Lady Outlawz gearing up for inaugural campaign

Football: Western Women's CFL play begins in May

By: By Remy Greer, Okotoks Western Wheel
Posted: Wednesday, Apr 10, 2013

If you build it, they will come.

In need of a training facility to meet the needs of its players in advance of a rapidly approaching inaugural season, the Okotoks Lady Outlawz constructed their own gym on the acreage of right tackle Tammy Holunga and offensive line coordinator Greg Holunga.

“At our training sessions in the library we were always looking for a place to workout and were approaching gyms in town and it wasn’t really working out,” Tammy said. “Greg and I have no animals so we thought why not turn our barn into a gym.”

Thanks to the generous support of several sponsors, the gym equipped with weight training and cardiovascular machines was quickly constructed and made available to the team at a grand opening on April 6.

The facility will be open at any hour of any day of the week. It should greatly help prepare the Outlawz for their first season of play in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League (WWCFL), starting in May.

WWCFL SEASON OPENER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On May 4, a flurry of action will be taking place across Western Canada as the Women’s Western Canadian Football League kicks off it’s third season!

This is an exciting year with the induction of two new teams to the Western Conference, the Okotoks Lady Outlawz out of Okotoks, Alberta and the Northern Anarchy, based out of Grand Prairie, Alberta.

The Northern Anarchy will host their first game on Saturday, May 4 against the Edmonton Storm.

Okotoks will host their first home game on Saturday, May 4 against the visiting Lethbridge Steel, with kick off at 2:00pm.

The Calgary Rage will have their first bye week on May 4^th and will kick their season off on Saturday, May 11, when they host the Northern Anarchy.

The Prairie Conference will officially open their season on Sunday, May 5.  The Nomads Wolf Pack will travel to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to meet with the 2012 WWCFL Champions, the Saskatoon Valkyries, with a kick off time of 1:30pm.

The Manitoba Fearless will travel to meet the Regina Riot on their home field in Regina, Saskatchewan with a kick off time of 11:00am. 

For more details on the WWCFL schedule, game locations, up to date statistics or information on how to support your local team, please visit the WWCFL website.

For more information, please contact Kait Dinunzio at Kait.Dinunzio@gmail.com.

Claire Dore Is a Complete Athlete and Leader with the Regina Riot

BY 

MARK STAFFIERI

 (FEATURED COLUMNIST bleacher report) ON APRIL 25, 2013

Image obtained from Riot website

As one of several two-sport stars in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, Claire Dore is a complete athlete that gives her team the opportunity to compete. Her experience as an educator brings great maturity to a Regina Riot squad eager to claim its first title in league history.

In addition to her vocation, she also donates her team to coaching students in various sports such as basketball, handball and soccer. Of note, Dore has an extensive background with basketball and handball, respectively.

As a student-athlete, Dore was a second-team conference All-Star in basketball with the Saskatchewan Huskies in 1997-98. The following season, (1998-99), she was a Saskatchewan Huskies Second Team Academic selection. Her career with the Huskies would culminate with the Valerie Girsberger Trophy (awarded to a female student athlete combining leadership, sportsmanship, academics and athletic skill) in 2000.  

Aimee Kowalski Emerging as Elite Field General for Regina Riot

BY 

MARK STAFFIERI

 (FEATURED COLUMNIST Bleacher Report) ON APRIL 24, 2013

As the Western Women’s Canadian Football League continues to grow, one position that continues to gain attention is quarterback.

Among the league’s pivots, one of the finest is Aimee Kowalski of the Regina Riot. In addition to being one of the more popular players in the league, Kowalski is also a member of the cause Athletes Against Bullying.

A multitalented athlete, Kowalski brings a superb athletic background with her to the gridiron. Having participated in soccer at Iowa Wesleyan College and softball at Galveston College (where she was named First Team Academic All-American), the need for competing did not extinguish after her collegiate career. The opportunity to pursue football gave Kowalski the ability to continue excelling in a team sport.

“I've always wanted to play football since I was a little girl," she said. "I was always involved in elite programs in other sports and was a collegiate-level athlete. When you grow up being part of a team and then suddenly it comes to an abrupt stop (due to graduation), you feel as if you're missing a large part of yourself. This was a huge reason why I pursued football: I wanted to be part of a team again.”

Okotoks Lady Outlawz Strongly Influenced by Spirit of Motherhood

BY 

MARK STAFFIERI

 (FEATURED COLUMNIST Bleacher Report) ON APRIL 23, 2013

Image obtained from Lady Outlawz website

As one of the newer franchises in the budding Western Women’s Canadian Football League, theOkotoks Lady Outlawz possesses a unique quality; a large number of their competitors are also mothers. Perhaps more unique is the fact that several of the mothers share a very common ground.

Among the competitors for the Lady Outlawz, mothers Sandy Dielissen, Tammy Holunga, Sherrie Toews and Jodie Ward compose a special quartet. These four fearless females of the gridiron have a connection off the field, in which their sons play youth football together. Competing with the Eagles Football Team, their sons are part of the Greater Okotoks Football Association.

Rage Linebacker Kait DiNunzio a Portrait of Perseverance and Inspiration

BY 

MARK STAFFIERI

 (FEATURED COLUMNIST Bleacher Report) ON APRIL 26, 2013

Image From Jack Merritt Photography

Among the women competing in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, Kait DiNunzio of the Calgary Rage signifies perseverance.

Despite various setbacks, DiNunzio’s story is one of inspiration. Combining brains, beauty, brawn and the power of positive thinking, she has transformed mind, body and spirit into a remarkable pillar of strength.

Her education, charitable work and athletic drive extol the qualities of a remarkable person. In many ways, various aspects of her life resemble that of a football game. Sometimes, one gets knocked down, while other times, something will go one’s way and result in a break. The end result is to get back up and keep trying. The journey to try and get to the end zone is where the lessons are learned. 

Alexa Matwyczuk a Future Superstar in the Making for the WWCFL

BY 

MARK STAFFIERI

 (FEATURED COLUMNIST Bleacher Report) ON APRIL 28, 2013

Among an impressive number of two-sport stars in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, Alexa Matwyczuk represents a bright future for theNorth Winnipeg Nomads Wolf Pack. In addition to her superlative play on the gridiron, she is also a track and field competitor.

Her love of football was a family affair. With her older brother having excelled as an athlete, she was influenced by him. The result was that Matwyczuk would carve her own niche as an athlete, which also included competing against boys.

I grew up with the sport, my older brother played and my dad coached his club team; I was always exposed to the atmosphere. When I was much younger I idolized my brother and wanted to do everything that he did. I actually began playing football when I was seven years old up. For most of my life I had always been playing against the boys, once I played out my last year of high school football, I made my shift into women's football.

Regina Riot Players Proud to Be Named to Canadian National Team

BY 

MARK STAFFIERI

 (FEATURED COLUMNIST Bleacher Report) ON APRIL 29, 2013

As the Regina Riot hope to capture their first championship in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, six members of their squad have another prize to chase at season’s end. With the 2013 IFAF Women’s World Championships being held after theWWCFL season, a gold medal is the objective. 

The Regina Riot are proud to have six of their competitors named to the Canadian National Team. Headlining the offense is quarterback Aimee Kowalski, running back Mallory Starkey and wide receiver Claire Dore. Selections anchoring the defense include linebacker Ciara Bray, defensive lineman Becky Wallis and defensive back Adrienne Zuck.