Sask. female football players train at New Orleans Saints facility
The New Orleans Saints are the first NFL team to host the Women's World Football Games
Five Saskatchewan women are tackling training this week at the New Orleans Saints training facility.
The third annual Women's World Football Games began on March 1, and this year the New Orleans Saints became the first NFL team to host the football camp.
More than 200 female tackle football players from around the world are taking part in the event. There are only eight Canadian players and five of them are from Saskatchewan.
All five, Eden Rakochy, Carly Dyck, Phelycia Black, Ehjae Chan, Kelsey Murphy, play in the Western Womens' CFL for the Saskatoon Valkyries.
Phelycia Black travelled down to Florida for last year's Women's World Football Games and has returned again this year.
"It just gets bigger and bigger every year, and the friends that you make, the networking that you make, and the feeling of playing football on turf is amazing," said Black.
The Saskatoon Valkyries defensive back says the football games are a breakthrough in women's football.
"It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, there's 17 different countries from around the world of female football players in a sport that was always told women could never play," said Black.
"So the significance is huge to some, especially when we're told you can't do that as good as the boys."
The Women's World Football Games is a six day long training camp. The women practice two times a day to improve their skills and work with professional coaches.
The players also received visits from Saints football players and Jennifer Welter, the first NFL female coach.
After training is complete, the players are spilt into teams and compete in a tournament Saturday.
"It's just amazing to play against females that are so inspiring to watch on TV when the world football games are happening in female sport. You get to meet them here and you're going one-on-one with them. It's phenomenal," said Black.
Black says she will continue to play football for as long as she can and hopes that by playing or coaching she can inspire young women.
"I want to be able to build that dream up for every women in the world."