Calgary Rage

Calgary Rage
Team logo
Founded2009
Based inCalgary, Alberta
Home fieldHellard at Shouldice Athletic Park
Team presidentNadine Goldade
LeagueWWCFL
DivisionWestern
Colours     
League titles0
Conference titles2 (2017, 2023)
Websitewww.calgaryrage.ca

The Calgary Rage are a women's football team in the Western Women's Canadian Football League's (WWCFL) Western Conference. They are based in Calgary, Alberta.

Team history

The team was first founded as the Calgary Rockies in 2009, and played exhibition games against the Edmonton Storm and Manitoba Fearless. In 2010, the Rockies, Storm, and the newly founded Lethbridge Steel joined together to form the Alberta Female Football League (AFFL), which played for one season. In 2011, the Rockies changed their name to the Calgary Rage, and the AFFL was absorbed by the WWCFL, which included the Fearless and new teams in Winnipeg, Regina, and Saskatoon. The WWCFL began play in 2011 with seven teams in two conferences, with the three Alberta-based teams competing in the Western Conference.

The Rage got off to a slow start, winning just six games in their first five seasons and getting eliminated by their rivals from Edmonton in the playoffs each year they qualified. They had a breakthrough season in 2017, posting an undefeated record through the regular season, finishing atop the Western Conference for the first time and proceeding all the way to the WWCFL Championship final, where they faced the Regina Riot. They lost the final by a score of 53–0.[1] They were again eliminated from contention by the Riot in 2018 after the league adopted a cross-conference playoff format. The Rage posted a fourth consecutive winning season in 2019, but lost to the Steel in the first round of the playoffs.

The WWCFL cancelled its 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when play resumed in 2022, the Rage picked up where they left off and continued to post winning records. The team also changed its recruitment strategy, and consequently saw its roster grow from 25 players in 2022 to 43 in 2023.[2] After being eliminated in the Semi-Final in 2022 by the Fearless, the Rage posted their second undefeated season and made their second trip to the WWCFL Championship in 2023. They were again shut out in the title match, this time by the Saskatoon Valkyries.[3]

Year by year

= Indicates Division Title (regular season)
= Indicates Conference Title
= Indicates League Championship
Season League Conf W L Conf. standing Playoff result Ref.
2011 WWCFL Western 1 3 2nd Lost Western Conference Final, 13–9 vs. Edmonton Storm [4]
2012 WWCFL Western 1 3 2nd Lost Quarterfinal, 34–13 vs. Edmonton Storm [4]
2013 WWCFL Western 2 2 3rd Did not qualify [4]
2014 WWCFL Western 0 4 4th Lost Quarterfinal, 47–0 vs. Edmonton Storm [4]
2015 WWCFL Western 2 2 2nd Lost Quarterfinal, 48–31 vs. Edmonton Storm
2016 WWCFL Western 3 1 2nd Lost Quarterfinal, vs. Lethbridge Steel
2017 WWCFL Western 4 0 1st Lost WWCFL Final, 53–0 vs. Regina Riot [1]
2018 WWCFL Western 3 1 1st Lost Semifinal, 45–6 vs. Regina Riot [5]
2019 WWCFL Western 3 1 2nd Lost Quarterfinal, 27–21 vs. Lethbridge Steel [6]
2020 WWCFL Western Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [7]
2021 WWCFL Western Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 WWCFL Western 3 1 1st Lost Semifinal, 15–6 vs. Manitoba Fearless [8]
2023 WWCFL Western 3 0 1st Lost WWCFL Final, 40–0 vs. Saskatoon Valkyries [3]
2024 WWCFL Western 4 0 1st Lost Semifinal, 29–0 vs. Regina Riot [9]
Totals (2011–2024) 29 18

IFAF competitors

The following lists women from the Calgary Rage who have competed in the IFAF Women's World Championship as members of Team Canada.

2010[10] 2013[11] 2017[12] 2022[13]
  • Krista Michelle Wighton
  • Kora-Lea Hooker
  • Erin Walton
  • Annie Tremblay
  • Erin Walton
  • Lisa Gomes
  • Rebeckah Heninger
  • Alicia Wilson
  • Erin Walton (reserve)
  • Myranda Falardeau
  • Kendra Nash
  • Chantel Vogel
  • Emma Goldsney (reserve)
  • Lisa Gomes (reserve)
  • Patricia Jaworski (reserve)
  • Jolene Goulard (reserve)

Community involvement

Many Rage players volunteer as ushers at Calgary Stampeders home games. More players are getting involved with coaching around Calgary with different levels of programs ranging from pee-wee football to high school. On 1 September, 2013, several members of the Rage roster participated in the Calgary Pride Parade.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Regina Riot captures WWCFL championship". Regina Leader-Post. 2017-06-11. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  2. ^ Sharp, Jonathon (2023-05-05). "Calgary women's football team sees spike in new players, including girls who grew up tackling". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  3. ^ a b Dayal, Pratyush (2023-06-26). "Saskatoon Valkyries win 3rd straight Western Women's Canadian Football League title". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  4. ^ a b c d "Calgary Rage - Previous Seasons". Calgary Rage. Archived from the original on 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2023-07-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ "2018 WWCFL Results". WWCFL. Archived from the original on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2023-07-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "2019 WWCFL Results". WWCFL. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2023-07-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ Lazaruk, Les (2020-03-30). "WWCFL Cancels 10th Anniversary Season Due to COVID-19 Pandemic". CJWW. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  8. ^ Campbell, Glenn (2022-06-16). "Calgary Rage ready for a 'Fearless' semi-finals battle, their first post-pandemic". CTV News. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  9. ^ "Saskatoon Valkyries advance to WWCFL final, CEBL Rattlers fall to Vancouver". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. 2024-06-17. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-07-03 – via msn.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". www.footballcanada.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ "Team Canada - WWC2013 - WWC2013". Archived from the original on 2013-11-17. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  12. ^ "Football Canada Unveils 2017 Women's National Team Roster". Football Canada. 2017-01-14. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  13. ^ Geisler, Jamie (2022-05-20). "Team Canada National Women's Team Final Roster Set for Finland". Football Canada. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  14. ^ "Calgary Rage Women's Tackle Football". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-15.