A sport business management student from Algonquin College is working to start up a girls flag football at the college. The sport known as Powder Puff football has become very popular at many schools across Ontario with the biggest tournament being held at Wilfred Laurier University.

Mike Massel who previously studied history at Laurier and helped coach the Powder Puff team while there was excited to bring the sport to Algonquin.

“It’s a lot of fun for the coaches and the players and it’s also a good way to raise money for a good cause,” said Massel.

All Powder Puff teams donate money to be part of a tournament and then that money goes to a breast cancer charity such as Breast Cancer Action Ottawa.

The University of Ottawa’s Powder Puff football team called the She Gee’s has been around for about seven years and won the championship at Laurier this year. Mike Randazzo, 24, has been coaching Powder Puff for six years and is the head coach this year. The coaches are all football players who just enjoy coaching and want to teach a game they really enjoy.

“There’s not a huge opportunity for a semi-contact female football league so lots of girls that haven’t played football before they get an opportunity to really play,” said Randazzo.

At Algonquin Massel is having a hard time finding coaches to volunteer and is focusing on getting people aware of what Powder Puff is because a lot of people haven’t heard of it before.

The Powder Puff season is January and February so the players have to get used to playing in thick snow in the cold. Randazzo said that most of the players they get are from other varsity teams. Allison McCormack played rugby before starting Powder Puff and loves the running and mental aspect and that it’s very different from rugby.

Randazzo is excited for Algonquin to start a team so that the two schools can play and compete with each other.

Massel will be having a practice and a few games at Algonquin for those interested on March 7.