Tough women are battling it out on the field this Sunday during the Victoria Women’s Football League playoffs at Bear Mountain Stadium.

Out of a seven-team league, four teams will enter in the playoffs vying for the championship. Xtreme, Dragons, A-Team and Swarm have all earned playoff spots.

Extreme is entering the playoffs in the No. 1 spot and the Dragons in the No. 2 spot. For the past three years Xtreme and Dragons have entered the playoffs in the top two spots for both the spring and fall seasons.

Lorri Leonard, a centre for Xtreme, credits her team’s success to good communication skills and the ability to laugh at themselves.

Off the field Leonard and her friend Lisa Buchan, a safety and receiver for the Dragons, joke around, but come Sunday it’s all business.

Buchan said her team’s strong athletic ability and strong defense will help them win.

“I think people are shocked and don’t realize the level of play we are at,” Buchan said. “It’s good football, and if you’re a football fan you’re going to like it. It’s tough (playing on a Sunday) because we have to compete with the NFL.”

While these ladies play hard on the field, there is no tackling as the teams play flag football.

“It’s fun and it’s kind of like a family,” Buchan said. “We are all supportive of each other and have a good time.”

Leonard has been playing in the league for more than 15 years. She said football has always been a part of her life. Growing up in Seattle, Wash., Leonard played football in the neighbourhood during her childhood and teen years, and on a girls football team in high school.

“Little girls who want to play football start playing on boys teams. But, when the boys get bigger then where do the girls go?” Leonard said. “We are giving girls who like to play football a place where they can do it.”

The league is always looking for players. Players can be as young as 16 and currently the oldest player in the league is in her 50s.

The VWFL has been operating for about 20 years and welcomes players of all ages, sizes and abilities, Buchan said.

Teams are made up of players from across Greater Victoria and aren’t municipally based.

“The league is always looking for players and never turns anyone away,” Leonard said.

At its peak, the league had about 15 teams and at its lowest point it dropped down to three teams, Leonard said.

Popularity of women’s rugby has taken players away from the league and the fall season has some conflicts with soccer, Buchan said.

The playoff games will run from 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Bear Mountain Stadium at 1089 Langford Pkwy. Spectators are encouraged to come out and admission is free.

For more information on the playoffs or the league go to www.victoriawomensfootball.com.

sports@goldstreamgazette.com