Memorable experience

Manitoba Girls Football Association has presence at memorable women’s football event in South Carolina

As part of the International Women’s Football League’s championship weekend, a series of events helped to make history while showcasing the future of women’s football. One such event featured the Manitoba Girls Football Association providing a group of players the chance to participate in a showcase game.

The MGFA is an extension of the prominent women’s football scene in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Of note, Lisa Zueff Cummings and Tannis Wilson, both former players with the Manitoba Fearless have tirelessly contributed to the rise of the MGFA as a training ground for the women’s football stars of tomorrow while instilling positive values such as teamwork and self-esteem.

Wilson reflects on the inaugural season of the MGFA and the proud Fearless connection, “The MGFA was started by Lisa Cummings and me. We run the Fearless and for a number of years, we were teammates on opposite sides of the line (smiles). In our first year, I believe all three teams (in the MGFA) had Fearless players as coaches. We now have eight teams and there were Fearless players on five of the team’s staff. Four as coaches and one as a manager.”

As the distance from Winnipeg to South Carolina is approximately 2,700 kilometers, the effort for players, coaches and administrators in the MGFA extended to hard work off the field. Fundraising was an integral aspect of ensuring that their dream became reality as Wilson explained,

“The girls all took part in fundraising as it was quite expensive for them to go to North Carolina for six days. We did everything from selling chocolates to having a bud spud and steak. The girls worked hard before we went on the trip and hard while we are there.”

Serving as the head coach for her daughter’s team in the showcase game, it was a family affair for Cummings. As she reveals the details of the event, it becomes evident that generations of football, past, present and future collide for what will result in a lifetime of memories.

“This summer, 24 girls ranging from ages 11-16 went to Rock Hill, South Carolina to show case their program and take part in the IWFL championship celebrations.

They attended the first-ever Women’s Football Foundation Hall of Fame dinner, where the Toledo Troopers were inducted as inaugural inductees. It was amazing. I was a HC for one of the teams and my daughter played. Let me tell you, this was all for the future of the game.”

Inclement weather would cause a delay to the launch of the events to come. Wilson mentioned how things came to an abrupt end after only one quarter. Despite the unfortunate start, there was tremendous encouragement for the youngsters gracing the iron, as competitors from the IWFL showed support.

“We had a bit of a false start when we were there, as our game was scheduled for Thursday. However, when we got to the field, an electrical storm hit. We played one quarter and then we were forced to stop.

Yet, for the first quarter, there were probably 20-25 girls from IWFL teams that had come out to watch. The game was rescheduled for Saturday (which was an ungodly hot day, 162.8 degrees Fahrenheit at field level, the officials cleats were melting).”

Complementing the impact of the IWFL players was the fact that the Toledo Troopers were in attendance to see the game continue. Despite the sometimes unforgiving heat and humidity that comes with summer in the south, the Troopers attendance was more than just a kind gesture, it was a way of telling these youngsters that what they do is helping to break barriers and that they are extending the Troopers’ proud legacy for the next generation. It was a great point of pride for a jubilant Wilson,

“However, the Toledo Troopers, the first women’s program in the world, as well as the first team inducted into the women’s football Hall of Fame, came out to watch. With the heat as bad as it was, these women in their 60s came over and became the water girls to our young girls playing football. It was amazing to be a part of.

On a side note, at the Hall of Fame dinner on Friday, our girls sat with all of the Troopers. It was hard to see who was more in enamored with who; the girls with the women that were the foremothers of tackle football or these women that saw these little girls playing a game that they have always loved.”

With a documentary crew on-hand to chronicle the exciting history of the Toledo Troopers and their long overdue recognition, some of the MGFA’s players earned the chance to be interviewed. Wilson explains how the opportunity for these generations of football pioneers to meet event has certainly created mutual fans,

“After dinner, they were all playing football in the hall. The Troopers quarterback actually donned a 5 inch pair of high heels from one of our players to see whether she could play football in heels. It was quite entertaining. Our girls were also interviewed on film for a movie that is coming up on the Toledo Troopers. Both programs made history.”

Cummings elaborates on the history that was made. Perhaps the most impressive fact is that such history involved a Canadian team, marking a unique and special chapter in the growing history of Canadian women’s sporting history, quickly emerging as an integral part of the modern Canadian sporting conversation.

“The Troopers then came to our showcase game as our girls played in crazy heat to show the world what our girls can do! The game was the first-ever all youth girls game in the USA, it was coached by an all-female staff and it was the first every all female reffing crew. This was history, but unfortunately no one knew about it!”

For Wilson, the Showcase Game was an opportunity to help the game grown. As she explains, the MGFA has helped lead the way in developmental football programs, something that can hopefully begin to expand with encouragement south of the border.

“The goal of the showcase game is to encourage young girls across the United States into playing tackle football. They have quite a robust women’s program with I believe three or four different leagues at the senior women’s level. However, at the time of the showcase, we were still the only program in the world for girls 9 to 16 playing tackle football against each other.”

After being part of such an historic event south of the border, Wilson already dreams of the day that an all-female football game (including female officials) can happen in Canada. Taking into account that the NFL is helping groom a new generation of female football officials with clinics, Wilson is looking at the future and anticipating that Canadian women will soon be part of such an important event.

“We hope to bring officials with us next time to participate in the NFL women’s tackle officials’ clinic as well. We would love to see the day that we can have a Canadian first with all female players, female coaches and female officials. It may take a while but I am confident that we will get there some day.”

In the event’s aftermath, Wilson and Cummings has been the recipient of some exciting news. The event in South Carolina resulted in more than just the opportunity to encounter the women’s football pioneers from Toledo, earning their Hall of Fame due, but a chance to participate in a women’s football game like no other.

“We have actually made history twice, as the first girls program for 9 to 16-year-olds in the world. We also played in the first all-women’s football game ever; all-female referees all-female coaches and all-female players. It was amazing to be a part of and it was awesome to see so many women share their love of the game.

It was an amazing opportunity for us coaches as well. We got to see the next generation of football players love the game as much as we do. It was an incredible opportunity for all of us and I cannot be more proud of the girls and coaches from this program. I cannot wait to do it all over again but this time play against the teams that we inspired to start playing.

Since our trip to South Carolina, we have been told that there are three separate programs starting up in the United States based on our showcase game. We had a ton of people come up to us throughout the week asking about our program, it was quite amazing. And to see the results, wow, we could not have asked for anything more. Now we just need more programs in Canada.”

“All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated”

Image obtained from: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Manitoba-Girls-Football-Association/430271670381466?sk=timeline