Western Women's Canadian Football League

The Western Women's Canadian Football League (WWCFL) is a full-contact women's Canadian football league which began play in the spring of 2011. The league plays an annual season in the spring or summer, and with eight teams it is the largest women's football league in Canada. The teams play 12-woman tackle football games using the Football Canada rules, somewhat similar to those of the Canadian Football League. The league has teams in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta (the Prairie Provinces).

Western Women's Canadian Football League
SportCanadian football
Founded2011
PresidentAngelique Chenard
CommissionerShawn Walter
No. of teams8
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)		Saskatoon Valkyries
Most titlesSaskatoon Valkyries (5)
Official websitewwcfl.ca

League history

The first season of play ended with a championship game which was played in the city of Lethbridge, Alberta. The game was played between the Edmonton Storm and the Saskatoon Valkyries. The Valkyries became the first WWCFL Champions, with a final score of 35–7.

The WWCFL's second year (2012) saw the same seven teams compete. The championship game was held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with the Saskatoon Valkyries defending their title by defeating the Lethbridge Steel 64–21.[1]

Two new teams joined the league in 2013. The Northern Anarchy was based in Grande Prairie, Alberta.[2] and the Okotoks Lady Outlawz in Okotoks, Alberta.[3] Talks involved the league going as high as 11 teams for 2013, including expansion into British Columbia,[2] but it never occurred. In 2014, the Okotoks Lady Outlawz did not field a team for WWCFL play, with a plan to rebuild in future. The Northern Anarchy took a break in 2015,[4] although practice sessions continued,[4] and the Anarchy returned to the field in the 2016 season.[5]

On March 29, 2020, the league cancelled its season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

Teams

Western Conference
Team Location Home Field
Calgary Rage Calgary, Alberta Shouldice Athletic Park
Edmonton Storm Edmonton, Alberta Clarke Stadium
Lethbridge Steel Lethbridge, Alberta University of Lethbridge Community Stadium
Northern Anarchy Grande Prairie, Alberta Legion Field

Prairie Conference
Team Location Home Field
Manitoba Fearless Winnipeg, Manitoba Investors Group Field
Regina Riot Regina, Saskatchewan Mosaic Stadium
Saskatoon Valkyries Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Griffiths Stadium
Winnipeg Wolfpack Winnipeg, Manitoba North Winnipeg Nomads Football Club

Suspended operations
Team Location Home Field
Okotoks Lady Outlawz High River, Alberta High River High Field

WWCFL Championship results
YearWinnerLoserScore
2011Saskatoon ValkyriesEdmonton Storm35-7
2012Saskatoon ValkyriesLethbridge Steel64-21
2013Saskatoon ValkyriesLethbridge Steel27-13
2014Saskatoon ValkyriesLethbridge Steel53-0
2015Regina RiotEdmonton Storm53-6
2016Saskatoon ValkyriesEdmonton Storm81-6[7]
2017Regina RiotCalgary Rage53-0[8]
2018Regina RiotSaskatoon Valkyries14-10
2019 Saskatoon Valkyries Regina Riot 25-3

See also

References
  1. "Valkyries win championship, remain perfect" Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, Saskatoon, July 16, 2012. Retrieved on July 21, 2012
  2. "Grande Prairie getting gridiron gals" Daily Herald Tribune, Grande Prairie, September 27, 2012. Retrieved on December 11, 2012
  3. "Foothills ladies hit the gridiron" Okotoks Western Wheel, Okotoks, February 29, 2012. Retrieved on December 11, 2012
  4. Oatway, Jenny (May 8, 2015). "NORTHERN ANARCHY WOMEN'S FOOTBALL REGROUPING FOR 2016". My Grande Prairie Now. Archived from the original on May 28, 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  5. Clow, Logan (May 5, 2016). "Northern Anarchy set for gridiron season opener". Daily Herald Times. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  6. "SCHEDULE". Western Women's Canadian Football League. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  7. "Saskatoon Valkyries take back WWCFL championship". CBC News. Jun 25, 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  8. "Regina Riot captures WWCFL championship". Leader-Post. June 11, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
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