News: Stephanie Labbé to try out for Calgary Foothills men’s team

Wow, I was wondering where a GK of her caliber would have landed and this was very unexpected! Anyway, I am a fan! Although in general goalkeeping hasn't often been at a very high level in the women' game, I guess if there is a role that is most likely to be within reach of a woman in the men's game this is the GK. And Labbé, in my opinion, is one of the best GKs in the women's football. A new challenge for her: she sure needs this kind of challenges in her life and I sure wish her good luck for this one!

 

update, after making the men's team, the league has refused to let her play. Hopefully a Scandinavian might pick her up so she don't stay too long inactive
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/top-female-soccer-player-barred-from-mens-league-1.4644837

 

It's a shame, I would have really liked to see her take that challenge. Let's hope she can find somewhere to play soon.

Actually Nadeshiko League had a Canadian GK in the last two seasons (Genoviève Richard, currently at Olympique Marseille in France), playing for Nojima Stella Kanagawa: although the season in Japan is underway already, maybe Labbé could find a place there!

 

It's funny I am quite sure the FIFA rules forbid women to play in men's football at professional level. I will have to look at it.

 

You're right. The club was probably affraid of losing the licence would they hire her. Some time ago Marta and Wambach also spoke about joining men's club but FIFA reaction then was swift and very unfavorable With hard line no exeption rule, I guess they are affraid of what a precedent could do.

 

How would you handle the dressing room situation, if both genders played in the same team?

I would bet that most stadia have just 2 dressing rooms, for example.

However, most female squads are coached by men. Do male coaches have access to a female dressing room? If yes, then there might be a loop hole there.

 

I hadn't heard about Wombat, but yeah I definitely recall there being talk of Marta joining the LA Galaxy in the mid-aughts. (Fortunately WPS came along soon after.)

Eehhh I always find "dressing room" arguments to be pretty BS. Of course, you point out the male-coach-for-a-female-team thing already. And Labbe clearly opted to join a men's team, so I'm guessing she either had no problem with sharing the locker room or had a plan around it. (Another reason I don't buy all that dressing room stuff is how it's raised far too much in LGBT athlete discussions too.) These are professional athletes and teammates - locker rooms are places to be supportive of each other, not inappropriate to each other, no matter the gender.

 

I have played mixed football at amateur level and there is a separate dressing room.

Regarding access, the male manager has limited access, that's why with France team they always try to have a number 2 who is a women to check out the dressing room problems as the male coach is not there and not aware.

The first game I have ever covered, I actually asked the question the coach and he said I don't get inside, I do the team talk at the hotel and my assistant gets in.

 

@shlj , just curious about the extra dressing room: how were your half-time pep talks handled?

It would be much easier if the coach could enter mixed dressing room, in order to manage the team as a unit, primarily right before a match and at half-time.

 

True, athletes can decide to act maturely, and 1 female athlete should not have to worry about her welfare among other male teammates.

Perhaps the Canadian football authority feared bad publicity: where its female athletes did not have a proper league yet, and had to go play in male leagues instead?

 

The CSA was not the problem here, nor was it the club - it was the PDL who put the kibosh on her playing with Calgary. The Foothills wanted her.

 

All the male team manager/ assistant coaches etc I know enter the dressing room by knocking at the door at pre-defined moments, a few go in before the games other don't, but they get in at half-time.

At amateur level, I coached mixed teams and team talk is done on the pitch or outside the dressing room.

 

Sounds similar to high school team management in the locker room: the adult coach enters at specific times, when the youngsters are properly dressed.

 

Just to wrap this up: Steph has now signed for the Foothills' UWS team instead.