World-class act

Devlin

Devlin brings world-class game from Eastern to Western Canada

One of the pioneers of female football in Atlantic Canada, Erin Devlin has carved a remarkable football legacy. Having recently brought her expertise of the game to Alberta, another region of Canada where the game is experiencing unprecedented growth, her great skills and approach to the game are paying dividends.

Having first graced the gridiron with the Saint John Storm, she had the opportunity to compete at the inaugural IFAF women’s world football championships in 2010. One of the crowing achievements in Devlin’s career, it was enhanced by the fact that several of her Saint John teammates also donned the Canadian jersey in a silver medal effort.

Throughout a storied career, it may come as a surprise to fans to know that Devlin was a late bloomer to the sport. A novice to athletic competition, football would open the door to an enriching and exciting new world. Despite being a rookie past the age of 30, she proved that it is never too late to pursue one’s dreams.

“My initial interest for football came from watching other friends play. I was 32 years old and had never played any sport before. I started going to the indoor workouts prior to the season’s start and had so much fun with the team and learning that I could actually be good at this sport. It started a passion that has been growing for seven years. I have met many good friends and had so many new experiences thanks to my football career.”

While her debut in the Maritime Women’s Football League brought with it rookie jitters, she would blossom into one of the league’s elite competitors. In reflecting on her first experience in football, Devlin comments on how her love of the game evokes powerful emotions,

“The first time I stepped onto the field for a game I was completely sick with nerves, once I got out there and got my first hit in, there was no looking back. I still get nervous before every game, but now they are excitement-butterflies.

I originally started playing football in Saint John, New Brunswick and played there for 3 years. I was lucky enough to be chosen to play with the Canadian Women’s National Tackle Football Team in 2010 when we brought home a Silver medal from Stockholm, Sweden.”

After the experience of making female sporting history in Sweden, Devlin relocated out west. Suiting up for the Edmonton Storm of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, it would place her in rarified air. In recent years, competitors such as Ferne Lavers and Emma Hicks (who competed for Canada at the 2013 IFAF Worlds) are among the rare few to have competed in the MWFL and WWCFL.

“Following this I moved to Edmonton, Alberta to play for the Edmonton Storm. I was grateful that I already had amazing friends here that I met playing football in Sweden.

Those friends have grown to become my family and I would not have been able to make the move to Edmonton without their support and friendship. I look forward to the start of our season every year when we have the new recruits join our team and I wonder about the life-long friendships they will make because of football.”

With Edmonton serving as one of Western Canada’s great sporting cities, Devlin and her Storm teammates are continuing to build on the strong female sporting legacy established by the former Edmonton Chimos women’s hockey team. One of the elite franchises in the budding WWCFL, Devlin had the opportunity to compete with the Storm in the league’s inaugural championship game. Despite the victory by the Saskatoon Valkyries, there was one moment in the contest that has made a memorable impression for Devlin,

“If I had to pick any moment of my time with the Storm as my favorite, it would be in a championship game against the Saskatoon Valkyries. We were on the 10-yard line and we did a silent snap. I was lead blocking for our QB Karin Simmons and we bowled players over as we rushed into the end zone. I remember a linebacker from Saskatoon telling us later that she felt like she had been hit by a freight train – Mission Accomplished!”

“All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated”

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