Emmarae Dale, a 22 year old Saskatoon native is breaking the gender barrier within the sport of football. Dale grew up in a competitive household with her four older brothers in a football loving atmosphere. Her brothers helped establish her love for the game, as she was raised by watching them train and compete. It wasn’t until high school when she first handedly dressed to compete within the sport of football. Dale made history when she laced up as the first ever female to play in the Canadian Junior Football League, where she is rostered as a lineman for the Saskatoon Hilltop.
Women’s participation and reception in football is rather scarce. Dale is only 5’7” and her overall physical strength is leaving many people in question. Her mindset is to prove such individuals wrong and act a role model for young girls in football and any historically male dominated sports. This supports the ideology of feminist theory and moving towards a society where women aren’t viewed negatively due to a “strong build” or “masculine figure”. In our modern world, male dominant sports played by women introduce immense stereotypes leaving many women questioning their place in sport. As she is quoted saying, “This is just going to pave the way for other, girls, and hopefully It will inspire girls everywhere that sports don’t have to be just for boys”.
Being the first ever female in the CJFL she has one year of eligibility to prove that women can compete with some of the most highly scouted men in sport. Some notable alumni of the CJFL have moved on to play in the NFL, CFL, NCAA and USport, only further proving Dale’s talent.
Jamie_29
Sport, Not Games ⚽ 