This year, I joined an all women FULL TACKLE football team! Complete with full pads, helmets, and tackling. Yes. They really do exist for women! It's actually VERY exciting, I think. It certainly is not widely known, but it has been around for around ten years or so, and is fairly established all over the country.
I just want to to say first, that I LOVE it! It's a new adventure, learning how to tackle, catching the ball with a helmet and pads on (it's a big adjustment for me), and learning the ins and outs of positions and the game. And the best part is playing a great game with so many other women that love football. It's just awesome. I'm also not gonna downplay how difficult it's been for me. This is something that I set out to do, for a lot of reasons, but I kinda set out by myself. I was pretty hesitant to tell people, and I thought that I wouldn't have a lot of support, especially from those closest to me. (That was totally wrong of me, but I was scared it was true) It also was gonna cost me a lot of money. I convinced myself that I could find a business sponsor, so I wouldn't have to pay the team fees, which of course, didn't happen. But by the time I realized that I wasn't gonna find a sponsor, I was hooked on playing, and I wasn't about to walk away from a great team and experience. As time went on, I started realizing that I needed to own the fact that I was a football player, and not be afraid to tell the world.
(selfie at my first game! I was working on my game face)
I would get a lot of reactions when I told people. Most of my reactions were, to my surprise, very positive! From both men and women. Most people would say, genuinely, 'WOW, that's SO cool!'. As I met so many great and awesome women on my team, and former players as well, it helped me realize that this is a way to empower girls. To show them that they can be and do whatever they dream and want to do. Today the world is changing so much that we as society can't even keep up with it. There are so many degrading and demoralizing messages about women and our purpose in the media, that it is scary! We need every effort and opportunity to change those messages into positive ideas that uplift and inspire women and girls, everywhere. I really feel like, in my small world of Brenda, that I have more influence than I can even guess. I have 18 nieces, who, whether or not I think they pay attention, notice who I am and what I am doing, and I wish nothing more than to be a positive influence in their lives. Who knows? Maybe some girl, somewhere, will be inspired to follow her dreams, and not be afraid to do something a little different.
One thing is for sure, I firmly believe that my Utah Falconz team is the best women's football team in the world! Partly because we are completely undefeated, but mostly because of the stellar coaches and team unity and camaraderie that exist. I wouldn't have played if it weren't for encouraging, fair, and brilliant coaches to be willing to teach us the game of football, and for the greatest bunch of women, from all walks of life, to accept me without question into their flock. In all the organized teams that I've been on, this is for sure my favorite one.
I don't know my future with football, but I do know that I still have a lot to learn on how to develop as a player and as a person. I look forward to continuing on in this adventure, not alone, but with my family, my friends, and my teammates.
Shameless plug: If you'd like to come to a game, support our team, or find out about our events, check us out on Facebook. You can even make a donation (we pay for all of our expenses) here by clicking on the sponsor button.
(Here I am about to make a tackle. I'm such a newb...)
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