Kicking her way into history

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This article was published 21/09/2023 (903 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Maya Turner is preparing to make Canadian university sports history — again.

The 21-year-old place kicker is set to become the first woman to dress for a regular-season U Sports football game Saturday, when the University of Manitoba Bisons (0-3) play host to the Regina Rams (1-2) at IG Field.

If successful on a field-goal or point-after attempt, the Maple Grove, Minn., native will also become the first woman to score points in a regular-season game.

Turner etched her name in the U Sports history book in 2022, when she became the first woman to score in a pre-season football game: a 25-yard field goal against the Saskatchewan Huskies.

“That’s really exciting to me,” Turner, a second-year arts student, told the Free Press ahead of Thursday’s practice. “I feel really honoured to be able to have this opportunity.

“When I first started playing football and when I decided that I wanted to play in university, I always envisioned myself playing in games and making an impact for the team — so it’s really exciting to be here right now and have been able to achieve that part of it.”

Turner, who previously played NCAA Division I soccer at Loyola University — Chicago, popped onto Bisons head coach Brian Dobie’s radar in January 2022, when an email with video of her kicking skills arrived in his inbox.

Dobie was seeking a new kicker, having lost veteran Cole Sabourin, who had used up his U Sports eligibility. The veteran coach was further intrigued after seeing Turner’s power and comfort with kicking from as far as 50 yards out.

Turner arrived in Winnipeg for an official tryout and Dobie offered her a spot the same day. She red-shirted the 2022 season, but entered training camp this summer in a contested position battle with Vinny De Rosa.

De Rosa’s ability to punt and kick ultimately secured him the starting job.

However, with a return home, which meant the Bisons were not bound by rules requiring visiting teams to reduce their rosters by five players, Dobie saw no better opportunity to unleash the young leg.

“This is absolutely earned and deserved,” Dobie said Thursday. “I gotta tell you, when Maya is kicking, she has long earned the respect of the guys and won this team over.

“Her teammates really respect her and they’re rooting for her… She is so professional in her preparation, in her focus, in her work. She’s so technical… everybody sees it. And the punctuation mark: she backs it up with her success rate.”

Dobie said De Rosa will continue to hold punting responsibilities Saturday, but Turner could be the one to get the nod when the time comes to put points on the board.

“We will make a play-by-play decision on the field goals, based on how the game is going,” Dobie said. “She will be on the field. She’s going to kick, and she’s going to make history.

“I have no doubt that she’s going to be the first female to play and the first female to score points in U Sports.”

Turner is the second woman to hold a roster spot on the Bisons football team. Reina Ilzuka spent four years with the program and, despite never dressing for a game, was praised for being a trail blazer.

Kristie Elliott was another pioneer in Canadian football during her time at Simon Fraser University.

On Sept. 11, 2021, she became the first Canadian woman to play and score in an NCAA Division II football game, when she successfully booted a pair of extra-point converts.

“I’m definitely super-excited to have this opportunity,” Turner said. “I have played in a few other games and kicked field goals, but just to be able to kick in a conference game, where it really matters, yeah, it’s really exciting.

“I’m definitely a little bit nervous but probably no more than anyone else playing their first big game would be,” she added.

“I’ve played in games throughout my sports career that are really high-pressure situations. Like on my soccer teams, I would often take a lot of the free kicks, set pieces and stuff like that in big games… I’ve done all the work and preparation I need and I’m confident in what I can do, so I’m definitely ready.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

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