Ground-Breaking competitor

Bradshaw among a new generation of ground-breaking competitors in Alberta

With the first women’s high school football competition having developed in Alberta, the level of talent graduating to the WWCFL is emerging as one of its greatest legacies. Among the players that have contributed to said legacy is Taegan Bradshaw, currently competing with the Grande Prairie Northern Anarchy.

Not only has it resulted in a bold statement about sporting equality, it has helped create a new generation of sporting heroes. Entering the 2015 WWCFL season as one of Grande Prairie’s veterans, the reality is that it was not so long ago when Taegan Bradshaw was a novice to the game. Her first experience in the game is one that brought with it the obligatory feeling of nerves, but a love of the game would quickly be cultivated after her first play,

“I started playing football in high school on the girls’ team. It had always been a sport I had been interested in playing. The first time I stepped out onto the field was gut-wrenching. Yet, everything clicked into place during the first tackle. It made sense, and in a way it reinforced all the practicing and training we had been doing.”

While the Northern Anarchy sophomore season in 2014 resulted in some continued growing pains, Bradshaw was among a group of dedicated players whose efforts helped contribute to some breakthroughs for the club.

Among them was the significant milestone of the franchise earning its first-ever victory on June 1, 2014 at Legion Field. A pair of touchdowns by Sydney Spencer were the factor in Grande Prairie prevailing by a 26-19 tally.

While the jubilation of such a victory was well worth the wait, there was another moment to come that Bradshaw would reflect on as her favorite. Of note, Bradshaw’s finest hour may have come in a match that defined character and perseverance. Facing the obstacle of a decimated roster, Bradshaw bravely suited up, setting an example that may have truly contributed in putting women’s football on the map in the Grande Prairie community,

“I think my favorite moment of football occurred during last year, we had 14 players, just enough to play a game. We were playing the “best” team in the league (and they are the best team, they win every year ha ha) so we went into it knowing our chances were slim.

By the second half, we were winning. While we ultimately lost the game, every one of us left the field that day feeling like we won. It was a great bonding experience.”

Although the Grande Prairie Northern Anarchy approach the upcoming season with postseason aspirations, the efforts of players such as Bradshaw in 2014 have indicated that the future holds the potential to be a promising one.

“All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated”