For Immediate Release
November 23, 2022
Football Ontario Announces Ontario Women’s Football League
Women’s Only Tackle Football League Sanctioned for Spring 2023
Hamilton, Ontario – Football Ontario has announced the Ontario Women’s Football League (OWFL). The first- ever women’s tackle football league will run this coming spring, 2023.
Football Ontario members are invited to register teams in the OWFL for the inaugural spring/ summer season. The purpose of the OWFL is “to develop a league where girls and young women, often marginalised in the sport of football, can find like-minded teammates and participate in the sport without being limited to the periphery due to barriers, both real and perceived.”
For 2023, the OWFL will field teams in two tackle football age divisions: U19 (players born 2005/06/07) and U16 (players born 2008/09/10). Currently, 12 centres across the province have expressed interest in joining the league: Burlington, Brantford, Cambridge, Cumberland, Guelph, Huronia, London Wolfpaac, Niagara Generals, Niagara Spears, Oakville, Peel, Waterloo. Centres can open registrations on December 1, in order to determine adequate player and coach interest in time ahead of the season.
The OWFL is currently planning on a 6v6 format. Minimum roster size will be 12 players, while maximum roster will be 24 players. A minimum of 4 coaches are required for each team, and at least 2 coaches should be female.
Currently, the first proposed event will be a jamboree on May 13th, for all teams to participate in mini-games. This will serve as a pre-season event, with the regular 6- game season beginning on May 20th. The tentative semi-final will be July 8th and the championship game on July 15th.
The OWFL will also serve as a step in Football Ontario’s pathway to Team Ontario U18 Women’s Tackle Team. Women playing in the OWFL at the U18 age level (2006, 2007, 2008) will have the opportunity to try out for Team Ontario and compete at the National Championship.
“The OWFL will open so many more avenues for young women in football. This is truly an exciting time for young women and the development of football in our province and I am honoured to be a part of it.” Marny Sharpen, Co-Chair OWFL and Chair Ontario Summer Football League.
“The launch of the OWFL reflects an important step in completing the football development pathway for girls and young women in Ontario. As Team Ontario’s Head Coach and father of a 14 year old girls’ tackle player, I’m excited to be part of the development and delivery of this new avenue for our athletes.” – Mark Ouellet, Co-Chair OWFL and Team Ontario’s U18 Women’s Tackle Head Coach.
The OWFL is accepting applications for 5 open Board seats: Treasurer, Secretary, Registrar, Director-At-Large, Corporate/ Government Relations. Interested applicants should contact Mark Ouellet (ouellet.mark@gmail.com) or Marny Sharpen (msharpen@msn.com) for more information. Follow @owfl_official on Instagram for updates.
If you are interested in playing, coaching, officiating or volunteering with the OWFL, please fill out this form, so you can be directed to a club in your region: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGBhi-MFN3cD1uoAcRAhMNJnsZKBJa6BFTdlJXAfxV5zk1vA/viewform
Registration details to shortly follow.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Aaron Geisler
ABOUT FOOTBALL ONTARIO: Football Ontario is the sanctioned provincial governing body for football in Ontario, through its focus on transparency, growth, alignment and excellence, is engaged in providing football opportunities for all of Ontario. Football Ontario is driven by a commitment to deliver football programming, opportunities and resources for its members and the provincial football stakeholders. Please visit: footballontario.net
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