Several firsts for football in the province, after a bronze medal for Team New Brunswick at the U18 Women’s National Championship held in Regina, Saskatchewan.
The 20 players returned to New Brunswick this week to celebrate their victory.
Five teams in total competed, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick.
The girls scored their bronze medal, beating Ontario 15 to 12.
Fifteen-year-old Milla Ramirez expressed how she felt being a part of the tournament, “Everyone had the jitters, and nothing kicked in until the first five minutes of the first quarter. Reality started kicking in. We realised we were actually there and it was really happening.”
Fourteen-year-old Alexia Brazeau described it as incredible, “After I got the first touchdown for the team, I just felt amazing. We made history, it was so cool.”
Team New Brunswick included players from communities across the province and included one player from Prince Edward Island.
For many, this was also the girl’s first year of playing football, “It was super cool that we weren’t the only first team there. Not everyone was there just to compete but to have fun and grow women’s football,” 17-year-old Maddy Chapman told us.
The gold went to Team Alberta, after beating Team Saskatchewan in the Championship.
When it comes to football, many would think size is a factor on the field, but it certainly didn’t stand in the way for Elea Arseneault and Alexia Brazeau.
“After you have spent your first season playing football, you really understand how to tackle properly, so being tiny can just work out,” Arseneault expressed.
Brazeau told us it’s not about size, it’s about being able to take a hit.
Ramirez also chimed in, ” The little ones can do just as much damage as the big ones.”
Teamwork is also a huge part of the game, that brought all of the girls together,
Arseneault says she could always count on her teammates for support during the game, “I think because we play six-man compared to the guys, It involves a lot more teamwork on the field because there isn’t that much room to make mistakes. I know my team is right there to make the tackle if I miss it. If there were 12 of us, two of us could miss and there’s ten left, but for us, there’s only four.”
Only a short time after the bronze medal win, the girls are already realising how this history-making bronze medal win at the championship has made them role models and mentors in the sport.
Ramirez had this advice for any female who is considering trying tackle football, “Go for it! Take the risk. It’s fun! You get to collab with other teams from other provinces and a lot of team bonding. Just go for it!”
Chapman added, “My goal is to make it the biggest sport in the world, girls football.”
The Greater Moncton Football Association will hold three clinics to give girls the opportunity to try to sport of football, on July 26th, August 2nd, and August 9th. More details can be found on the Moncton Varsity Stingrays Facebook page.
(Photo: TDCB)
