SASKATOON – It was inevitable. At some point the Saskatoon Valkyries were going to lose the big one. Last summer the Regina Riot put an end to Saskatoon’s four year reign as the Western Women’s Canadian Football League (WWCFL) champs.
It’s a loss for the Valkyries, that still stings even to this day.
“Oh yeah, big time,” says Valkyries receiver Stacey Boldt. “We’ve had competition from Regina the last few years and I think that loss is going to push us into the next gear.”
Now the Valkyries are practising more often, and harder than ever before. Losing isn’t something they want to get used to.
“All of us vets that had to go through that last year, we can feel it,” says Boldt. “It’s going to be a tough year, but it’s going to be fun.”
READ MORE: Darian Durant almost over Achilles injury
The Valkyries recruited roughly 25 new players over the off-season. Each and every one of them is committed to helping Saskatoon claim the WWCFL crown.
“I’m excited for theses girls to experience the game of football,” said head coach Jeff Yausie. “Part of the thing about football is we practice a lot and we play very little. The reward is on game day, and we’re getting close to our first exhibition game so that’s exciting.”
The Valkyries will host a pre-season matchup against the Edmonton Storm on Saturday, April 30 at 3:00 p.m. CT at SMF Field.