The Central Alberta Fire were blown away by the attendance numbers at the first-ever Fall Football Camp on Sunday at Setters Place.
Head coach Dallas Haldorson said 45 girls, both new and current players, showed up to the camp to hone their skills and for some, it was their first time playing the sport.
"We had hoped initially to get 25-30 players out and it turned out we had 45 show up so it definitely exceeded our expectations," he said. "Of that 45, 25 girls were new to the Fire. A few of them did have some football experience in local peewee and bantam teams... It was great to see so many come out."
While at the camp, the all-female football program put the players through different types of drills and games in hopes of recruiting them to play for the Fire once the season starts in the spring.
Haldorson explained they had players who expressed a willingness to play in the spring when they begin training camp. At the Fall camp, they had players from Ponoka, Rocky Mountain House, Olds, and Stettler.
"Our main focus was to introduce the sport to the community and recruit for the upcoming 2025 season, which will start here at the end of February," he added.
"We were really impressed with some of the athleticism that we saw, especially from the girls who do have football experience."
In the team's inaugural season in 2023, they fielded one team to compete against other all-female teams in Alberta but with an increased interest from girls across Central Alberta, they created an U19 and a U16 team to accommodate more players.
Haldorson said at the Fall Camp the majority of the new girls will eventually play on the U16 squad. The demand to play all-female football in Central Alberta he said continues to grow.
"I think before the camp we had a roster of 12-14 players and with the players who expressed interest at camp, we could have upwards of 20-25 players if everybody signs up," Haldorson said.
"As far as the U19 goes it'll probably be 20-22 which is a considerable difference from where we ended the season last year... It's great news. If you get a fuller roster you're able to withstand injuries and give the girls a rest too.
"Overall, it makes the team stronger with those kinds of numbers."
