Holynski plays with passion and intensity for Valkyries family

Rookie season in 2019 had big impact on defensive standout

Danaye Holynski (#55) has been a stellar DE for the Valkyries.

Danaye Holynski always tries to live out the belief that one of her early coaches with the Saskatoon Valkyries had in her.

Holynski joined the Valkyries defensive line as a rookie in 2019 after starting on the defensive line with the Tommy Douglas Collegiate Tigers Football Team and toiling on the Valkyries practice roster in 2018. While playing as a starter on a high school boys tackle football team would help Holyski in transitioning to the powerhouse Valkyries of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, she remembered one position coach wouldn’t let her ride on past accomplishments.

Holynski recalled that as she got going in the 2019 campaign she was really challenged by defensive position coach Justin Filteau. There were times Holynski felt she was doing good but wasn’t doing good enough.

On June 1, 2019, Filteau passed away in a plane crash one day before the Valkyries played their final regular season contest of that campaign against the Riot in Regina. Filteau had been at a social function in Medicine Hat, Alta., and was flying to Moose Jaw, Sask., and planned to meet up with the Valkyries for that final regular season game. The Valkyries would gut out a 22-7 victory over the Riot after finding out the news about Filteau.

Five days later after a team practice, Holynski was named the team’s “Treat of the Week” award winner for her efforts in a 37-0 victory over the Manitoba Fearless in Winnipeg on May 26, 2019. Word came from the Valkyries coaches that Filteau was pushing hard for Holynski to be named the winner of the weekly team award. That would happen to be the last game he coached with the Valkyries.

It hit Holynski at the time how important it was to have had Filteau as her position coach and that feeling has only grown over time.

“It was awesome,” said Holynski, whose Valkyries (2-0) host the Winnipeg Wolfpack (0-2) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. “He was on me, and it was stressful at times.

Danaye Holynski (#55) is a playmaker of the Valkyries defence.

“Now that I look back, it was because he saw a player I didn’t see yet. Now that I look back, it was awesome. He pushed me past what I thought I was able to do, because he believed in me.

“That I will forever keep close to my heart that he pushed me that hard.”

As a rookie, Holynski made explosive and hard hitting plays to help the Valkyries post a perfect 9-0 record in winning their sixth WWCFL championship in that season. These days Holynski has become a dominate player on the Valkyries defensive line often lining up at one of the end positions.

Her style of play is near identical to that Bobby Jurasin, who starred at defensive end for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1986 to 1997. Holynski helped the Valkyries win their seventh WWCFL championship in 2022, and she played for Canada that year in the International Federation of American Football’s Women’s World Championship that ran in late July and early August of that year in Vantaa, Finland.

After Filteau’s passing, Holynski said you saw in a big way the Valkyries being family. The team dedicated the 2019 campaign to Filteau.

Holynski said the team’s leadership played a huge role in helping everyone come together and cope with Filteau’s passing. On defence, some of the key leaders from that season included Jaime Lammerding, Beth Lalonde, Emmarae Dale and Ehjae Chan.

That rookie season left at lasting impact on Holynski.

Danaye Holynski (#55) makes a tackle in the 2023 WWCFL final.

“It was an amazing first year,” said Holynski, who stands 5-foot-6. “Unfortunately, we lost Filteau that year, but I think that brought our team together on a whole different level.”

These days the 22-year-old Holynski is one of the Valkyries veterans. She looks to help the team’s newcomers on the field and ensure they feel accepted on the team.

“I feel like I definitely try to,” said Holynski. “I try to be a role model as much as I possibly can.

“I try to help them out if needed.”

Overall, Holynski said the team still has the same family feeling and vibe as it did when she was a rookie. She often still sees herself like she did in her rookie year.

“Honestly, it feels the same,” said Holynski. “It doesn’t feel much different.

“I think everyone we all look at each other at the same level. Obviously, we look up to each other, but we don’t really look down on each other. It kind of feels the same nothing too different.”

Valkyries head coach Pat Barry said you could see early on the Holynski was going to be a gifted player, when she first started practicing with the team.

“I’ve known Danaye for a long time,” said Barry. “She played tackle football in high school at Tommy Douglas with the boys.

Danaye Holynski (#55) teams up on a stop in the 2023 WWCFL final.

“She was a starter on that team. She was an exceptional wrestler. I coached her in junior Huskies for a number of years.

“Just seeing her when she started being a practice roster player for us you could see she was going to be pretty special.”

Barry said experience and being focused on off-season training has helped make Holynski a better player over the years. The sideline boss said his defensive line star causes a lot of matchup problems for opposing teams. Along with what Holynski can do physically on the field, Barry said a leadership role is coming naturally to her as well.

“Even though she is young, she is a leader on our team already, so that is exciting,” said Barry. “She is such a positive person too.

“She has so much fun out here that it is just great to have her in that leadership role.”

Before taking the field for the Tigers, Holynski got her start in the tackle game playing in Saskatoon Minor Football’s six-a-side program, so she has been playing the sport for over a decade. She loves everything about the game and would like to play for Canada at the next women’s worlds, which are set to be held in 2026 with the location and dates still to be announced.

Holynski knows she is hitting that adult age where things can change year to year, but she is planning to keep going in the sport for the foreseeable future.

“I’m planning to play next worlds or at least tryout,” said Holynski. “My body has taken a beating with 12 years of playing.

Danaye Holynski (#55) holds up the WWCFL championship trophy.

“I’m going to try and push it out until the next Team Canada for sure.”

NOTES – Sunday’s game against the Wolfpack will be the Valkyries’ Teal game. The Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope Committee, Saskatoon, will be on hand to bring more awareness about this deadly disease. The team will be raising funds to fight Ovarian cancer.  

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