In this edition, we catch up on the Toronto Tempo‘s in-person fan festival and the PWHL playoffs and finals. We also take a look at new developments in women’s football in cities like North Bay and Sherbrooke. Lastly, we cover the newly revived indoor basketball court in Toronto, made possible by the WNBA and beauty brand Maybelline New York and a new women’s sports report released by sports media company The Gist in partnership with Barbarian, a creative and innovation agency. 

The stories of the week show girls in sport and physical activity that:

• By gathering fans together and providing a weekend-long experience, the Toronto Tempo are engaging with their supporters and fostering connections to the team through fun activations and community-focused panels.
• In a traditionally male-dominated sport like football, developments such as a city’s inaugural team or gaining varsity recognition at the college and university level help normalize football as a sport equally embraced by women and expand its presence in Canada.
• Having WNBA representation in areas like the Jane and Finch neighbourhood, which is typically considered an underserved community, along with new equipment and a fully functional, welcoming basketball court, can spark children’s curiosity and provide meaningful opportunities to play the game.

TORONTO TEMPO HOSTs FAN FEST, with APPEARANCE FROM NEW CO-OWNER LILLY SINGH

We’re officially one year away from the Toronto Tempo’s first tipoff! To mark the countdown, the new Toronto women’s professional basketball team hosted Tempo Live, a fan festival at Stackt Market this past weekend.

The free event featured CIBC’s Fan Cam and Tempo Talks panels held over two days exploring the intersection of basketball with fashion, art, food, music, and more. Fans also got the chance to play on an open court and shop the Tempo merch collection in person.

The weekend’s first panel featured Mariah Amber, Raptors host, and choreographer for Raptors 905 and Sauga City Dancers alongside Canadian YouTuber, TV host, comedian, author, and the Tempo’s newest co-owner and “Chief Hype Officer’, Lilly Singh. 

Stay tuned later this week for our takeaways from the Tempo Talks panels!

To keep up with the latest Tempo news, follow along here!

PWHL FINALS UPDATE and BUILD UP FOR NEXT SEASON

Since the last edition of Kaitlyn’s Sport Stories, the PWHL playoffs have wrapped up with exciting results. In the semi-finals, the Ottawa Charge defeated the Montréal Victoire 3-1 in the series, while the Minnesota Frost also claimed a 3-1 series win over the Toronto Sceptres.

That set up an entertaining finals matchup between the Ottawa Charge and the Minnesota Frost. If you’ve been following the Charge lately, you know they love to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Many of their recent games have gone into overtime, and the finals were no different. All four games in the series went into overtime. 

Heading into Game 4, Minnesota led the series 2-1. It was a do-or-die match for Ottawa if they wanted to keep their championship hopes alive. Minnesota secured their win in overtime with a 2-1 victory, clinching the Walter Cup and securing back-to-back PWHL championships.

With the second season officially in the books, attention now turns to the highly anticipated third season, set to begin toward the end of 2025. Fans can also look forward to the debut of two new expansion teams, PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle.

To stay updated on the upcoming season and its new teams, follow along here.

women’s football makes moves in ontario and quEbec

In North Bay, Ontario, the women’s Bulldog tackle football team made history at Mike O’Shea football field on May 17. It marked the team’s first official game-and the first-ever women’s football game held in the city. 

The Bulldogs faced off against the Etobicoke Eagles, with both teams competing in the Ontario Women’s Football League (OWFL), a U19 tackle football league exclusively for girls young women, and those who identify as such.

Players reflected on the milestone, sharing that “being able to compete and play a sport dominated by men was a huge win for women’s sport.”

To learn more about the OWFL and its spring/summer schedule, click here. 

Meanwhile, big moves are happening in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where the women’s Green & Gold flag football team has officially been considered as a varsity sport by the University of Sherbrooke. 

The team has spent years working toward varsity recognition. Historically, sports like women’s flag football have often been designated as recreational, if that, limiting visibility and support. This official inclusion in Sherbrooke’s varsity program marks a major step forward for women’s football in Canada and paves the way for future growth across the country.

TORONTO COMMUNITY CELEBRATEs REVITALIZED INDOOR BASKETBALL COURT

The WNBA and beauty brand Maybelline New York have partnered to unveil a revitalized indoor basketball court at Oakdale Community Centre in Toronto’s Jane and Finch neighbourhood. The partnership included Buckets & Borders, who also played a big part in bringing the activation to life. 

The upgraded court features new nets, equipment, murals, and backboard art. Toronto-based artist, Erika Flores created the artwork, drawing inspiration from themes that “reflect the community out here, and it reflects the growth of basketball, especially women’s basketball.”

To celebrate the court’s transformation, local youth were invited to take part in a basketball clinic and training session.

Kaitlyn’s Sport Stories Recap are written by Kaitlyn Lehbert, a passionate and driven sport advocate for girls and women. Kaitlyn holds her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Brock University. Learn more about Kaitlyn by clicking here!

Have a sport story you want to share? Contact info@girlsforward.ca and it may get featured in Kaitlyn’s next feature.