PA football player wins silver medal in Team Canada debut

The first thing Ashley Viklund heard as she took to the field at McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C. was her family yelling her name from the stands.

The Prince Albert-raised offensive lineman was wearing Team Canada red and white for the first time, representing her country at the 2017 International Federation of American Football Women’s World Championship.

“It was really electric in the stadium just because there was so much pride from the Canadian fans and from the other countries as well,” Viklund said.

This was the third time the tournament has been held. Canada finished second to the United States in 2010 and 2013. This time, on home turf, Canada was aiming for a breakthrough.

Although she was new to the team, Viklund was not amongst strangers. The six-year veteran of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League’s (WWCFL) Regina Riot was joined by the nine other Riot players who made the national team and reserve rosters.

“It was really special to get to play with women that I’ve known for years being with the Riot,” Viklund said.

“They’re just such elite athletes. We practise so hard and try to practise in this elite manner and then to see it pay off by this reward of getting to represent our country is just amazing.”

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