Tilka Chapman. (TMSS/Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

Tisdale Tornados

Local football player named Canadian All-Star

Dec 12, 2022 | 4:29 PM

A Grade 12 girl from Tisdale was named as one of the best female football players in the nation.

Tilka Chapman is now a member of the U18 Women’s Canadian National All-Star team.

“When I found out I was so surprised but so happy,” Chapman said. “I’m so honoured to have received this award, I didn’t expect it at all. My parents were just really really proud of the amount of work that I’ve put in and it’s been recognized and is paying off now. It’s just amazing, I’m so happy and I’m so glad that girls’ football has this opportunity now.”

Chapman achieved this honour, in large part due to her trailblazing efforts, especially in the last year.

She was a member of Team Saskatchewan this summer, as they won a silver medal at the first-ever U18 Female National Championship in Regina.

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She also played with the Moosomin Generals U18 Girls’ Football team, winning a gold medal in the first-ever Prairie Girls Football League U18 Championship.

Chapman told northeastNOW when she first played football, just a few years ago, she never thought it would lead to all this.

“When I first joined football it was just kind of a hobby, I was picking up something to do with physical activity, and I was trying it out because it interested me,” she added. “I never thought that it would actually become my passion in life, the thing that’s been driving me for the last three or four years has been football and I’ve just been working so hard to make that passion keep going.”

And kept that going she has. Chapman, who is now all done with her high school football career, is currently a member of the Regina Riot of the Women’s Western Canadian Football League.

That’s just this year’s plan, however, as she hopes to go to tryout camps for both the Saskatoon Hilltops and the Regina Thunder of the Canadian Junior Football League.

Before all that happens and everything that’s already happened, Chapman refuses to forget her northeast Saskatchewan roots where it all began.

The Tisdale Tornados “football program honestly changed my life, and I would not be the same person I am without it. It has taught me so many life lessons and just made me a healthier person and given me so many opportunities that I could not imagine where I would be without it,” she explained.

“U18 also opened my eyes to how amazing girls’ football is and how many opportunities we now have in Canada, it just keeps growing and hopefully, soon we will have the same opportunities that guys have in the sport.”

Her former coach and current coach of the Tisdale Tornados, Keenan Carrier, also had some comments about Chapman, as she has now graduated from the program, and in his words, “has helped lead by example and left behind a bright future for the program because of what she has accomplished.”

“This is one of the best female football pro players in the province of Saskatchewan, and now with this nod here, she’s definitely one of the best female football players in the country… she’s by far one of the best leaders I’ve had the privilege of coaching and we’re going to miss that next year,” Carrier said.

“She was kind of the first female player that kind of came up to me and said she wanted to join and it’s just awesome to see the trail that she’s blazed for everybody behind her because now all the women in the school know that this is an option for them… I’ll be looking forward to watching her as she progresses throughout the long career ahead of her.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8