Superstar running back Stevi Schnoor takes on role of ambassador

Balancing her gridiron career with an occupation as a Physical Education teacher, while also empowering a new generation as a rugby coach, Stevi Schnoor represents what is great about Canadian women in football. As the all-time leading rusher among all Canadian-born players in Legends Football League (LFL) history, she is also one of the greatest competitors in the history of the Seattle Mist, perched among the all-time offensive leaders for the club.

While Schnoor has gained many nicknames over her career, including Stevi Wonder and Stevi Breezy, the 2017 season sees her identified by the sobriquet of “The Bull.” Based on her impressive start against the Austin Acoustic, the 2017 season might very well end up as the Year of the Bull. With the Mist looking to return to the Legends Cup final, Schnoor is joined by a handful of new and returning faces, including free agent acquisition Nicole Peterson, who starred last season with the Dallas Desire, along with defensive guru Katie Whelan, who admirably juggles being a mom with football and a military career.

Schnoor in a video for Sun Media discussing her LFL career (Video still obtained from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9vDfn6s7Cs )

Opening night for the 2017 season saw Schnoor continue to live up to her billing as one of the league’s elite, shredding the Austin Acoustic defense with 74 rushing yards on nine attempts (averaging 8.2 yards per carry), while running for daylight thrice. Complemented by a receiving touchdown from quarterback KK Matheny, giving her four on the day, it was part of an exciting 46-26 win. Adding to the jubilation of such an exciting start to the 2017 campaign was the fact that Schnoor was able to compete in front of a national TV audience in Canada, a first in her brilliant career.

Days prior to the opening kickoff, Schnoor was in Toronto, happily taking on a new role as an ambassador for LFL football. Along with LFL Hall of Famer Elizabeth (Liz) Gorman, a former defensive back for the Tampa Breeze, her return to the league sees her build on her popularity as a player, plunging into an exciting role as spokesperson. The presence of these two gridiron greats shoulder-to-shoulder in Canada’s largest media market, simultaneously bridged different eras for LFL football; Gorman, part of its first generation of stars, representing its nascent years, while Schnoor, among the greats during the game’s evolution in Canada.

Both discussing the game’s attributes, this distinguished duo also helped to promote an exciting new venture that sees Super Channel become Canada’s first broadcaster for Legends Football League contests. The broadcast deal brings with it an opportunity for subscribers of Super Channel to enjoy a regular season contest every Saturday night. In seasons past, Canadian gridiron fans were forced to go online in order to find video footage of their LFL heroes, such as Canada’s own Schnoor, in action.

Although Gorman never competed during the inaugural season of LFL Canada, she still holds a unique Canadian connection. Gorman, a former Defensive Player of the Year, brought her hard-hitting, punishing style of play to an LFL All-Star Game that was held at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario.

The All-Star Game would also bring with it a unique element of six degrees of separation, as Jessica Hopkins competed at the event. Calling Schnoor a teammate with the BC Angels and the Seattle Mist, the two would become the only women to win LFL titles in both Canada and the US. In 2017, Hopkins and Schnoor would each make their own historic mark. From the outset, Schnoor is competing in her fifth season of LFL football, becoming the first Canadian competitor to reach this magical milestone. Meanwhile, Hopkins enjoyed her own unique “first”, as she competes in her eighth season of LFL football in the US, ninth overall, the only woman to reach this milestone.

Also popular as a fitness model, Gorman was joined by Schnoor, as both added a new facet to their appeal as both football icons and celebrities. Both were part of Sun Media’s iconic “Sunshine Girl” daily feature, which in years past has also highlighted personalities such as CFL and NFL cheerleaders, Playmates, reality show participants and professional wrestlers. As a side note, they are not the first LFL competitors to have taken part in such an experience. Prior to the Toronto Triumph competing in the 2012 LFL Canada season, five members of their roster were also featured, raising awareness about the team and the season which took place.

Should the ratings yield a positive result for Super Channel, it would be most encouraging if a team could return to Canada in the near future, an element that holds the promise of potentially increasing viewership. Among the best markets during the LFL Canada season back in 2012 was definitely in Abbottsford, British Columbia, home of the BC Angels. To see a revival of the Angels would definitely be exciting, adding a new element to the presence of LFL football on the Pacific Coast, which features the Mist and the Los Angeles Temptation.

The Angels, of which Schnoor starred for, not only captured the inaugural Canadian championship, but their classic Pacific Cup rivalry with the Seattle Mist (of which Schnoor played in both Cup matches) was a compelling chapter in club lore. Equally compelling would be a possible resuscitation of the Calgary Fillies. Former Mist quarterback Angela Rypien has ties to Calgary, as her father, Super Bowl XXVI champion Mark Rypien, was born there. With female football experiencing growth in the province of Alberta, the potential for a strong talent pool and solid fan base are very high.

Regardless of the future possibilities, the present remains very exciting, as the amazing poise of Schnoor on the gridiron is truly a gift for Canadian gridiron fans, a strong symbol of national pride. Seasons past saw the likes of Mary-Anne Hanson, Deanna Schaper-Kotter and Amanda Ruller add to the legacy of Canadians making their mark in American markets that hosted LFL football, gaining a fan following on both sides of the border. Such a following is one that has also defined Schnoor’s remarkable run in Seattle, where her humility, solid work ethic and fidelity to fans and teammates alike makes her more than just an ambassador for the Mist and the league, it adds to her standing as an exciting figure for female sporting Canadiana. With the opportunity to showcase her superlative skills for a national audience in Canada, home field advantage takes on an even greater meaning.

(*feature photo obtained by Stevi Schnoor Facebook)

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