{"id":38061,"date":"2019-11-19T14:21:05","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T14:21:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=38061"},"modified":"2019-11-19T14:21:05","modified_gmt":"2019-11-19T14:21:05","slug":"wales-only-womens-american-football-team-face-new-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/11\/19\/wales-only-womens-american-football-team-face-new-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Wales\u2019 only women\u2019s American football team face new challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coronavirus will \u2018massively hit\u2019 recruitment, says Cardiff Valkyries head coach<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"665\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1024x665.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1024x665.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-770x500.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1536x997.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-2048x1329.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-500x325.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-293x190.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1400x909.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"665\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1024x665.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1024x665.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-770x500.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1536x997.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-2048x1329.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-500x325.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-293x190.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/11\/valkyrie-proper-1400x909.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Cardiff Valkyries after the November 17 rookie day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>THE first and only female American\nfootball team in Wales is facing a challenge in attracting new members and retaining\ncurrent players for next season.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The Valkyries currently have 22 players\nand were formed in 2016. This year, they competed in the full-contact women\u2019s\nseven-a-side Sapphire Series against Leicester Falcons and Cheshire Bears.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Pre-season normally runs from the\nend of August until November, with the games taking place between December and\nMarch.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic,\npre-season is now scheduled to begin in October.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Head Coach Simon Browning, 40, of\nWhitchurch said: \u201cWe can see this year is going to be massively hit in terms of\nrecruitment\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Recruiting new players will not be the\nonly challenge for the Valkyries \u2013 retaining the players they already have is\npotentially a tough task.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Mr Browning said: \u201cA lot of people\nare going to have other priorities, such as going on holiday and going to see loved\nones they haven\u2019t seen for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cPlaying any sport is not\nnecessarily going to be high on anyone\u2019s agenda\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-410x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43077\" width=\"362\" height=\"904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-410x1024.png 410w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-120x300.png 120w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-770x1925.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-500x1250.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-293x733.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-410x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43077\" width=\"362\" height=\"904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-410x1024.png 410w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-120x300.png 120w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-770x1925.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-500x1250.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules-293x733.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/07\/7-a-side-American-Football-Rules.png 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Keeping players engaged over\nlockdown has been a priority for the Valkyries\u2019 coaching team, with online\ntactical sessions being held weekly.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Mr Browning has also participated\nin virtual \u201ccoaching clinics\u201d for local people.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Social distancing will prevent the\nValkyries from doing any contact training, though Mr Browning believes this may\nbe positive.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere will be a shift back towards\nthe core fundamental skills that we do sometimes gloss over.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere is a lot of good stuff that\nwill come out of this\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load\" title=\"Cardiff Valkyries head coach discusses issues facing women&#039;s American football\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"about:blank\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k7E1_DESAhs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><noscript><iframe title=\"Cardiff Valkyries head coach discusses issues facing women&#039;s American football\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k7E1_DESAhs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Mr Browning said in November that a\nmajor issue is recruiting women who are not \u201cstereotypical athletes\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Mr Browning said: &#8220;For some players, playing American football is the first time they feel their body is actually a positive, not a negative.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is difficult to speak to a demographic that isn\u2019t looking to be spoken to, and you\u2019re trying to overcome that social inertia and convince them that actually, you can do this. We value you for you\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>While there is a need for larger players to fill the roles of specialised positions, club president Lois McConville, 25, of St Mellons, was keen to point out that \u201creally quite small and petite women\u201d have a place in the sport too. <\/p>\n\n\n<p>She said: \u201cIn this sport, there\u2019s probably a different position we would put you in where you won\u2019t actually get much contact.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n<p>Though many begin playing non-contact Flag Football, Mr Browning said that thanks to the prevalence of rugby in the region, \u201cthe concept of hitting each other is not an alien one\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n<p>Some players were drawn to the Valkyries because of the contact. Mandy Gould, 31, of Cardiff Bay said: \u201cI sought the contact. Flag was always more to help with fitness\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uyroLLJaGJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/uyroLLJaGJ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Cardiff Valkyries (@CardiffValkyrie) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CardiffValkyrie\/status\/1182695386479321088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 11, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>The popularity of rugby has its drawbacks for the Valkyries, with potential players opting for that over joining the Valkyries.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Miss McConville said: \u201cI know there are a lot of women interested in rugby and we\u2019ve tried to get some rugby players, but they\u2019ve gone back to rugby as that is what they\u2019ve done since they were around seven\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Mr Browning believes that the relatability of rugby compared to American football can put some women off from trying the latter. <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you watch a rugby game, it\u2019s easier to relate to that,&#8221; he said. &#8220;With American football you put the pads on, and you hear the sizes of some of the players and that\u2019s all you can see. But when they get here, they realise the women who are doing it are just like them.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnce they\u2019re in it it\u2019s not about the physicality of it, I think it\u2019s more about making that initial jump in. Women\u2019s American football is not the same as the NFL. You don\u2019t have 6ft 9in behemoths running around\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Another rookie day is being held on Sunday, November 24 at Pentwyn Leisure Centre from 10.30am to 1pm, though new players are welcome to join at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The Valkyries have their first games of the season as part of the Sapphire Series at Leicester on December 7.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coronavirus will \u2018massively hit\u2019 recruitment, says Cardiff Valkyries head coach THE first and only female American football team in Wales is facing a challenge in attracting new members and retaining current players for next season. The Valkyries currently have 22 players and were formed in 2016. This year, they competed in the full-contact women\u2019s seven-a-side Sapphire Series against Leicester Falcons and Cheshire Bears. Pre-season normally runs from the end of August until November, with the games taking place between December [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":38080,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,113],"tags":[1427,266,1273,1428,897],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-38061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","category-uncategorised","tag-american-football","tag-coronavirus","tag-lockdown","tag-womens-american-football","tag-womens-sport"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Wales\u2019 only women\u2019s American football team face new challenge - The Cardiffian<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cardiff Valkyries are hosting rookie days to encourage players &quot;of all shapes and sizes&quot; to join the team ahead of the 2019\/20 season.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/11\/19\/wales-only-womens-american-football-team-face-new-challenge\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wales\u2019 only women\u2019s American football team face new challenge - 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