The USask physiotherapy student reflects on six undefeated seasons, the Valkyries’ culture and the rapid growth of women’s football in Saskatchewan.

Drew Lundquist, a first‑year physiotherapy student, long-time Saskatoon Valkyries player and a member of the U of S Flag Football team, shares her journey in the sport during a time when women’s football in Saskatchewan is growing faster than ever.

Lundquist is coming off another championship win with the Valkyries, a women’s tackle football team that competes in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League (WWCFL), the largest full-contact women’s tackle football league in the country. This year’s title marks their 11th WWCFL championship and sixth consecutive title, further cementing their dynasty status.

However, Lundquist didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a Valkyrie. Like many of the team’s players, she found tackle football in an unconventional way.

Growing up, she played soccer in Saskatoon and attended school in Clavet. Football entered her life unexpectedly in Grade 11.

“[On the] first day of grade 11, they were like, ‘Our kicker graduated, and you play soccer. Do you want to come and kick field goals for us after school and just try it?’ And I kind of, as a joke, said yes… then I actually went, and I was like, wait, this is kind of fun.”

She was the only girl on the team but felt supported by her coaches and teammates. There was the occasional smack talk from opposing boys who noticed her ponytail, but it was all in all a positive experience. After high school, she looked for ways to continue playing and found the Valkyries.

“Valkyries had a winter camp that year, so I went and did that, and I was instantly hooked … I joined the practice roster in 2019 … and I’ve played ever since.”

When she joined, the team had a strong veteran core: Sarah Wright, Alex Eyolfson, Haley Girolami, Dani Girolami, Ricki Obed, Emmarae Dale — players who had been competing together for years.

“The veterans were phenomenal. Probably some of the best in the country. They played Team Canada the year after I joined.”

As a rookie, Lundquist focused on learning from them and getting better every day. Six years later, she’s gone from being nicknamed “Drew Baby” to becoming one of the veterans herself.

“My name’s literally Drew Baby on the team because I was the baby for so long… it’s cool that at 22 I feel old on the team now.”

Through all those years, one thing has stayed the same: the Valkyries haven’t lost a game.

“I’ve never lost a game of football. It’s crazy.”

Lundquist credits the Valkyries’ success to the team culture. 

“Our team is so close. Our coaches, they just care so much about us, and it’s not about the win … Everyone just loves and cares about this team so much, and then that trickles down into our team.”

Drew attributes their success largely to the strong connections between players. Everyone is genuinely friends, and in her eyes, there’s no distinction between rookies and veterans. 

“I can’t put my finger on it. People just care about football. They care about the team, and it’s just so fun.”

Women’s football also plays differently than men’s.

“We don’t rely on brute strength… we play smarter and are careful with our heads. Coaches always explain why we’re doing things.”

This year, the Valkyries went 6–0 and won another championship. Manitoba emerged as a new challenger, making games more competitive.

“I love when we have hard games… having Manitoba be good competition is more fun.”

Lundquist also represented Team Saskatchewan at Senior Women’s Tackle Football Nationals, beating teams from the East Coast and Quebec.

She credits Football Saskatchewan for supporting women’s football — from scholarships to sponsorships to fundraisers that keep team fees low. Still, she hopes the Valkyries will one day have their own clubhouse and gym like the Hilltops and Huskies do.

Being a student-athlete without Huskie‑level support is a challenge. The Valkyries accommodate school schedules, but the gap in resources is obvious. Lundquist saw it clearly while working as a student trainer for Huskie Football.

“The girls on Valkyries that have gone through school have this superpower of doing the exact same thing that Huskie football does, but just without any of the support systems other than what we have [from] Football Sask and Valkyries.”

Although women’s football doesn’t have the same history as the men’s in this province, it is expanding quickly. The new U19 tackle league, Saskatoon Shields, gives high school girls a place to play without joining boys’ teams and she hopes to see a full on high school girl’s tackle league in the future. 

“It’s cool that I get to be at the start of girls in football… I’m so passionate about that.”

She credits leaders like Sarah Wright, Alex Wojcichowsky and Michelle Duchene for pushing the sport forward.

Flag football has also been rapidly growing amongst women in the country. Just this year, Team Canada won the world championship in flag football, beating the U.S., whose athletes are full‑time and fully funded. This also secured them qualification for the sport’s Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Lundquist also plays for the U of S Flag Football Team, which is especially relevant since U Sports announced women’s flag football as a pilot sport beginning in the 2027-28 season. She hopes Canada West rallies to enter teams into the new league. 

Nonetheless, Lundquist encourages anyone even remotely interested to try out with the Valkyries.

“Even though it’s an elite team, we want everyone who’s never played before to come try it … Football is the best sport — there’s literally a spot for everyone on the field. If you’re not a runner, perfect, we have a spot for you. If you’re super fast but you’re really small, perfect.”

She’s seen firsthand how excited girls get when they try tackle football for the first time.

“We put on tackle football camps with Valkyries… they’re all so nervous, and then an hour in they’re like, ‘That’s the best thing ever.’”

For many girls, it’s their first chance to play football at all. 

“I think the best thing about Valkyries is that people get to try something that they’ve just never had the opportunity to, because every girl that I know coming onto the team who didn’t come from flag football, they were the only girl on their high school boys team, and didn’t get the fair shot at playing football.”

Joining the Valkyries at 17 meant stepping into a room full of women at different life stages — parents, full‑time professionals, long‑time athletes. That environment shaped her deeply.

“My life would be so different if I didn’t play Valkyries. So many volunteer opportunities and coaching opportunities that you can talk about … when you’re applying for other jobs or scholarships.”

“I think some of … those soft skills of being on a team with people who are in different life stages is so awesome because it just applies so much in every area of my life. It’s really levelled me out in [terms of] being able to problem solve and work in a team.”

Today, Lundquist is still playing, coaching, studying physiotherapy and serving on the Valkyries’ board. She’s also thinking about what it means to eventually step back.

“I’m very happy with how my football career has gone… I feel like if I end it now, I end it on a high, and I’m happy to pass that torch to the next people.”

“There’s a place for everyone within football. Just try it, even if it’s scary. And if you don’t like it, you don’t have to play. Valkyries is one of the best things that ever happened to me. There’s so much to learn from it, and so much fun to have. It’s worth giving it a go.”

Follow Saskatoon Valkyries on Instagram @valkyriesyxe or visit www.saskatoonvalkyries.com to keep up with the team and learn about any upcoming camp opportunities!