‘It doesn’t feel real to me:’ Hilltops’ Dale first woman in CJFL

Emmarae Dale is still pinching herself.

After growing up cheering on the Saskatoon Hilltops, the linebacker made her highly anticipated debut for the Toppers last Sunday as the first woman to ever play in the Canadian Junior Football League.

“Honestly, it hits pretty hard to home. I think sometimes I don’t even really believe it’s my own life just because it’s weird to think in 2021 I can still be the first of something,” she said.

The Hilltops are used to making history. Usually, it has to do with its success on the field. Take the 22 national titles, including the past six in a row. There’s also the 32 consecutive road victories or the fact the team hasn’t lost at home since Aug. 17, 2014.

Thanks to COVID-19 cancelling last season, however, the entire league has had a full year of endless zoom calls, team meetings, walkthroughs and practices building up to Sunday’s debut, with Dale under the spotlight.

“Because its been such a long wait and such a long time coming, it doesn’t feel real to me. It’s pretty surreal and definitely not something I’m taking for granted,” Dale said.

Dale’s instincts and focus took over once the ball was on the tee for opening kickoff, even if some jitters did sneak into the back of her mind.

“It was a whirlwind of emotions,” she said before describing the thoughts running through her head as she ran up and down the field. “Like, ‘man, this is really cool. I gotta focus, but man this is so super cool.”

Head coach Tom Sargeant understands the significance, but he doesn’t care all that much about it.  To him, she’s just number 45.

“For me, it really wasn’t a moment. Emmarae, she’s just one of our football players. She’s on the bus, we get her off the bus, she comes off and plays football,” Sargeant said.

“We’re not into this for significance, we’re in this to make her better, to make us better and she’s doing that as well.”

Sunday’s debut was a long time coming for Dale. Her two brothers Anthony and Donavon both played for the Hilltops previously.

So after the 18-17 win in Edmonton on Sunday, Dale cherished her first chance to run to the stands after the game and be on the giving end of a post-game bear hug with family.

“I’ve always been on the other side of that. My parents were pretty emotional about it just because I think they’re just really proud,” she said.

Since she made the roster last fall, Dale has received national media attention waiting for Sunday’s game.

She’s trying to take the sudden popularity in stride.

“It’s definitely been a tad overwhelming at times, but also, it’s really cool, too,” she said.

“It’s something that I think needs to be recognized that women are breaking ceilings in sport.”

Sargeant, like the rest of the Hilltops team and staff, doesn’t care about Dale breaking barriers. While her accomplishment isn’t lost on anyone, the team treats her like anyone else.

She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“This isn’t just some sort of stunt,” Dale said. “It’s actually pretty cool that this is just a winning team that is trying to put together the best team of players they can to win another championship. The fact they saw something in me to be part of that is very, very humbling.”