Dansereau now part of CFL chain gang

BY MICHAEL PIASETZKI

The Chronicle

What a difference a year makes in the life of Dollard des Ormeaux resident Francesca Dansereau.

Twelve months ago, Dansereau, a 23-year-old amateur football field official entering her eighth season wearing the zebra stripes, was very upset at having been offered a position as a stick person working the chains on the sidelines at Montreal Alouettes’ games at Molson Stadium, but then seeing it snatched away from her. She was given two reasons. The first was the fact she was a woman, as stated to her in an e-mail from Bernard Daigneault, the person in charge of scheduling stick persons at Als’ games. The second, as stated by CFL supervisor of officials in Montreal and Ottawa, Jacques Décarie, who, by the way, vehemently denied telling Daigneault Dansereau could not do the job because she was a woman, was because the league generally required stick persons to be level-three referees.

Dansereau was — and still is — a level-two official. However, Décarie said exceptions had been made in the past, with le-

vel-two referees actually being given as-

signments.

Well, as the proverbial saying goes, that was then, and this is now. After spending last season gaining more experience on the field, including working many juvenile high-school games, which are equivalent to midget AAA, and then sitting down and discussing the matter face to face during the winter with the CFL’s officiating department, the latter softened its stance. Dansereau was given five assignments for the current season.

She made her debut on July 12, when the Als entertained the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. By doing so, she became the first women to ever work the sticks at an Als game. “Everything went smoothly during that first game and since. Everyone has been great to me. It has been nothing but a positive experience,” said an upbeat Dansereau. “I was a little nervous at first with the crowd, but then I just focused on what I had to do and shut everything else out.”

Dansereau said she believes her overall enthusiasm and eagerness to learn about officiating played a key role in the league’s change of heart. “I hope they felt during our talks and still do that I am serious about being an official, and about being a good one,” she said. “Working the sticks at Als’ games will allow me to learn from those on the field. Those officials are the best at what they do.”

Décarie, a former 33-year CFL referee who worked

13 Grey Cup games, said

the league was impressed with Dansereau’s attitude. So much so,

on top of having her work the sticks at Als’ home games, it plans to work along with her to help promote access for women to positions as officials and referees in the CFL.쇓