From applying to be part of the inaugural CFL Women in Football Program to joining the football operations staff of the league’s flagship franchise, the last few months have been a whirlwind for Elisha Torraville, who is breaking new ground with the Edmonton Elks.
Torraville is the Elks new Manager of Football Operations, becoming the first Women in Football Program participant to be hired by a CFL club.
The Calgary native was part of the inaugural class of the Women in Football Program, in which a female participant joined the football operations or business administration department of each of the CFL’s nine teams for a four-week development opportunity beginning at the outset of training camp in May.
“The Women in Football program gave me a chance to prove myself and get my foot in the door,” Torraville says. “I was able to show who I am, make connections and prove I’m worthy of a position. This opportunity might not have been here for me had the program not started.
“Being part of a football team means you have to trust the person next to you to do their job,” Torraville continues. “This translates from the field to the coaches and staff. We all have to trust each other and have each other’s backs. The program gave me an opportunity to build trust through my work. It’s unbelievably awesome to know that the coaches and staff trust me to do my part.”
A graduate of Kinesiology and Sports Management at Red Deer Polytechnic, Torraville has extensive background in football on and off the gridiron. She has played tackle and touch football, coached with Football Alberta’s U18 Provincial Team, served as Director for Calgary Bantam Football Association and founded Female Football for Life with a goal of increasing female participation in football and is developing a U18 female football league in Calgary.
Drawing upon all her experience, Torraville is thrilled to have joined the herd.
“I get to work in football, which I love, doing a job that allows me to grow my strengths and challenge me” she says. “The job is amazing, but it’s really all about the team. There are some amazing people here making the Elks better every day. I’m excited that I have the opportunity to work alongside some of the best in the league. We are just starting, there’s lots to come.”