Dale makes history as Hilltops first female player

LB starred with WWCFL’s Valkyries before going to CJFL

Emmarae Dale practises with the Hilltops on Tuesday.

    Emmarae Dale will always hold a special place in the history of the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops.
    On Tuesday, the Hilltops, who have won 22 CJFL titles and the last six CJFL championships in a row, officially added Dale to their roster making her the first female player to play on the storied team. It is believed Dale will be the first female player to suit up in the CJFL.

    The 22-year-old linebacker comes to the Hilltops after starring for four seasons with the Saskatoon Valkyries from 2016 to 2019 helping them win Western Women’s Canadian Football League titles in 2016 and 2019.

    The Hilltops posted the announcement on all their social media accounts Tuesday morning, and the news of Dale joining the squad has gone viral. The current modern version of the Hilltops first took the field in 1947.

    Before the Hilltops hit the field for practice on Tuesday night at Ron Atchison Field, Dale said she enjoyed the excitement of the day.

Emmarae Dale runs back the ball after an interception drill on Tuesday.

    “It kind of feels like the first day I was playing all over again like just jitters and excitement,” said Dale. “It has been an emotional roller-coaster pretty much like since the moment that they posted it.

    “It has been really exciting, and it has been awesome to see all the positive feedback and the support that people have, especially in terms of just growing football as a sport.”

    The wheels on bringing Dale on board with the Hilltops started to roll early this year. One day when the Hilltops were holding an indoor practice at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, Dale crossed paths with Hilltops defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Yausie.

    Yausie was Dale’s head coach with the Valkyries in 2016 and her defensive coordinator in 2017. He presented Dale with the idea about joining the Hilltops.

Emmarae Dale (#45) made lots of big plays for the Valkyries.

    “I figured I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by, so here we are,” said Dale, who stands 5-foot-6.

    When Yausie approached Dale about joining the Hilltops, she was completing her fourth season as a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s track and field team specializing in throwing events.

    She helped the Huskies win a third straight Canada West team championship this past season. After the U Sports track and field campaign wrapped up, Dale was expecting to join the Hilltops for workouts around the middle of March, but the coronoavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took hold.

    By March 13, most of the shutdowns in the sports world in North America had taken place, and Dale was wondering if her chance to join the Hilltops was going to fade away.

Emmarae Dale (#45) makes a take down for the Valkyries in 2019.

    “I was supposed to go to my first practice with them right after COVID hit,” said Dale. “COVID hit on Friday (March 13) and everything was shut down.

    “I wasn’t able to go to practice, so I thought maybe this just isn’t going to happen anymore. Then things kind of still kept rolling kind of throughout isolation. We got my eligibility all approved and extended.

    “Yeah, it worked out.”

    The Valkyries WWCFL season that usually runs in May and June was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 6, the 2020 CJFL season was officially cancelled due to the pandemic as well.

    On Sept. 8, the CJFL announced players that were slated to turn 22-years-old and 21-years-old for the 2020 campaign would be granted an extra year of eligibility. Those players that would have been 22-years-old this season can play in 2021, and players that would have been 21-years-old this season can play through to 2022.

Emmarae Dale (#45) liked to make big hits for the Valkyries.

    All of Dale’s paper work that needed to be completed to allow her to join the Hilltops was processed before August 6, which made her eligible for the 2021 campaign.

    Last week, the Hilltops began practicing three times a week for a period of six weeks, and Dale took part in those workouts. That led up to the Hilltops officially announcing she would be a member of the team on Tuesday.

    She is also following in the footsteps of her older brother in Anthony and Donovan, who played for the Hilltops in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

    Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said it was a “no-brainer” to add Emmarae Dale to the Hilltops, when Yausie approached him with the idea.

Emmarae Dale (#45) can provides strong pass coverage on defence.

    “Number one, she is a Dale, and that has been a great name in the Hilltops legacy and tradition of what we do,” said Sargeant, who is the all-time career wins leader for post-secondary football in Canada. “Number two, we just loved the energy and how she competes and gets after things.

    “We’re just excited to coach her and try to help enhance some of her skill set. Ultimately, it is going to be up to her to get out there and make the plays and help the Hilltops win. As I said, we’re excited to have her.

    “She has a great attitude and a great work ethic. It is the kind of people we look for.”

    Sargeant said Dale’s athletic ability stands out, and you could tell she had put in a lot of good time at Ignite Athletics, where most of the Hilltops train and where Dale also works the front desk.

    “She puts in the time and energy to make herself in top condition, strong and physical,” said Sargeant. “She is very explosive, plays low and really rallies and gets to the ball.

Emmarae Dale (#45) allows Ehjae Chan (#24) to create a turnover.

    “We’re just real excited to be around her, and you can see all that hard work she has been doing. It has been paying off. She moves and grooves real easy out on that field.”

    Dale’s transition to the Hilltops was made easier by the fact she already knew a number of the veteran players having trained with them at Ignite for a number of years. She said there were some new faces she still had to get used to, but she still hit the ground running with the team.

    “It was more comfortable coming in just because I know a lot of the guys from working out with them and doing on field sessions with them,” said Dale. “I didn’t know everybody, so I kind of felt like I was on an island at first just because I am not going to have the same camaraderie that they have.

    “They’ve already have been super welcoming, and it made me feel just one of the team. It has been good.”

    Sargeant was pleased that the CJFL has been supportive of the Hilltops adding Dale to their roster. 

Emmarae Dale (#45) sizes up a play at the line of scrimmage.

    The energetic sideline boss said Dale is on the team because she can make plays.
    “We have a long time to prep and get this all ready and get her ready, so when the season starts, she is out there making an impact for the Hilltops so we can get out there and start winning games again,” said Sargeant. “That is what we love to do, and we want her to be a part of that.”

    Dale said she can’t wait to hit the field for game action with the Hilltops for the first time. She plans to use the extended preparation period to reach new heights in her play.

Emmarae Dale (#45) enjoys a WWCFL championship win in 2019.

    “I’m just excited to get bigger, faster and stronger and just getting better as an athlete, bulking up as much as I can of course just to match up with these guys out here,” said Dale. “I’m excited just to stay healthy and just keep getting better at football and just living and breathing football for the next year and gearing up for 2021 and hopefully bringing home a ‘ship’ (championship).”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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