Fast smashes another barrier

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/06/2023 (1210 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jill Fast is used to tackling tough obstacles and fighting through whatever happens to be in her way as a longtime Manitoba football player. The talented linebacker is also breaking plenty of barriers within the sport itself.

Her latest assignment involves being named head coach of the U18 Indigenous Women’s National Team next month in Ottawa. Fast’s club will join seven provincial outfits in a week-long tournament that begins July 23.

“Incredibly honoured,” Fast told the Free Press of getting the recent call from Football Canada.

This will be the first national team of its kind on the women’s side, and Fast is excited to see the crop of talent that is developing at the grassroots level across the country.

“I’m always on board with promoting the sport with women and getting more women to play,” she said.

Per Football Canada, the squad is meant to represent “the Indigenous women of Canada in football competitions. It aims to provide a platform for talented young athletes to showcase their skills and foster their love for the game. The team is committed to promoting inclusivity, empowerment, and cultural representation within the sport.”

An evaluation and selection camp will be held in the nation’s capital prior to the start of the event, which included only provincial teams in its inaugural year last summer in Regina and ended with Team Alberta prevailing over Team Saskatchewan.

“Fast will play a crucial role in fostering a positive and inclusive environment that encourages growth and development both on and off the field,” the organization said in a release. “She aims to empower young Indigenous women, supporting them in realizing their full potential and achieving their goals in the sport they love.”

“She aims to empower young Indigenous women, supporting them in realizing their full potential and achieving their goals in the sport they love.”

Fast has been heavily involved in the gridiron game for more than a decade. She joined the Manitoba Fearless of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League (WWCFL) in 2011 and has represented Manitoba and Canada in numerous events.

She began coaching in 2014, first as a linebacker assistant with the Portage Collegiate Trojans in the Winnipeg High School Football League. She learned plenty while on the sidelines working with former Trojans head coach Don Burrell who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 1980s.

Then came a major promotion in 2021, when she became the first woman to be named a head coach in league history as she took over the Portage team while commuting daily from her Winnipeg home. It was a unique experience, especially with the pandemic still throwing plenty of flags on school activities.

Fast had to step down from that post when she got a job in the Pembina Trails School Division this past year, where she’s involved in Indigenous education. She’s stayed close to the sport, continuing to play with the Fearless of the WWCFL.

“It was kind of nice just to be a player this year, because it’s a big time commitment to coach. Probably more than people realize,” said Fast. “And with the weight training and all the practices, it was nice to just focus on that. But I’m sure when I retire, I’ll go back to coaching more.”

Of course, she couldn’t turn down this opportunity to get back at it when Football Canada came calling.

“They wanted the head coach of the team to be female and Indigenous, and I guess my name came up as the one with the most experience,” said Fast.

It will be a busy few weeks, with her playing team headed to Regina this weekend to take on the Riot in a quarterfinal playoff matchup. The winner will play the Saskatoon Valkyries the following week, with the winner of that headed to the championship game on June 24 in Saskatoon against the winner of the Western Conference (one of the Calgary Rage, Edmonton Storm or Lethbridge Steel).

Fast might be able to discuss upcoming strategy with some of her teammates. Julie Sprague, Alexa St. Jean and Brenna Hargrave also play on the Fearless, and that trio are involved as coaches with the Manitoba U18 Team.

“They’re also doing great work, inspiring young women to play football,” said Fast.

She admits football doesn’t always spring to the top of mind for many people when you consider sports that might cater to women. She and others are working to change that.

“I grew up playing hockey, like so many others. And (women’s) hockey went through that growth, from the 1990s until now,” she said.

“I think football is currently in the middle of that growth period. And we will get there.”

“No matter what kind of athlete your are, we can find a position for you.”–Jill Fast

The development of the Manitoba Girls Football Association, of which her teammate St.-Jean is commissioner, is one such example. The Blue Bombers have also been a driving force in this market in expanding the reach of the sport to young girls and women through various endeavours.

“I know for me, I’ve played many other sports over the years and I’ve always played very hard and aggressive. Football is a very physical sport. A contact sport. And that’s what attracted me to it. Go and play as hard as I can,” said Fast,

“What I’ve always liked, even with the coaching, is that there’s really a position for everyone. You need tall people that can catch the ball. You need strong people that can block. No matter what kind of athlete your are, we can find a position for you.”

There’s also the elements of team building and bonding, which Fast truly appreciates as both a player and a coach.

“A lot of people call it the ultimate team sport. Even the complexity of the playbooks compared to other sports. There’s nothing else like it,” she said.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg