Football Ontario Announces OWIFA as Associate Member

For Immediate Release 

September 28, 2021

Football Ontario Announces OWIFA as Associate Member

Football Ontario Welcomes Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Football Association as Newest Associate Member

 

Hamilton, Ontario - Football Ontario and the Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Football Association (OWIFA) have entered a Memorandum of Understanding in order to establish a partnership between the two organizations. Together, Football Ontario and OWIFA will work together in order to promote collaboration and alignment of football delivery systems across the province.

 

The main mission of this partnership is to grow, promote, and provide equitable opportunities in football for girls and women-identifying athletes across the province. Through this Football Ontario hopes to provide a more diverse and inclusive sporting experience that encourages leadership development and positive physical and mental health through the sport of football.

 

Football Ontario and OWIFA plan to work together with a focus on the organization’s commitment to building grassroot  programming for women’s football as well as continued support and increasing opportunities for women with both Team Ontario and Team Canada.

 

As an associate member OWIFA will be offered a national coaches certification for coaches of participating OWIFA teams, as well as an NCCP training weekend for women coaches. Trained referees, event staff, and assistance with field booking will also be provided to OWIFA by Football Ontario. Football Ontario will place a large focus on training both OWIFA coaches and more female coaches in order to create a more diverse football experience within the province

 

“We could not be more excited to have OWIFA and their team as members of Football Ontario. The growth of girls and womens football in the province is crucial and who better to help with that growth than the leading organization in the province. This partnership will help provide more inclusive opportunities and provide greater exposure to girls and womens football in Ontario.” says Football Ontario Executive Director Aaron Geisler.

 

In collaboration, Football Ontario and OWIFA will also be hosting an OWIFA provincial championship for 5-a-side flag football. Football Ontario will provide assistance with this event by helping with volunteer, officials, therapy team and field acquisition, game day management, as well as assisting with finding sponsors and event streaming.

"OWIFA is incredibly excited for the opportunities this associate membership with Football Ontario brings to the table. OWIFA’s missions are to build high performance programming for women in university football, as well as offer leadership and professional development opportunities for women in sport. We are confident this agreement will be beneficial in helping OWIFA to grow our league and providing equitable opportunities for women in competitive football." says Hayley Thode, the Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator for OWIFA.

 

Football Ontario is committed to partnerships that aim to achieve the highest programming standards and the organization believes that by partnering and working together, the awareness and participation of women’s football will be accelerated across the province. The organization is looking forward to an enduring partnership.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

 

Aaron Geisler

Executive Director

ageisler ontariofootball.ca

519-719-2322

 

ABOUT FOOTBALL ONTARIO: Football Ontario is the sanctioned provincial governing body for football in Ontario, through its focus on transparency, growth, alignment and excellence, is engaged in providing football opportunities for all of Ontario. Football Ontario is driven by a commitment to deliver football programming, opportunities and resources for its members and the provincial football stakeholders. Please visit: ontariofootball.ca