Prospective Sirens attend tryout

It’s full speed ahead for Saskatoon’s fledgling Lingerie Football League team, despite controversy when the concept was announced.

The Saskatoon Sirens held their last open tryout Saturday at the SaskTel Sports Centre. Now it’s up to the team and the Las Vegas-based league to put together a 20-woman roster that can back up their claims that quality football and athleticism will keep fans watching.

“It is football first and foremost, because nobody is going to come and watch a lack of talent or a lack of athleticism on a football field,” said Chris Lambiris, who led the tryouts for the LFL. The sentiment is in line with the LFL’s messaging since the team was first announced in February. League officials have insisted the lingerie aspect of the league is a marketing tool that complements a high-level competitive football product.

Based on Saturday’s tryout, the Sirens’ coaching staff will have their work cut out for them. A total of nine women showed up, with one dropping out a few minutes into the workout. The remaining eight were all quite athletic, but their level of football experience was very low.

“A lot of them have sports backgrounds, just not football. The athletic ability is there,” Lambiris said.

According to Lambiris, around 40 women have come out to the tryouts and practices held by the Sirens so far. By the end of June, the team will be down to the final group of 20. Once the roster is finalized, the first few team sessions will focus on the mental aspects of the game, starting at Square 1: The rules.

“(It’s) as simple as understanding the rules of four-down football, because it is different than CFL football. Even though a lot of the people tonight have watched the Riders play, have watched CFL, (LFL) is indoors, it’s on a smaller field and it’s 7-on-7,” he said.

From there it’s a matter of shaping the women’s athletic abilities into football skills in time for the season’s start in September.

“We’ve got two months and I think we can close that gap because we’ve got a lot of dedicated girls who have come out,” Lambiris said.

The women who attended Saturday’s tryout were excited about the possible opportunities the LFL could provide.

“I’ve never played football before, but I love football. I’m a huge Riders fan and I’ve always liked the sport. I think it’s a good opportunity for women to get a start in football. You don’t have to have any experience, or at least they didn’t say you needed to,” said Candace Friesen, who drove in from Dalmeny to try out.

She admitted there will be a steep learning curve if she makes the team.

“When you’ve never played football, you’re not used to getting knocked down or having to knock other people down,” she said. That’s on top of having to adapt to playing in the league’s trademark equipment setup. An LFL uniform is essentially a bikini with shoulder pads and a football helmet.

For Friesen, being scantily clad in front of a crowd could be as big a challenge as learning the playbook.

“It’s not really something I’m really used to. I’ve been working out without a shirt on, just in a sports bra, to get used to seeing myself without a shirt on,” she said.

At the same time, Friesen was quick to shrug off any negative moral implications associated with the dress code, choosing instead to focus on the athletic aspect.

“Come try out. It actually takes a lot of skill and agility. If you have a moral objection, don’t watch,” she said.

Come September in Saskatoon, when the Sirens strap on their blue-and-aqua uniforms, they will put to the test whether fans will watch – whether for the skimpy uniforms, the love of football or some combination.

The Canadian division of the LFL has four teams – in Saskatoon, Regina, Vancouver and Toronto – announced for its first season this fall. In addition to the United States league, which is already in operation, there are plans to expand the LFL to Australia in 2013.

strembath@thestarphoenix.com

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