Glazz and Cummings ready for battle down south

On November 18^th the North Winnipeg Nomads will be sending two female football teams to play against two teams from Indiana. The two age groups of teams will be Junior and Senior. The junior Team will be grades 5-8, while the senior Team is grades 9-12. Hannah Glazz and Kaitlin Cummings will be heading down south to take part in this event with what will be called the North Winnipeg Nomads Battle of the Borders Team.

“I’ve always been interested in football from a younger age, but I was involved with so many other sports I never got into I was also scared to get hit because it looked like it hurt,” mentioned Glazz. “Looking back I wish I would’ve asked my parents to sign me up sooner because I love the sport so much now.”

As high school was coming closer Hannah wanted to go into school as a new person, and what better way than to play a new sport. Hannah went into football practices thinking she wasn’t going to enjoy it, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. Hannah added, “Football is such a big part of my life.”

The biggest obstacle that Hannah had to overcome while playing varsity football for the Garden City Gophers is not to be afraid of other people’s opinions and judgement towards you. “I always held back because I was scared of others and what they would think of me, now I couldn’t care any less about what someone thinks of me for playing high school football. It’s a sport I love and a sport I’m good at and I’m going to play it with pride,” Hannah replied.

Hannah watches NFL and CFL on occasion, but in her eyes her goal as she gets older is to be someone’s favourite player on their favourite team. Hannah explained, “Doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or girl, I want to make that impact on someone.”

Throughout her time of playing football, Hannah has learnt that football is one of the most demanding sports out there not only physically but also mentally. “Being a linemen, you’re taught to get through the opposing teams line but if you don’t do that or they block you you’ll tend to get upset,” said Hannah. “You have two options there to either pick yourself back up and get out on the field and try again or you get upset and lose your focus.”

Football is also a team game, if one person has a negative attitude that negativity is going to spread throughout the team affecting everyone and their performance. Hannah also plays basketball and rugby, but football is the only sport that Hannah says that has that effect on the team. Hannah responded, “It’s really an amazing thing when people only watch the game, they see a sport that kids play for fun but in a kids eyes the field can be a second home, a safe place. A coach can be a parent figure and a teammate can be a sibling. Football is really an amazing sport and I’m so proud to say I’m a part of it.”

Kaitlin Cummings will be traveling with the Senior team to Indiana. Kaitlin is in her first season playing on the Garden City Junior Varsity team, and this will be her 8^th season playing football. In Kaitlin’s family, football has been a big part of her life as her Mom, Dad and brother have all played. “I didn’t feel obligated to play, just felt like it was something I wanted to do, just like everyone else in the house,” mentioned Kaitlin. Kaitlin’s Mom, Lisa, started the Manitoba Girls Football Association when Kaitlin was 8. Kaitlin decided to give it a shot and has been playing ever since.

Having an older brother that is one of the best linemen in Canada has helped Kaitlin as well. Kaitlin and her brother Kieran watch NFL, CFL and College football together. Often when Kieran and Kaitlin watch football together Kieran will point out players that play her position and shows Kaitlin what they are doing and how she should try certain moves like they do to make her a better player. “Kieran also asks me to come work out on skills with him, this summer we would do our tempo runs together, throw the ball around and work on our moves,” mentioned Kaitlin.

When Kaitlin is watching football she cheers on the Bombers, Patriots and Texas because these games are always on in her house. “I really just like watching the game regardless of who’s playing,” said Kaitlin.

Kaitlin loves the contact of football. She loves the family atmosphere of football teams, and the life lessons that come along with playing, teamwork, respect, leadership and just how hard you have to work to be successful, which is true to life.

An event like this can only mean good things for the future of girls football in Manitoba, and the rest of North America. I talked to Kaitlin about how events like this could help build the sport, she replied, “It hopefully generates more interest in girls football. I don’t think many know about our program, and going down to Indiana to play in the first ever international game for girls youth football will hopefully have our program get noticed.”

In the future, Kaitlin would like to see the sport grow more for the girls. More teams, more age groups and 12 man football. “I know it may not happen in my time, but I’d love to see girls only college teams or even pro level,” said Kaitlin.

Hannah sees girls’ football in Manitoba growing by quite a bit within the next couple years. She thinks more girls are going to play football and realize their potential outside of their club and join their school teams. It will be a domino effect in Hannah’s eyes, they start off with good teams and coaches who teams the well and they gain the confidence to make a difference. Hannah concluded, “I can confidently say Lisa was that coach that made me want to be that difference. Without her I don’t think I’d have the opportunities I’d have today.”