Calgary Rage Explained

Calgary Rage
Founded:2009
League:WWCFL
Location:Calgary, Alberta
Field:Hellard at Shouldice Athletic Park
Division:Western
President:Nadine Goldade
League Champs:0
Conf Champs:2 (2017, 2023)
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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 LeagueConfWL Conf. standing Playoff resultRef.
2011WWCFLWestern132ndLost Western Conference Final, 13–9 vs. Edmonton Storm[4]
2012WWCFLWestern132ndLost Quarterfinal, 34–13 vs. Edmonton Storm
2013WWCFLWestern223rdDid not qualify
2014WWCFLWestern044thLost Quarterfinal, 47–0 vs. Edmonton Storm
2015WWCFLWestern222ndLost Quarterfinal, 48–31 vs. Edmonton Storm
2016WWCFLWestern312ndLost Quarterfinal, vs. Lethbridge Steel
2017WWCFLWestern401stLost WWCFL Final, 53–0 vs. Regina Riot
2018WWCFLWestern311stLost Semifinal, 45–6 vs. Regina Riot[5]
2019WWCFLWestern312ndLost Quarterfinal, 27–21 vs. Lethbridge Steel[6]
2020WWCFLWesternSeason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[7]
2021WWCFLWesternSeason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022WWCFLWestern311stLost Semifinal, 15–6 vs. Manitoba Fearless[8]
2023WWCFLWestern301stLost WWCFL Final, 40–0 vs. Saskatoon Valkyries
2024WWCFLWestern401stLost Semifinal, 29–0 vs. Regina Riot[9]
Totals (2011–2024)2918

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

Notes and References

  1. News: 2017-06-11 . Regina Riot captures WWCFL championship . Regina Leader-Post . 2023-07-15.
  2. News: Sharp . Jonathon . 2023-05-05 . Calgary women's football team sees spike in new players, including girls who grew up tackling . CBC News . 2023-07-17.
  3. News: Dayal . Pratyush . 2023-06-26 . Saskatoon Valkyries win 3rd straight Western Women's Canadian Football League title . CBC News . 2023-07-15.
  4. Web site: Calgary Rage - Previous Seasons . 2023-07-15 . Calgary Rage . 2016-03-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160323132735/http://calgaryrage.com/schedule/previous-seasons/ . bot: unknown .
  5. Web site: 2018 WWCFL Results . 2023-07-15 . WWCFL . 2018-10-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181010163337/http://www.wwcfl.ca/results.html . bot: unknown .
  6. Web site: 2019 WWCFL Results . 2023-07-15 . WWCFL . 2021-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210518172021/http://www.wwcfl.ca/results.html . bot: unknown .
  7. News: Lazaruk . Les . 2020-03-30 . WWCFL Cancels 10th Anniversary Season Due to COVID-19 Pandemic . CJWW . 2023-07-15.
  8. News: Campbell . Glenn . 2022-06-16 . Calgary Rage ready for a 'Fearless' semi-finals battle, their first post-pandemic . CTV News . 2023-07-15.
  9. News: 2024-06-17 . Saskatoon Valkyries advance to WWCFL final, CEBL Rattlers fall to Vancouver . https://web.archive.org/web/20240618203251/https://thestarphoenix.com/sports/local-sports/saskatoon-valkyries-advance-to-wwcfl-final-cebl-rattlers-fall-to-vancouver . 2024-06-18 . 2024-07-03 . . msn.
  10. Web site: Archived copy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220401073415/http://www.footballcanada.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=6oFU%2BJjRYNI%3D&tabid=139&language=en-CA . 1 April 2022 . 6 June 2022 . www.footballcanada.com.
  11. Web site: Team Canada - WWC2013 - WWC2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131117111706/http://www.wwc2013.com/the-teams/team-canada/ . 2013-11-17 . 2013-11-15.
  12. News: 2017-01-14 . Football Canada Unveils 2017 Women's National Team Roster . Football Canada . 2023-07-15.
  13. News: Geisler . Jamie . 2022-05-20 . Team Canada National Women's Team Final Roster Set for Finland . Football Canada . 2023-07-15.
  14. Web site: Calgary Rage Women's Tackle Football . 2013-11-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131202234808/http://www.calgaryrage.com/archive/rage-has-pride/ . 2013-12-02 . dead .