent rugby player at the provincial level in British Columbia, Schnoor’s dedication as a conditioned athlete and top-level performer was evident after the Mist’s season opener. After contributing to the Mist’s 38-24 victory versus the Green Bay Chill, she competed in a rugby contest in BC the day after.

Hanson is part of a unique quarterback situation for the Mist. With 2013 starting quarterback Laurel Creel having departed the franchise, the squad was in dire need of a new signal caller. With the reality of football (male and female) being that a team needs two strong quarterbacks in order to win; Hanson is currently the backup to Angela Rypien, who competed for the Baltimore Charm in 2013.

Although Rypien was born in the United States, she definitely has a proud Canadian connection. Her father, Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien (who was in attendance for the Mist home opener) was born in Calgary, Alberta. Rypien had also committed to playing for Calgary’s expansion franchise in LFL Canada. As a side note, both Hanson and Rypien are also mothers, a unique common ground between the two highly talented passers.

With such a remarkable group of women from British Columbia making the trek to ShoWare Centre in Kent, Washington on a regular basis for practices and games, their dedication knows no bounds. For Hanson and Schnoor, it is reciprocal to what Jessica Hopkins, the Mist’s franchise player once did.

During LFL Canada’s inaugural season in 2012, Hopkins was one of several American players that competed north of the border. Driving hundreds of miles back and forth across the border so that she could compete with the BC Angels showed how serious Hopkins took this game. A mentor to the likes of Hanson, Schnoor and Katie Marshall (who won LFL Canada’s Defensive Player of the Year Award), her drive was certainly a positive influence on the Angels and their championship finish in 2012.

In some ways, the Canadian involvement with the Mist has a trace of irony to it. With the Canadian division of the Legends Football League ready to begin their 2013 season, Hanson and Schnoor were among the veterans ready to defend their 2012 LFL Canada championship with the BC Angels. Schaper-Kotter and the Velludo sisters, Rebecca and Veronica comprised three of the Angels rookie crop.

Sadly, the season was cancelled and fans were left wondering what if? Had the season never been cancelled, Hanson, Schaper-Kotter and Schnoor would have played for the Angels in the 2013 Pacific Cup and not the Mist. The Pacific Cup was always promoted as a border battle between a Canadian and US based team, and the Angels were originally scheduled to compete against the Mist in the 2013 edition.

If anything good came out of the cancellation of the promising 2013 LFL Canada campaign, it is that fans south of the border have gained a new appreciation for the remarkable Canadian women that play this game. Should Seattle manage to win its first-ever league championship this season (and the contribution of its Canadian content will likely play a role), two good things shall be part of that result.

The efforts of these five fantastic Canadians in their journey for the chance to be part of the Mist roster should set a motivating tone. For a proud Mist franchise that enjoyed an undefeated regular season in 2013, the Canadian presence for the 2014 edition definitely adds an exciting element to the franchise, as the Mist truly become British Columbia’s team.

(Clockwise from left: Mary-Anne Hanson, photo credit: Gino Martino, Velludo sisters, Rebecca and Veronica, obtained from Facebook, The Smash Sisters, Deanna Schaper-Kotter and Stevi Schnoor, obtained from Facebook)