I’ve been looking into the history of Ontario university athletics for women... and it’s crazy how history repeats itself when we think of women’s football & compare to other sports like women’s hockey @OUAsport @USPORTSca @owifafootball
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In 1923, women created their own intercollegiate athletic association b/w Ontario-Quebec, which over time separated & became its own entity as the ON Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Union in ‘71 & eventually merged with the, now, @OUAsport in ‘97
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Zoom in to a sport like women’s hockey - There was a point where women’s teams were only recognized by a few of their universities (UofT & Queen’s being the first few) & competed against regional teams until they too were recognized. Most, but WesternU, were in the OUA by ‘97
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Now, ON women’s football - formerly powderpuff (let’s eliminate that term), has been around since ‘72 first seen at WLU’s winter carnival. By the 90s this grew to include 10+ different uni teams competing at WLUs charity women’s football tournament in Feb (snowy!)
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Flash forward to 2017 & similar to ‘72, @owifafootball emerged as an Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Football Association (created by women). Like hockey, women’s football teams were yet to be recognized by their universities until 5yrs ago, before @owifafootball was created
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There are now 10 teams in the league w/ 414 athletes & 79 coaches, to be exact. Of the 10 teams, 2 are unrecognized (WesternU behind again), 6 under their athletic department as sport clubs, & 2 as part of their student councils...ultimate goal is under athletics & varsity
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Let’s zoom in again, but to WesternU (biased student here). It took 3yrs for WesternU to support women’s hockey as a team, which joined the OUA for the 99’-20’ season, the success of women’s hockey at Western is now one of the best! We see the same w/ women’s football...
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WesternU Women’s Football Team has applied for sport club status 4x now. Still an unrecognized program, we’ve operated for 9 yrs & we’re one of the best in @owifafootball, undefeated 18-0 for 2019-2020 season. @SportsAtGazette has written a # of articles on this..like c’mooon
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My point? There’s a high demand for women who want to play football in uni...btw there’s ~123 high school women’s flag football teams in Ontario alone. Like history has shown us, women are pushing for their right to play. At this rate, might take 10 more yrs for football smh
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