Founded | 2010 |
---|---|
Based in | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
Home stadium | Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Griffiths Stadium |
Head coach | Pat Barry |
General manager | Michelle Duchene |
League | WWCFL |
Division | Prairie |
Colours | |
Nickname(s) | Valks |
League titles | 9 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) |
Conference titles | 10 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) |
Website | www |
The Saskatoon Valkyries are a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Prairie Conference. The team is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. They are the most successful WWCFL team, winning nine of the leagues twelve championships since play began in 2011, including the first four. Their primary rivals are the Regina Riot, the only other WWCFL team to win the championship. [1]
The Valkyries were founded in 2010 after a Football Saskatchewan women's football clinic in Saskatoon consolidated interest among players and management. Co-founder Michelle Duchene had her own interest piqued after working as a trainer for the women's national team at the 2010 world championships. [2] The Saskatoon team was founded in time to join the new Western Women's Canadian Football League (WWCFL), and after a fan submission contest Valkyries was chosen as the team name. [3]
The WWCFL began play in 2011 with seven teams in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The Valkyries had a dominant inaugural season, posting a 4-0 record and advancing to the league championship final by defeating their provincial rival Regina Riot 36–6 in the Prairie Conference final. [4] In the championship match, the Valkyries defeated the Edmonton Storm 35–7 to become the first WWCFL champions. [4]
The Valkyries again posted a perfect record in 2012, and advanced to the championship match with a chance to defend their title against the Lethbridge Steel, who also advanced to the final undefeated. The Valkyries defeated the Steel 64–21 in Saskatoon to claim their second consecutive championship. [5]
The 2013 season saw the Valkyries lose a game for the first time in team history, dropping a 15–7 decision to the Regina Riot on 12 May. [6] This led to both teams finishing with a 3-1 record and the Riot finishing first in the Prairie Conference based on point differential. The Valkyries rebounded from their regular season loss to win their first conference post-season road game, defeating the Riot 55–27 in Regina to advance to their third consecutive WWCFL final. [6] In the final, Saskatoon defeated the Lethbridge Steel 27–13 in Regina to claim their third consecutive title. [7]
The Valkyries returned to undefeated status in 2014, advancing to a fourth consecutive championship match and a third straight against Lethbridge. [8] They capped a dominant season with a 53–0 victory over the Steel to claim their fourth championship. [9] After the match, veteran quarterback Candace Bloomquist, who had been with the team since its inception, announced her retirement. [10]
The 2015 season ended the Valkyries four-year run as the undisputed champions of the WWCFL. The Valkyries lost at home for the first time in team history on 30 May, falling 49–9 to the Riot. [11] As in 2013, this resulted in Saskatoon finishing second in the Prairie Conference. Unlike 2013, the Valkyries fell to the Riot in the Conference final, 31–29, failing to advance to the championship game for the first time. The Riot went on to win the title. [12]
The Valkyries bounced back in the 2016 season. Although they again dropped a regular-season game to the Riot, losing the season finale 27–26, Saskatoon finished atop the Prairie Conference based on point differential. [13] They defeated Regina 29–14 in the Conference final, setting up a meeting with Edmonton in the championship game. [14] Saskatoon dominated the title match, defeating the Storm 81–6 in Lethbridge to claim a fifth championship in six seasons. [15] Head coach and president Jeff Yausie called the 2016 team the best Valkyries team he had coached. [15]
Before the 2017 season, the Valkyries announced that Yausie had resigned as head coach of the team after six seasons to take a position with the junior Saskatoon Hilltops. [16] [17] Yausie stated that it was "time for someone else to take the reign," and defensive coach Pat Barry, who had been with the team for three seasons since 2014, was announced as the new head coach. [18] After a 3–1 season, the Valkyries fell to the Riot 34–24 in the Prairie final, in what was the last football match at Regina's Taylor Field. [19]
The Valkyries finished the 2018 season with a 2–2 record, losing both of their matches against the Riot and thus losing more than one match for the first time in team history. [20] The WWCFL also experimented with a cross-conference playoff structure, which resulted in the Valkyries facing off against the Calgary Rage in Calgary for their semi-final playoff match. The Valkyries defeated the Rage 30–6, becoming Western division champions and setting up the first WWCFL final between Saskatoon and Regina. [21] Although the Valkyries held a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, the Riot came back to win the game 14–10. [22]
Prior to the start of the 2019 season, the Valkyries organized an exhibition game in Las Vegas, where they defeated the Sin City Trojans 34–6. [23] They went on to post their first undefeated season since 2014. However, on 1 June, one day prior to their final regular season game, the team's defensive line coach, Justin Filteau, died in a plane crash. [24] The Valkyries dedicated their season to Filteau, and went on to avenge their 2018 Finals loss to the Riot, defeating them 25–3 to claim their first championship since 2016. [25] [26] After the final, the Valkyries played another exhibition game, defeating the Montreal Blitz 39–12 in Saskatoon. [27]
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of both the 2020 and 2021 WWCFL seasons. [28] In the fall of 2020, Valkyries linebacker Emmarae Dale became the first female player to join the men's Canadian Junior Football League with the Saskatoon Hilltops, which was touted as a sign of the progress of women's football. [29] [30] Despite the cancellation of the season, the Valkyries played a series of exhibition games against the Riot in the summer of 2021. [31] The Valkyries swept the three-game series, defeating the Riot by scores of 34–0, 42–7, and 32–7. [32]
The WWCFL returned for the 2022 season, with the Valkyries the defending champions. [33] On 28 May, the Valkyries celebrated their 10-year anniversary, which had been delayed due to the cancellation of the two previous seasons. [17] Saskatoon posted another undefeated season and advanced to the championship game with a 52–0 semi-final victory over Edmonton. In the final, they faced the Manitoba Fearless for the first time, and successfully defended their title, winning a second consecutive championship with a 36–6 victory in Saskatoon. [34] The championship game was the final one for defensive tackle and WWCFL President Jaime Lammerding, an original Valkyrie. [34]
The Valkyries capped off their 3rd consecutive and 8th overall championship by defeating the Calgary Rage 40–0 at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon on 24 June 2023. [35] As of the end of the 2023 season, the Valkyries were on a 27-game winning streak. [36] On 19 May 2024, the Valkyries claimed their 30th-consecutive victory. [37] They finished the season with a 36–21 win over the Regina Riot in the championship game to secure their fourth straight title. [38]
= Indicates Division Title (regular season) |
= Indicates Conference Title |
= Indicates League Championship |
Season | League | Conf. | W | L | Conf. standing | Playoff result |
2011 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 35–7 vs. Edmonton Storm |
2012 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 64–21 vs. Lethbridge Steel |
2013 | WWCFL | Prairie | 3 | 1 | 2nd | Won WWCFL Final, 27–13 vs. Lethbridge Steel |
2014 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 53–0 vs. Lethbridge Steel |
2015 | WWCFL | Prairie | 3 | 1 | 2nd | Lost Prairie Final, 31–29 vs. Regina Riot |
2016 | WWCFL | Prairie | 3 | 1 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 81–6 vs. Edmonton Storm |
2017 | WWCFL | Prairie | 3 | 1 | 2nd | Lost Prairie Final, 34–24 vs. Regina Riot |
2018 | WWCFL | Prairie | 2 | 2 | 2nd | Lost WWCFL Final, 14–10 vs. Regina Riot |
2019 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 25–3 vs. Regina Riot |
2020 | WWCFL | Prairie | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
2021 | WWCFL | Prairie | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
2022 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 36–6 vs. Manitoba Fearless |
2023 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 40–0 vs. Calgary Rage |
2024 | WWCFL | Prairie | 4 | 0 | 1st | Won WWCFL Final, 36–21 vs. Regina Riot |
Totals (2011–2024) | 42 | 6 |
The following table lists the Valkyries' 2023 roster. [39]
# | Name | Position | # | Name | Position |
3 | Sarah Zeng | DB | 52 | Emry Halbgewachs | DL |
5 | Jackie Semple-Dyck | LB | 53 | Michaella Applin | DL |
7 | Kaylin O-Neill | DB | 55 | Danaye Holynsky | DL |
8 | Makayla Sader | DB | 56 | Alyssa Funk | OL |
10 | Danielle Girolami | DB | 57 | Sydney Schenn | LB |
12 | Reed Thorstad | REC | 59 | Karly Radke | DL |
14 | Kelli Young | QB | 60 | Brianna Hammet | DL |
15 | Alex Eyolfson | QB | 61 | Alex Wojcichowsky | OL |
16 | Marissa Glanville | REC | 63 | Savanna Spendiff | OL |
17 | Haley Girolami | REC | 66 | Adrianne Taylor | OL |
18 | Caitlyn Spurr | REC | 71 | Lauren Ferguson | OL |
23 | Sydney Beaudette | DB | 81 | Rachelle Smith | REC |
25 | Drew Lundquist | RB/K | 82 | Grace McCorriston | REC/K |
26 | Jaimyn Mantyka | DB | 83 | Mykayla Laroque | REC |
27 | Arden Kleiwer | RB | 84 | Hanna Pankratz | REC |
28 | Ricki Obed | REC | 85 | Kelsey Murphy | DB |
33 | Kennedy Mann | LB | 88 | Sarah Wright | RB |
45 | Emmarae Dale | LB | 90 | Betsy Mawdsley | OL |
47 | Jamie Wingate | LB | 95 | Carla Stevenson | DL |
50 | Grace Farthing | DL | Pat Barry | Coach |
The following lists women from the Saskatoon Valkyries who have competed in the IFAF Women's World Championship as members of Team Canada.
2010 | 2013 [40] | 2017 [41] | 2022 [42] |
---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
SaskTel Centre is an arena located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The facility opened in February 1988 and is currently the home venue of the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, the Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, and the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League, with the arena being referred to as Co-op Field at SaskTel Centre during Rush games.
Griffiths Stadium is a stadium located on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The current stadium was opened on 23 June, 1967, to host the Saskatchewan Huskies football team. There was previously a Griffiths Stadium 200 metres to the east of the current location, which operated from 1936 until the new site was opened.
This is a timeline of events throughout the history of the Western Hockey League (WHL), which dates back to its founding in 1966. The league was founded by a group of team owners and managers in Saskatchewan and Alberta, including Bill Hunter, Scotty Munro, Del Wilson, and Jim Piggott, who thought a larger western league would help western teams compete for the Memorial Cup against teams from the larger associations in Ontario and Quebec. Since the league's founding, it has expanded to include 22 teams across the four Western Canadian provinces along with the Northwest United States, and it has produced 19 Memorial Cup championship teams.
The Saskatoon Hilltops are a junior Canadian football team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Hilltops play in the six-team Prairie Football Conference, which is part of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) and compete annually for the Canadian Bowl. The team was founded in 1921 as a senior team in the Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union, which it played in until 1936. Two years after WWII the team reorganized in 1947. Beginning in 1953, the Hilltops have won 23 Canadian Bowl championships. The Hilltops won six consecutive Canadian Bowls between 2014 and 2019.
The Prairie Gold Lacrosse League, formally known as the Saskatchewan Major Box Lacrosse League (2001–2003), is a Junior B box lacrosse league in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Sports in Saskatchewan consist of a wide variety of team and individual games, and include summer, winter, indoor, and outdoor games. Saskatchewan's cold winter climate has ensured the popularity of sports including its official sport, curling, as well as ice hockey, ice skating, and cross-country skiing. The province also has warm summers and popular summer sports include baseball, football, soccer, basketball, track and field, rodeo, horse-racing, and golf.
The Viterra Saskatchewan Scotties Tournament of Hearts is the annual Saskatchewan provincial women's curling championship. The winning team represents Saskatchewan at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the national women's championship. The bonspiel is organized by CURLSASK, the provincial curling association.
Ice hockey is among the most popular sports in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, and the province has been notable for producing a large number of hockey figures in both men's and women's hockey. Saskatchewan does not currently have a professional hockey team of its own, but it is home to a large number of junior and senior hockey teams. The sport is governed in the province by Hockey Saskatchewan.
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 and summer, and with seven teams it is the largest women's football league in Canada. The teams play 12-woman tackle football games using the Football Canada rules, similar to those of the Canadian Football League. The league has teams in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
The Calgary Rage are a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Western Conference. They are based in Calgary, Alberta.
Julie Paetsch is an athlete from Lanigan, Saskatchewan. Currently, she is a two-sport athlete in hockey and football. Selected by the Calgary Inferno in the 2013 CWHL Draft, she is also a competitor for the Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women's Canadian Football League.
The Regina Riot are a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Prairie Conference. The team is based in Regina, Saskatchewan. Their provincial rivals are the Saskatoon Valkyries. The Riot and Valkyries have dominated the WWCFL since play began in 2011 as the only two teams to win the league championship.
The Lethbridge Steel is a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Western Conference. The team is based in Lethbridge, Alberta.
The Manitoba Fearless are a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Prairie Conference. The team is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is the longest running Winnipeg-based women's tackle football team, founded in 2008. Their local WWCFL rivals are the Winnipeg Wolfpack.
The Edmonton Storm are a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Western Conference. The team is based in Edmonton, Alberta. The Storm are Alberta's oldest competitive women's tackle football club.
The Saskatchewan Rush is a Canadian professional box lacrosse team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Formerly the Edmonton Rush, they are members of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and play their home games on Co-op Field at SaskTel Centre. The Rush have won the NLL championship twice since their move to Saskatchewan, in 2016 and in 2018.
The Saskatchewan Rattlers are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). They play their home games at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.
Dorenda Alene Bailey better known as Dorenda Schoenhals is a Canadian curler. She is a former Canadian women's, mixed and university champion.
The Winnipeg Wolfpack are a women's football club in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Prairie Conference. The Wolfpack are based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Saskatoon Berries are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Founded in 2023, the team began play in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) in 2024. The Berries host games at Cairns Field.