ESTEVAN - The latest accomplishment for Estevan female football star Shanelle Rioux came earlier this summer, when she represented Canada at the Women’s World Football Championships in Finland.
Rioux, who played her developmental football against boys with Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football and at the Estevan Comprehensive School, was a defensive back for Canada at the tournament.
She said playing for Canada has been a goal for a long time.
“To be there and to experience, it felt unreal the entire time,” said Rioux.
It was gratifying to know that the work she had put in to reach this level had paid off.
“It really is an honour to represent Canada at that level of football,” said Rioux.
She tried out as a receiver, which is her long-time position, but the Team Canada coaches shifted her to safety in the defensive backfield. She had played a little defensive back for the Regina Riot female football team in the 2020 season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The experience playing defensive back for the Riot helped her prepare for the position change, she said.
“Actually going to Finland and having some of the best coaches in the country made me even better than I could have ever imagined I would be,” said Rioux.
Defence is a far more aggressive and responsive position than the offensive side of the ball. She doesn’t know what is going to happen before a play. That makes it exciting and nerve-wracking, but “in a good way.”
She said she was very happy with how she played and returned home feeling she had done all she could. And she expects this experience will help in her development as a player when she returns to the offensive side of the ball.
Rioux played quarterback for the Riot in the 2022 campaign after mostly playing receiver for the Riot in her three previous seasons with the club.
“I think it will help me read defences way better and just feel way more confident with throwing and reading, so I’m very excited to see how it has helped my game,” said Rioux.
Team Canada finished fourth at the eight-team tournament. They opened with a 33-6 victory over Australia, but then lost 20-13 to Great Britain in the semifinal and 19-17 to Finland in the bronze medal game.
Rioux said she knew at least 20-25 players on the team, as there were lots of players from Saskatoon, Regina and Manitoba who play in the Riot’s league. Forty-five players were on the Team Canada roster.
But she said they didn’t really know each other until a training camp that served as a preparation before the tournament. Canada was the first team to arrive at the tournament, giving the players a chance to bond.
This is to be the last women’s world football championship. A total of four editions of the tournament were held since 2010. This year’s event was supposed to occur in 2021, but was pushed back a year due to COVID-19 concerns.
