Otters bringing girls’ tackle football to city
New U18 team will join the Ontario Fall Football League in September
Tackle football for girls is coming to Peterborough.
The Kawartha Otters will field a team in the Ontario Fall Football League’s new U18 six-a-side girls division. They will play a six-week season followed by playoffs starting in September.
“This is a movement Football Canada has been trying to get off the ground since 2016,” said Otters founder Sidney Parkes.
“Before COVID hit, there was going to be the Central Canadian Women’s League starting up for 18 and over, a semi-pro women’s tackle league. Now, it will be starting up this summer.”
At the last OFFL annual general meeting, Parkes was the first to volunteer to put a team together.
“As for the why? Inclusivity. We want everyone to be a part of football. It’s an amazing team sport that is very affordable,” said Parkes. “For Peterborough, specifically, football has been around for 120 years and this is a big milestone for Peterborough and the Kawarthas. We’re very much expecting a full house for the first home game.”
Parkes said so far five teams are confirmed, including York Region, London, Sarnia and Essex with more expected to join. They’ll play home games on Saturday nights at Holy Cross Secondary School.
Six-a-side football is a three-down game utilizing the full length of a football field, but only two-thirds of the width.
Parkes partnered with the Holy Cross girls rugby program last year to field a team in a flag football tournament last fall. They were playing against women and didn’t win a game, but Parkes said the enthusiasm convinced him the demand was there for tackle.
He expects some of those girls to return, but registration is open to all girls born in 2005, ’06 and ’07.
“Football accepts players of all shapes and sizes. That’s the beauty of the sport,” he said. “We’re open to anyone coming from any sporting background.”
Emily Dickinson has been tabbed as the inaugural head coach for the program and she’ll be supported by Otters coaches Parkes, Joe Joncas and Tevin Springer. Dickinson has a background in athletics and leadership as a personal trainer and Fire Fit competitor and she is working through her football coaching certification. She is a firefighter with the Selwyn Township department and is a nursing student at Fleming College.
“My whole career has been around breaking the barriers that are perceived to be male-dominated arenas,” said Dickinson. “I do have a long way to go on what I want to learn to be the best coach I can be in football, but that’s where the Otters come in — Sid, Tevin and Joe. They’ve assembled a coaching staff that will be second to none and have every resource available for this team.”
Dickinson has been a longtime football fan and she knows there are many women like her, but to this point there have been few opportunities for them to be in the game.
“For Ontario to historically announce the formation of a women’s tackle football league, it gives all the women who love football the opportunity to not just be a part of it on the sidelines cheering on their boyfriend, but to actually be in it. We’re breaking those barriers down.
“My role is to be the leader that these young women can relate to. Someone to motivate them and ensure that we have a successful season on and off the field.”
The roster will be capped at 22 players with tryouts to begin in July.
The cost is $600, which includes a jersey, equipment, games, practices, travel and insurance. All practices are at night and will not conflict with girls playing high school sports.
Registration is now open at kawarthafootball.com.
Players who register before May 1 will get their name on the back of their jersey. The team is also seeking sponsors.