“Our goal as a program is to identify and remove as many of these barriers as possible to open up this new sector and create much needed gender equality” – Mark Ouellet, Program Director
The Cumberland Panthers are already one of the largest minor league football associations in eastern Canada. The organization has traditional tackle football, boys and girls flag football, development training programs, and cheerleading. However, their new Girls Tackle Football Program makes this organization truly special. Just finishing up their 2022 inaugural season, the Cumberland Panthers have the first fully scoped community tackle football program in Canada that is exclusively for young women between the ages 10 and 18. Although it was planned to begin in November, the 2022 season ran from March to July due to COVID-19 concerns. The girls play 6 on 6 tackle football, and the program currently offers three age groups: U13 (2010-2012), U16 (2007-2009), and U18 (2004-2006).
The program attracted more than 60 players in their first season, with many of the athletes expressing how much it meant to them to have a football team of their own. When asked about the importance of the program, Mark Ouellet – the organization’s former president and current program director – gave the following explanation:
“Young women have always participated in tackle football on teams comprised mostly of boys. Athletes have told us that participating with boys is not always their preferred environment and we’ve discovered via market research that many girls are not entering the sport due to barriers related to playing with boys”.
According to the director, sports – especially team sports – provide important experiences for our youth. They help encourage good physical health, build self-confidence, develop interpersonal skills, create lifelong relationships, and teach many other life lessons that are hard to find in other activities. Ouellet believes that “as we emerge from COVID, our community must support as many opportunities for our youth as possible”. With the program gaining over 40 volunteers in their first season, it is clear that he is not the only one who shares this belief. Additionally, Ouellet is very thankful for all the acknowledgement and support the program has received from the players, parents, and surrounding community:
“We’ve received dozens of very kind and heartwarming messages from our players as our season ended for the year. Players have told us they have developed friendships at a time when it was very difficult to do so, and families have told us that their children have emerged from their COVID-induced shells and [have] become new people, motivated and excited for the future”.
On June 17th of this year, the Cumberland Panthers Girls Tackle Football program was able to showcase their talent at the Ottawa Redblacks home opener versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The young women took over the field during half-time where they participated in scrimmages among their teams. Additionally, many of these athletes got to display their skills at the 2022 Women’s U18 Championship this summer as members of team Ontario. This first-time event, which ran from July 3 to 9, featured provincial teams from Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan. To learn more about the 2022 Women’s U18 Championship, click here.
Ouellet says that the smile on the players faces and the many new friendships on and off the field is more than enough motivation to keep progressing the program forward. Like the Women’s Championship hosted by Football Canada, the Panther’s Girls Tackle program has one crucial goal: to make tackle football accessible to women and girls everywhere. Leading by example, this program demonstrates the need to acknowledge gender inequalities in sports. Furthermore, it shows the progress we can make towards a more inclusive society with some support from our communities.
Interested in playing football or wanting to know more about the Cumberland Panthers Girls Tackle Football program? Visit their website here.