“Anonymous” is a promising female athlete who aspires to survive try-outs, mini-camps, and summer conditioning drills to, hopefully, play in the LFL. These are fifty things she’s learned about football, reprinted here with her permission.

(1) Don’t catch with any part of your face! I’ve tried it 5 times; it doesn’t get any better with practice!

(2) Don’t catch with your chest, knee, stomach, arm, or neck.

(3) In summary, always catch with your hands!

(4) Keep your eyes on the ball!

(5) Look the ball into your hands! A split second is the difference between yardage and a do-over.

(6) Focus on what you are doing. Look for what you are catching, look at what you are picking up, and pay attention to how you are throwing. I’ve been calling that lack of focus “clumsiness” for years.

(7) Make sure you catch the ball first.

(8) Always prefer a solid catch with your hands but do whatever it takes to catch the ball!

(9) There’s a ton of strategy to football.

(10) Football takes a lot of focus.

(11) If there is anything other than exactly where I want the ball to go in my mind, a successful throw becomes less likely.

(12) If you’re watching your feet, you won’t catch the ball (learned from experience).

(13) Every player has a job, a significance, and a stake in the outcome of the game. No one is just a body on the field.

(14) Turf burn isn’t fun.

(15) Adrenaline can keep almost anything from hurting or mattering until the game is done.

(16) Game time is the best time all week!!!!

(17) Don’t mix dance training with running style. It results in a face plant!

(18) I am stronger and tougher than I thought.

(19) Train the way you want to play.

(20) Zone coverage has a back to it.

(21) I hate getting left behind when running.

(22) I am competitive. I can’t even run in the gym without matching pace with the person beside me.

(23) In football, sometimes being a speed bump to the opposing player is just enough.

(24) When hitting the ground is gonna happen, tuck and roll if you can.

(25) Get back up; immediately if possible. The play could still be going.

(26) Don’t stop ’til you hear the whistle.

(27) You gotta want it every time.

(28) Bye-weeks are bad!

(29) Getting to play football rocks!

(30) Running with your hands out trying for a catch slows you down and looks dumb.

(31) You want two hands on the ball but sometimes one will do if you tip it right for a two-handed catch.

(32) Throw in front of the intended receiver. It’s harder to catch if you throw behind them.

(33) There is a fine line between a soft-handed catch and a tense-handed fumble.

(34) A receiver’s shoulders and head sell a route.

(35) A quarterback’s eyes give her plans away.

(36) Deception and trickery are part of the game.

(37) If you can’t shake hands at the end of the game, you shouldn’t play!

(38) Kick returns confuse me.

(39) Do what’s best for the team.

(40) Don’t flinch when the ball is coming at your face.

(41) Don’t be scared of the ball.

(42) It truly is a game of inches.

(43) Bring the ball into your body after a catch .

(44) Sport Science is awesome!

(45) Spatial awareness is important.

(46) Don’t drop the ball.

(47) Move the ball from hand to hand to keep it as far from defenders as possible.

(48) A catch is a catch; they can’t all be beautiful.

(49) Sometimes stepping out of bounds is necessary.

(50)….

I am falling in love with football!

I’d like to thank photographer Melissa Willis for providing the three stock photos used at the beginning, middle, and end of this article and photographer Anthony Skorochod of CyclingCaptured.Com for his pictures of the Philadelphia vs Tampa game. Other photos are as marked.

After the LFL announced that the New York Majesty would not be returning for a second season of play, a number of players found themselves without a team. Tanyka Renee and Angela Perfetto, who were interviewed earlier, opted to play for the Philadelphia Passion as rookies on a team full of returning veterans.

Krystal Gray and Kiera Massette Somers decided to play for the new Baltimore Charm as veterans on a team full of rookies.

Troy Whigham caught up with the two All-Whigham Team players to see how things were coming along.

(1) You were both injured going in the final Majesty game against Tampa. Have you recovered from those injuries and are you up to full speed yet?

Kiera Massette Somers

Kiera: Yes! What a heartbreak to miss that final game in Tampa! I’m still in Physical Therapy two or three days a week for the ankle (it was a third degree ankle sprain) but it’s mostly precautionary at this point, just to keep it healthy and prevent it from happening again. I’m pretty much at full speed, taking extra steps to be super-careful with it by taping it, using a brace, lots of ice-baths, etc…. It still gets pretty swollen and wearing heels is a challenge!

Krystal Gray

Krystal: I have been working with my personal trainer Mark Aquino from New York and Shannon Wallace our team trainer here in Baltimore on strengthening the areas around the injury*. I have also been working with all the coaches at the Darrin Slack Quarterback Academy and specifically Coach Will Hewlett (Player Development) and Coach Dub Maddox (the Offensive Coordinator, Passing Game Coordinator and the Quarterback Coach at Jenks High School in Oklahoma, which was recently seen on NFL Network) on perfecting the mechanics of throwing, and the technicalities that go along with being a QB. Being blessed to have these trainers and coaches is teaching me to deal with the injury and to play through it correctly.

* Krystal had a torn labrum in her throwing shoulder for most of last season.

Spot the LFL quarterback

(2) As veteran players now with a team that’s new to the league, have you done anything to help the other players prepare for the upcoming season?

Kiera: I really wanted the new Charm girls to feel comfortable coming to me with ANY questions or concerns about the league, or football in general. It should be a positive learning experience, and I know how nerve-racking it can be when you’re new to something. They are an AMAZING group of girls, and the team chemistry is already there! We, as veterans, are still learning too! Our coaching and training staff is so good at what they do, and I really don’t think there will be a better prepared or conditioned team in the Eastern Conference!

Krystal: The best way to help our teammates is to serve them with love through actions. Respect is earned on the field when our teammates see us suffer the way they are suffering; when they can see with their eyes, not hear from our mouth, that we place them before us and continue to do so.

(3) As veteran players, have you made the rookies wash your cars or sing a song at practice?

Kiera: HAHAHA! I didn’t even think about doing anything like that! We have some fun events coming up so, Hmmm…maybe I’ll have to look into it. But, I might have to join-in and sing along. Everyone knows how I feel about karaoke!*

* For those who haven’t read the interview I did with Kiera last season, she comes from a family of athletes and musicians. She’s a football player that can carry a tune!

Krystal: I try not to single myself out as a veteran because we are all rookies on the Baltimore Charm. Its a brand new team which means no one is a veteran to the team. No one is above anyone and every one of us practices and competes side by side.

(4) Can any of the rookies do a one-arm pushup?

Kiera: I can think of a few girls who I’m almost CERTAIN can do a one-armed pushup! Carol King, Samantha Allen Smith, and Chantelle Ringgold to name a few. There may even be more than that. A lot of these girls came into the league already very well conditioned, which is so awesome!

Krystal: Our team is very blessed with talent. Every player that was at practice Sunday was made to be a star and left 110% on the field. The coaches even go through the drills with us.

Baltimore Charm hopefuls

(5) What do you think is the biggest difference between playing for the Majesty and training with the Charm?

Kiera: I think that there is always a chemistry factor when you get people in any sport together to compete at any level. The league was very new when the NY Majesty made it’s debut, and there was a lot of experimenting and trial and error, which comes with the territory of anything new and different. It was hard at first to find the level of commitment and that ‘chemistry’ that you need from players for a successful team, and through all adversity, the Majesty continued to push forward and finish out the season. It’s tough to compare NY to the Baltimore Charm. One is definitely not better or worse than the other, just different. Different city, different players, different coaching styles, different mindsets. Everyone knows how tough NYC can be, and it takes a lot to really thrive in that market. The Majesty will be back, and bigger than ever, though. I’m sure of it!

Krystal: It’s in the name. Majesty: Kings and queens fall when they all try to stand alone. Charm: It’s magic. It’s a blessing. It’s easier to work harder for people you know love you and care for you.

Bienvenido a Miami!

(6) The Majesty went winless in 2009-10. Did you learn anything from that experience?

Kiera: Well, we learned to never give up. Those of us who stuck out the season through the heartache, coaching changes, roster changes, losses and injuries really learned about dedication and perseverance. It was definitely tough, but again, it was something very new and the lessons learned made us, especially as veteran players, stronger in more ways than one. That’s a big reason why I wanted the new Charm girls to feel comfortable coming to us with any questions on and off the field, ’cause odds are, we probably went through it last season!

Krystal: I learned so much I wrote a book. I almost didn’t play again and I cherished every friend I made last season like they were the last person on Earth. What I really learned was who cared and who didn’t.

(7) Which Charm players do you think will have the biggest impact on the league this season?

Kiera: Wow! I don’t know if I can pick just a few! I seriously have such a respect for the level of athleticism that I’ve seen over the past few weeks from these girls. Samantha Allen Smith (my soon-to-be roommate) has an absolute cannon for an arm. Chantelle Ringgold and Crystal Keys are two of the fastest women I have ever seen on the turf. Brittany Tegeler played soccer at UConn and Carol King may soon own an island next to Revis Island! There are so many more than just those names, but then I would have to list the entire team! Everyone really has something to bring to the table.

Krystal: It is really hard to say. Player development is still happening and you never know what will happen when the competitive gene kicks into the athletes. Every Charm player literally has a charming quality. Seriously. Each one is great at something different.

(8) You’re both All-Whigham Team players and could have been one of the best Center/Quarterback combinations in the Eastern Conference last season, but didn’t make the LFL Fantasy all-star game. Do you think you have something to prove this season?

Kiera: We definitely worked well together as a C/QB team and I know I learned a lot about the O-line and the game of football in general. I think that the challenges the NY Majesty were faced with last season had a lot to do with any of us making the LFL Fantasy All-Star game. Personally, I’m always looking to grow and develop my skills even more. I like to look at it more as having just one more goal for this upcoming season, and not so much as having ’something to prove.’ Whoever is at C and/or QB this year, I trust that the Charm’s coaching staff will have the best girl there for the job. For myself, I want to be a better football player overall, and with that, the rest will come.

Krystal: I play football to serve God first and foremost, then to serve my family, my teammates, and my coaches. The only thing I have to prove is that I still love football; I still love my God, family, teammates and coaches. I just play the game because it’s always been there. If you want to know your true character, play football. I play to refine my character. There is always room for that. I’m just thankful for the privilege to keep doing it.

Thank you for your time, ladies. Now go practice your one-arm pushups!

There are several components that go into being an effective quarterback in football. Physical talent is, of course, a critical part of the equation. The player has to have good balance, agility, vision, strength, and hand-eye coordination; along with an accurate arm and good throwing technique.

But a quarterback also has to be a leader.

Football is a team sport. Every play, every snap, is an execution by a team of players working in harmony towards a common goal; each relying on the other to fulfill a particular function in support of the other players on the team.

The quarterback is responsible for controlling that harmonic chaos.

The Baltimore Charm ended their try-outs with a list of rookies who had qualified for the grueling summertime training camp to prepare them for the team’s inaugural season in the LFL. The list included a number of athletes excited about the prospects of playing professional football. On that list was Samantha Allen Smith; personal trainer, bartender, mother, and wife of a US Navy senior chief.

Samantha Allen Smith never played a team sport in college. In fact, she didn’t play any varsity sports in college at all. That’s because she was too young.

“I ended up leaving my regular high school and went to a military school run by the National Guard (by choice I must add). I graduated early and started college at the age of 16. Not being able to drive yet in the state of New Jersey prohibited me from really engaging in any college sports.”

Why the change in high schools?

“The military school was more of a challenge than my regular high school. I was good at teaching myself and this was a self-paced school, so I would be able to graduate early if I tested out, which I did. I was very independent at a very young age, so I wanted to rush everything.”

When she was 6 years old, Samantha took gymnastics lessons. As she got older she also played softball, basketball, and cheered for the LindenBoro Chargers. But, she quit because she preferred to spend her time running around doing drills with her brother’s football team, which practiced at the same field.

“I really wanted to play football back then, but my mom told me the only way that I was going to play on the team was if I got straight A’s and, well, I wasn’t a ‘bad’ student but I sure wasn’t a straight A student either.”

In high school she was on the swim team and was the top female diver. She also played on the women’s field hockey team.

That all ended when she decided to challenge herself at the military school.

It also ended her involvement in organized team sports. Or so she thought.

After college, she became a personal trainer by day and tended bar at night. She trained for fitness competitions, but never participated in any. Then she met the man of her dreams and soon they both started a family. She settled comfortably into the role of being a military wife.

And then one day …

“My little brother called me from Philadelphia because he was out and saw some of the Philadelphia Passion girls. I proceeded to research it a little and posted on my Facebook page that night that I wanted to play football for living. I totally meant it as a joke! I mean, I wanted to play, but I never really thought it would really happen, or that I would have the opportunity since my husband and I move all the time.”

“Football has always been my sport. I’m not sure if it’s because I had four brothers growing up that were always pressured to play football whether they liked it or not, or because it just felt natural to me. Football is an amazing sport and to people that don’t know it, it just looks like chaos. But those that know the game know it is ‘organized chaos’. I have always been that girl that truly wants to throw the football with boys at the beach because it was my only chance to play.”

It had been a long time since she’d played a team sport in high school, when she had laced up a set of cleats for field hockey. Throwing a ball around with friends is one thing. Playing with a group of competitive athletes is something different. Could she learn to play football for real? She had one thing going for her. After the birth of her son, she had challenged herself to get in shape.

“From going to being a personal trainer and a bartender and being in amazing shape to being pregnant and working all the way up to birth was a big task. I exercised during my whole pregnancy, and bartended the entire time as well, and I still gained 40 pounds. Then, to assess the damage and move on from there was what I had to do. It took me a long time to lose the weight and get back to where I was before the pregnancy – almost a year and a half – but I did it without having to take any extreme measures and by staying positive. And now I am so thankful for that. I have my health, my husband, my son, and now football; which I only had to wait 28 years for!”

“With the LFL I get the opportunity of a lifetime. I get to be a woman as much as a football player. My brother knew it was right up my alley, because I had spent all that time running around at his football practices when we were kids. Now, I can’t wait for him to come home so he can practice with me!”

So what can a woman who hasn’t played a team sport since she was 16 contribute to a professional football team that has yet to play a single down?

Physical talent, a great arm, and most importantly, leadership.

“I’m not really sure how to word it but I feel as if I bring the feeling of a family to our team. Before we even had tryouts I reached out to as many of the girls as possible, to try and get to know them as much as possible, so that it wasn’t awkward at tryouts. I want to be a positive influence on the team and I want them to remain positive. I try and make sure that everyone feels included and doesn’t feel like any one other player is neither above or below them. I want everyone to know that it doesn’t just take one person to make the team, it takes a bunch of players unified to win a game. I guess because I left high school early I never had the opportunity to be part of the high school cliques or go to a regular college and get to be a part of the sororities. So, this to me now is such an amazing opportunity where I for once get to be around women that have so much in common with me and all want the same thing. Believe it or not, it’s not that easy to find women that want to be a part of such a sport. And now I have a great group of them and it’s exhilarating to see us all work together and produce results.”

Read that paragraph again.

Go ahead. Do it. You’ll get an education. I’ll even highlight the key parts for you:

“I’m not really sure how to word it but I feel as if I bring the feeling of a family to our team. Before we even had tryouts I reached out to as many of the girls as possible, to try and get to know them as much as possible, so that it wasn’t awkward at tryouts. I want to be a positive influence on the team and I want them to remain positive. I try and make sure that everyone feels included and doesn’t feel like any one other player is neither above or below them. I want everyone to know that it doesn’t just take one person to make the team, it takes a bunch of players unified to win a game. I guess because I left high school early I never had the opportunity to be part of the high school cliques or go to a regular college and get to be a part of the sororities. So, this to me now is such an amazing opportunity where I for once get to be around women that have so much in common with me and all want the same thing. Believe it or not, it’s not that easy to find women that want to be a part of such a sport. And now I have a great group of them and it’s exhilarating to see us all work together and produce results.”

Did you get that?

She just summarized components of the Dale Carnegie training program on effective leadership, the US Army Officer Candidate program (and possibly the US Navy’s as well), the IBM program for first-time managers, and the leadership guidelines repeated in the memoirs of Lt. Richard Winters, who commanded his company of 101st Airborne Division paratroopers to victory during D-Day without the direction of any senior officers.

Baltimore hasn’t even been issued uniforms, and she’s already helping to shape them into a cohesive, highly-motivated team oriented for a unified purpose.

Not bad.

So how will she manage the day-to-day responsibilities of being a football player, a wife, and a mom?

“This is truly an example of being a team. With my husband being a senior chief in the USN and about to deploy again, I am fortunate enough that he is truly supportive of me being a part of the LFL. I am also awarded the opportunity of living wherever I want while he is gone, just to be able practice with the team. Some people are not just able to up and move, or willing to. If it wasn’t for my husband being so supportive and my passion for the sport, it wouldn’t work. As far as my son is concerned, he just turned 2 and doesn’t really know what is going on, so I can find him a good preschool or sitter no matter where I go. My husband will be deployed for most of my first season which leaves football as my main focus (aside from my son). There are ups and downs of being a military wife and in this case the timing has just worked out perfectly.”

Jayden Smith shows the importance of holding the football with both hands.

Any advice for others who want to follow your lead?

“If they truly love the sport and want the opportunity to play, then I would encourage them to get involved. I mean, honestly, at this point where else will they ever get an opportunity to be considered a professional athlete for a predominately male sport? It’s not like we are out there putting on a fake show for men. We are out there running real plays; really hitting, catching, and throwing and leaving our hearts on the field. We have a lot to prove in this league and I would do everything in my power to guide them through the process, given the opportunity, and try to help them deal with any negative publicity that they might encounter. They need to know – and truly believe – it is an amazing opportunity and something they will always be able to take with them wherever they go.”

Spoken like a true leader.

A lot of teams, businesses, and organizations could use a woman like you.

Because sport is more than just a game. It’s a lesson in life, even when you don’t realize it.

Welcome to the All-Whigham team, Samantha.

Long live sport.

Passion:
1: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate.
2: the state of being acted upon or affected by something external, esp. something alien to one’s nature or one’s customary behavior
3: Archaic. the sufferings of a martyr.
4: Ardent love.

“It’s all about Passion – (latin root-Passio) – willingness to suffer for the ones we love. ” I read as he signed off the letter he wrote me. My brain was at that state where I needed to come to a decision. My heart was getting ready to harden or to heal as I tried to find myself in the end of the brokeness I experienced last year. During the three-month off-season we had, I had been trying to decide if I was going to play football again or not. Coach Maddox’s words rang through my head as I read it again. ” “It’s all about Passion – (latin root-Passio) – willingness to suffer for the ones we love. ” I didn’t know that day if I would play again or not but I could feel the words turning all kinds of emotions on in my heart again. “I still have this tear in my shoulder.” I thought to myself. “Unless this coach is magic, whats the point.” I was discouraged. ” Haven’t I suffered enough” I thought of him feeling upset. Last season football had taken everything from me so much that it had suffocated my love for the game. I had no hope in football anymore. I had played my entire life on boys teams and last season was the hardest year I had ever had. In football and in life. My brain was ready to walk away. Its like looking back on a fire that just burnt my house down. Nobody wants to see that over and over again.

I sat there and the waves of emotions and the thoughts that swirled in my brain confused me. They didn’t line up. My brain had been suffocated but my heart had just been given air. “If we can help you let me know…otherwise stay strong. ” He had written in his letter. Coach was offering help from the Quarterback Academy. “What is he challenging me?” I thought “Way to make me want something I cant have” I thought “Typical guy.” My thoughts continued to try and poison my heart. So I wrote back to him with my number. I needed to talk to this guy who was spinning my world upside down. I was just about to walk away from football and this coach reaches out offering hope. “Now what” I thought as I waited for him to call. I could feel my attitude being humbled & I could feel my heart being opened .

I cant exactly remember the conversation we had that night but it ended with a decision for me to attend the Quarterback Academy in Orlando in May. I remember thinking ” What do I have to lose if I go & they cant fix me ?” I didn’t have anything to lose. I had everything to gain. I had a shot at playing again. A game that took everything from me certaintly deserved to give me one more year. A shot at redemption & everyone loves the come back story.

I attended the Academy over the past weekend & all the lessons football had taught me last year were completely reaffirmed at camp as I listen to the coaches teach the guys about football and about life. Watching the team of coaches interact at the QBA I was blessed to actually see what a real team and its connection is suppose to be like. I learned what real men are suppose to be like. All the ways I let my team down last year and all the ways I have been let down surfaced as we went through the various drills, as I learned new mechanics & as my brain tried to attack my attitude all weekend. I learned that we can’t do everything on our own. Being a quarterback isn’t about doing everything on your own, its about doing everything to put everyone else before yourself in order that the team might benifit. The coaches didnt just say the words, they actually lived that way. I listened to their conversations between eachother and listened to the way they talked to the other players. I was also blessed to see the way they treat women & the way it’s suppose to be. I watched the way they served each other & the football players at the camp. Coach Maddox did have magic & so did all of the other coaches that coach the Academy. They have charm backed by integrity to do whats right even when they don’t want to. They radiate with the strength to encourage others to play again and to play harder, smarter and better than before & they work with all their might to pass these traits to others.

Charm:
1: a power of pleasing or attracting, as through personality or beauty:
2: a verse or formula credited with magical power.
3: any action supposed to have magical power.
4: a trait or feature imparting this power.
5: to endow with or protect by supernatural powers.
6: to act upon (someone or something) with or as with a compelling or magical force:

I will play with the Baltimore Charm this year. I can’t promise my family, the QBA, coach Maddox, the league, my teammates, my coaches or that community & the fans that I will be the best quarterback in the league but I can make a promise to play on the field and in life with passion. “It’s all about Passion – (latin root-Passio) – willingness to suffer for the ones we love. ” I can promise you that I will work with all my heart to serve you to protect you from the season & the life I had last year. I can promise that I will work wholeheartedly in order that you might receive the gift I received through the example set at the QBA. I can promise that I will remain thankful that you accept me with open arms to play another season, to train me, to coach me & to love me. I can promise that you are important to me & at the end of it all, its not the football I have come to love wholeheartedly. It’s you & the opportunity we have to influence those around us to be a formula of magic power & to influence your life through Passion & Charm. So from a quiet heart. Thank you.

~Oh yeah and Lets go Charm.

~KG.

Troy Whigham caught up with two former Majesty players who survived the Philadelphia Passion try-out camp – Angela Perfetto and Tanyka Renee – and they agreed to answer a few quick questions about last year, and what it’s like to be a rookie all over again.

(1) The NY Majesty had a disappointing season, going 0-3 and becoming the punching bag of the conference. Did you learn anything from that experience?

Angela Perfetto

Angela: You cant let that 0 bring you down. We had a good group of girls going into the Tampa Breeze game. When Tanyka scored that first TD, I swore we were gonna walk away with a win. We worked so hard at practice. I think it was the first time that the girls walked away proud of what was accomplished. Even though we lost, we gave Tampa a run for their money. We left Tampa with our heads held high, baby.

Tanyka Renee

Tanyka: Playing for the NY Majesty made me a stronger person. My team-mates and I had 4 different coaches; players came and went. But in the end my love for football only grew stronger.

I had to play for the entire game; water breaks were rare, but through trials and tribulations my teammates and I remained strong. We may have lost the games, but we refused to lose our spirit.

I learned to never give up. Everything happens for a reason. Through this experience, I met some amazing girls; girls who will be my sisters for the rest of my life!

(2) As experienced LFL players trying out for a new team, did that give you an advantage at the Philadelphia try-outs?

Angela: The only advantage is that I know how Mitch runs the LFL and what he is looking for in a player. Other than that it felt like I was starting all over, trying out for the first time.

Tanyka: There were both, advantages and disadvantages in trying out for a new team. Actually, this was my third time trying out for a team. I originally tried out for New England Ecstasy and New York Majesty and made both. I was very nervous, knowing that the coaches and league expected more from me than the rookies. This made me kind of nervous. But with the support of my teammates Ciara, Angela, and the girls of the Passion rooting for me, this nervousness soon passed.

(3) Why did you decide to come back for another season?

Angela: I wanted another chance to showcase what I can offer. Also, I wanted to work with a group of individuals who I know will put 100% into the team.

Tanyka: I decided to come back this season because football keeps me young. You might say that it’s my personal fountain of youth. When I play football, I forget all my problems and experience a sense of serenity. When you were a child, I am sure that you would play and you would have so much fun you would get lost in time; before you knew it, it was time to go inside.

Growing up, I didn’t experience my childhood. I was forced to be responsible for myself before I was out of elementary and I was on my own by 16. Football lets me go back to experience this.

(4) How is playing for the Passion different from playing for the Majesty?

Angela: I know I will show up to practice and see more than 5 people there ready to win.

Tanyka: I went through mini-camps and I was awakened with a big surprise. Every single girl that was there was very athletic and could almost play every position. Coach Chandler makes sure that he conditions his girls properly with military style training. Although I am an athlete I soon realized that I need to do more conditioning.

In NY we had competition but not this much. You are constantly getting pushed and as soon as you reach that goal you have another one in front of you. I love it! I love the challenge! I just wish the rest of the Majesty girls were here with me like Krystal Gray, Kiera Massette Somers, Anastasia, Adina, Nicole S., Nicole R, and Jess.

Tanyka pursues Tabby Haskins

(5) Have any Passion vets given you the stink eye for being former Majesty players or are they glad to see you?

Angela: “Hi! I’m Angela (:: wall is up; stink eye::), I’m from the New York Majesty team (::wall is broken and happy to see me::).” After the girls found out where I was from, they knew I wasn’t there to fool around.

Tanyka: I love the Passion girls. They are very welcoming and supportive. They made sure I was training and constantly pushed me. On the field, the girls of the LFL are very competitive and are ready to kill each other, but off the field we’re sisters. We are united by our passion and our love of football.

Tyrah Lusby burns the entire Majesty team for one of five touchdowns

(6) Have Diamond, Lusby, Fairweather, and Perez made you wash their cars yet? Or made you sing and dance at training camp as “the new girls”?

Angela: LOL! Now that’s funny! Is that what I have to look forward to if I make the team? Alright then…2 words…BRING IT!

Tanyka: LOL! No, not really. Well, Lauren Labella did make me sniff her stinky gloves, but other than that…

Lauren Labella and Shelly Lashley do one-arm pushups at practice. Note stinky glove.

(7) As a player, what is the one thing you hope to improve on football-wise this time around?

Angela: Control on the field; focus on what I need to do to get the job done.

Tanyka: I want to become more rounded as a player. I played corner and offensive line last season, but I want to perfect other positions this year. Take Tyrah Lusby and Krystal Gray for example. They play corner, safety, running back, and they can really throw. I am going to train hard and be a much better player than I was last year.

(8) Before the LFL, what sports did you play and why did you decide to play football?

Angela: In high school, I participated in track and field. I also was a cheerleader for 5 years on my high school team and an All-Star team. Now I am a distance runner and participated in 3 half-marathons. I love watching football and always wanted to participate in the sport somehow. Then, the New York and Philly teams came here and I had to take advantage of it. Also, work and life can be stressful and its just nice to hit something or someone….and get away with it! Football is such a great stress reliever, ya know?

Tanyka: I have always been competitive. I was the tom-boy that always hung with the boys. I grew up with the motto “Anything you can do, I can do better”. I played basketball, dance, soccer, and fencing. I also played softball but I quickly became bored.

Troy: Thanks, ladies, and good luck with camp. After three days of intense football training, I’m sure you’ll be plenty tired, but just make sure you get TWO coats of wax on Jaime Diamond’s car before you leave the practice field.

Going into the inaugural 2009 LFL season, the Tampa Breeze had firmly seated Jenn Myers as its starting quarterback. Even before she played a single down, Myers was ranked as one of the top five QBs in the league, just based on her talent alone. She had rock-solid physical ability, a strong arm, good field vision, and a sharp mind. She had everything a football coach could want in a quarterback.

Backing her up was Denisha Crawford, a recreational athlete who hadn’t played a varsity-level sport since high school.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t have potential.

“I started off playing soccer in the 3rd grade. I wasn’t the best player but I was fast and I could kick the snot out of the ball. I played soccer until my freshman year in high school.”

“I started playing basketball in the 5th grade and surprisingly, I was the center. I was tall (for my age) but then I stopped growing! I was very good at basketball and continued to play even in the rec leagues in college. My first love is basketball and I still play from time to time.”

“In the 6th grade I started running track, where my father noticed that I had a gift for jumping. I competed until the end of high school where I set the school records for long jump, triple jump, 110m hurdles, and 330m hurdles.”

She wasn’t completely unprepared for football. You don’t play sports in Florida without knowing a few things about the game, and Denisha had some experience throwing and catching thanks to flag football.

“I started playing flag football in high school and it pretty much rolled over to college. I played rec flag football at the University of Florida. Our team went to Nationals twice and left with a 2nd place trophy and a 5th place trophy. I earned All-Tournament Team recognition at both visits. I then played rec flag football at Florida State University and won the campus championship there.”

“I was introduced to the LFL from a high school friend. I was skeptical because the name of the league is very misleading but after I watched one of the practices I was amped! I still had to be convinced about the uniforms, but ultimately, I just wanted to play football.”

And that’s how she found herself standing on the sidelines watching Jenn Myers run the Tampa offense in its first game of the 2009 season against the #1-ranked Chicago Bliss, a game Tampa would lose on a heart-breaking offensive drive that stalled late in the final minutes.

Against Philadelphia the following week, Tampa found itself playing a Passion team that had thoroughly scouted the Tampa offense. Myers was able to move the ball down the field, but the Breeze couldn’t punch the ball in. As the clock continued to run, she once again began to move her team down the field.

The Tampa bench held its breath as the offense lined up. The Passion broke huddle and matched up against them.

Myers called the cadence, took the snap, and the players deployed to their zones. As she dropped back, with a Philadelphia player in close pursuit, her foot found a slight lump in the artificial turf and her ankle rolled over.

Jenn Myers, a Top Five quarterback, was done for the night.

Denisha Crawford was in.

The Tampa offense was confused and erratic, the result of a backup quarterback who suddenly found herself in a critical situation playing in an arena dominated by hostile fans, most of whom gave a Philly cheer to the Tampa huddle as Denisha tried to keep her team, and herself, together.

That night wouldn’t be the Cinderella story of an underdog player saving her team. There was no “Miracle on Turf”.

Tampa lost again.

The plane ride back was long.

Three weeks later, after the holidays had passed, Tampa played at home against a New York team fighting for redemption. Jenn Myers was still nursing her ankle injury and had limited mobility in a game that demands constant movement. Denisha Crawford was tapped to once again lead the Tampa Breeze, now 0-2 and fighting to avoid elimination from play-off contention.

New York received the kick-off and carried the ball across midfield, deep into Tampa’s territory, then scored on their very first play from scrimmage when Nicole Stanley connected on a pass to Tanyka Renee to put six on the board.

Tampa was shocked.

And their back-up quarterback, who had only three weeks to truly learn the offense inside and out, was about to come into the game down by six points.

No pressure.

The Tampa coaches had revised their playbook to take advantage of Denisha’s speed and agility, and she had pushed herself to learn the new offense as quickly as she could. All those years of basketball and flag football had given her fantastic lateral movement and downfield vision, and now she coupled her athleticism with her new role as the team’s starting quarterback.

Denisha, with the support of the entire Breeze team, came out gunning.

It paid off with a Tampa victory.

And not only did she help win the game, she also won the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

Not bad for a recreational athlete.

Is turning your team’s season around and winning an MVP award your greatest accomplishment?

“My greatest accomplishment is earning my Master’s degree a semester early in 2006. After earning my Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management at the University of Florida, I headed over to my ARCH-RIVAL, Florida State, to pursue my Master’s degree in Sport Administration. I am 95% Gator and 5% ‘Nole. I worked in the office for FSU women’s basketball and wore my Gator gear all over the place. I ticked everyone off.”

Do you get recognized as the quarterback for the Tampa Breeze?

“Yes, I was recognized at the gym by a Breeze fan. The girl came up to me and asked if I was the QB for the Breeze and told me how awesome it is for women to be playing real tackle football. I was very flattered. I’ve also gotten recognized at a few a parties and I always seem to get the same questions. ‘Do you get paid?’, ‘Do you like the uniforms?’, ‘How do you get in shape?’. I really enjoy talking about the league and my team. I am definitely a walking advertisement!”

Any advice for girls who find themselves being the understudy to another player?

“I would tell all back-up players to continue to practice and play as hard as possible. Even if you NEVER get to start, you are pushing your teammates to play even harder. No one can get better without some good competition. I never thought I would get a chance to start last season, and I was perfectly fine with it because Jenn is an amazing player. If the Breeze weren’t there pushing her, she wouldn’t be as good as she is.”

Being a back-up player is not an easy assignment. You have to convince yourself that you will play every week, even though the game program says you won’t. You have to push yourself to get ready for the challenge of competition while the attention gets focused on the player ahead of you. To have that level of self-discipline is one of the most daunting tasks in sports.

It’s also the measure of a person’s character.

Because when victory hangs in the balance, your team will be counting on you to be ready. If you fail them, you fail yourself.

And the harder you push yourself, the harder you push them, too.

It’s the same in sports, in business, and in life.

Just ask a back-up player who went 2-1 in her first season and won MVP in her first game as a starter, but still credits her greatest accomplishment as having earned college degrees from each of the state’s premier universities.

And now she can add one more title to her list.

Welcome to the All-Whigham team, Denisha.

Long live sport.

Lisa Meneely learned to ski before she learned how to swim. Bobbing in the water after a fall, buoyed by her life jacket, she learned how to swim only because it was the best way to get back to the boat.

She was soon swimming competitively and earned a place on a dive team. She quit diving when she realized that she couldn’t show off her dive moves at school recess (and because the gymnastics girls were getting all the attention), so she started doing gymnastics, too.

Basketball and volleyball were also in the mix. She loved playing outside hitter on the volleyball team, a position that required her to be able to extend a block above the net. Unfortunately, the other girls were four inches (or more) taller than her, so she made herself a home in the backcourt as a defensive specialist where her speed, agility, and flexibility gave her an advantage.

But those weren’t the only sports she played.

“I played soccer going into high school, but I still wasn’t into all that running around yet. I mostly just liked going out there and playing, doing my little flip throw-ins to wow the crowd and scare the other team. I also enjoyed slide tackling the girls; with or without the ball. I might have received a few yellow (and red) cards in my time.”

Eugene, Oregon, where she grew up, is recognized as the heartbeat of American track and field – Track Town USA – so it was only natural that she would also be drawn to sprinting.

“I loved track and field. I was a sprinter. I preferred the 200m, 100m, and the relays, but I was the best at the 400m. At the time, that just seemed too far, too fast, but I did it for the coaches.”

She also played four years of varsity softball. “When I hit that ball I hit it hard. When I threw the ball I threw it far. There was no telling, however, where it was going either way!”

She loved sports. She loved the way the human body operated during strenuous activity. So, she studied Exercise and Movement Science at the University of Oregon, becoming a personal trainer her freshman year. She managed the student rec center and taught Human Anatomy labs for two years while working towards her graduate degree in Sports Medicine and Biomechanics.

After graduating she moved to San Diego.

“I was playing catch at La Jolla High School where I ran into a group of the San Diego Seduction girls working out with the team trainer. They were doing Saturday conditioning drills and it looked waaaaay too fun! The trainer and I talked for a bit and he invited me out to practice. I was HOOKED immediately but had to fight hard – I mean HARD – for my position. I went to every practice; trained constantly in the gym with the trainer and on my own. I changed my diet and my schedule. I pushed myself beyond what I thought I could handle both physically and emotionally.”

And it took its toll.

The human body is a wonderful machine. It can take a lot of abuse and keep rolling. It can withstand three times the normal force of gravity without blacking out. It can survive the loss of all four limbs. It can handle extreme stress loads, but only up to a point. And when you go past that point, bad things happen.

“I had severe asthma, pulled quads, cracked ribs, torn ligaments, and hurt feelings! I contracted both swine flu and the seasonal flu. My temperature was up to 104 when I finally missed a practice. The girls didn’t know it but there were more than a couple of times that I went from the hospital to practice or vice versa. I have never loved a sport like I loved football, so it was an easy decision to do what I needed to do to get where I wanted to be. As 2010 rolled around, spots opened up on the roster and the LFL contracted me to play for San Diego Seduction as their hard hitting, tear’em up cornerback, #15.”

“Football incorporates the best aspects of all sports! You have to be strong and quick. You have to have your individual game dialed in but be completely reliant on – and reliable to – your teammates. You have to know what is happening right in front of you but see the whole field. You have to have core power and agility to maneuver and be able to break it down and change directions at any time. The adrenaline and anticipation, the speed, the throws, the catches and (my favorite) the hits, all help make football the most exciting game to be a part of.”

It was during a drill that her body reached its maximum stress threshold. She pushed her body past its breaking point, and a bad thing happened.

“I had flown in early to San Diego after going home to Oregon (Go Ducks!) to see my family for Christmas. I cut my trip short by four days to make sure I was there for practice. We were working on a defensive drill. I had shed the blocker and turned in to tackle the running back. My knee felt like it popped back and came back in; I felt like it hyper-extended or subluxed. I immediately fell to the ground and grabbed my knee. Everyone gathered around me and I just remember that I didn’t want anyone to touch me or take my helmet off. I guess I didn’t want anyone to see me cry. Our coach and Rick, Julie Galindo’s boyfriend, helped carry me off the field. Rick had just had shoulder surgery so I wanted them to put me down to walk so he didn’t hurt himself further.”

“When I went down I knew I would be out for the rest of that drill. But even as they carried me off the field, I had no idea how bad it was. I figured I would be out for a few runs in the drill, but I had no idea of all that would be involved. My knee didn’t hurt that bad that day or the next. I started trying to train to get back out there quick. Then, just days after I signed, I went down again. Later I found out I had torn both my ACL and MCL in my right knee.”

There was surgery, of course, followed by months of rehabilitation. No football, no running, no gymnastics, no sports of any sort. Nothing but strength and stretching, trying to get her wounded limb back to normal.

“I am a biomechanist and work in Sports Medicine so I basically do strength and stretching exercises throughout my workday with my patients, while trying to build my own knee back up. I was sooooo happy to go on my first road run the other day and I can’t wait to get into some drills.”

“I am currently working on compiling a series of exercises that are shown to help prevent ACL injuries in female athletes. We have a greater risk of knee injuries due to our Q angle–the angle from our hips to our knees. I want this not just for me, but to implement for all the girls on all the teams. We are competitive, but we all want the best for each other.”

And remember, it isn’t just her knee. Breathing is kind of important, too.

“I haven’t always had asthma. It seemed to develop late in high school/early college. At first I didn’t know how to control it. I was playing indoor soccer and I was just gassed. I couldn’t run down to Hayward Field in the spring time. There are triggers like pollen, dander, dust and chemicals.”

“Now I take a series of inhalers every day. Bronchial dilators and steroidal inhalers for inflammation. I also take Singulair and have nebulizer treatments when things get really bad. We haven’t really been able to get it under control since the flu and surgery but I am confident it will turn around. I have recently started with road runs for my knee rehab and breathing has not been an issue with the exercise; just at night.”

Injury is a risk that’s inherent in any sport. Every player that’s played any sort of game will tell you that they experience an injury at some point. Certain injuries tend to follow certain sports – football, volleyball, cheer/dance, and soccer lead in knee injuries in particular – but even light impact sports such as golf can push the human body beyond its limits. Just ask anyone who’s played – or followed – competitive golf about hip joint pain and twisted backs, and the reason golfers wear gloves.

But the true test of a player isn’t how far they go before they get hurt. It’s what they learn during the recovery, and what they learn afterwards.

“The medical challenges have been a small price to pay for the experience of playing football and other sports. Learning to overcome obstacles without excuses has been invaluable…it’s taught me that the bottom line is what matters sometimes. Focus on the outcome and what you need to do to get the results you want. Period. Through this all I feel very lucky to have been selected to return as a veteran player to camps this summer.”

“I can’t be sure of what the future holds for me and football but I have learned so much about myself – about fighting for what I want, about no excuses, about dedication and tenacity – that it is all worth it, regardless. In addition to the life lessons, I have met some of the reallest, toughest and most beautiful women, inside and out, on and off the field.”

Any advice for other athletes?

“Figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are, and then plan ahead. Practice in the off season. Condition. Do sport-specific training. Excel in school so you know what success feels like, so you get in the habit of being successful. Don’t let ANYONE tell you that you can’t. Believe that girls can do anything. Don’t let injuries discourage you. Figure out how they occurred and never let that happen again. Personalize your game. Play smart. Stay healthy. Surround yourself with positive people and let the negative things in your life fuel your passion on the field, court, whatever … and then leave them there.”

“If a woman fears injury, prepare more and/or find a sport with lower risk. You can tear your ACL tripping over a curb. I would much rather shred my knee taking a girl down playing football.”

So what would motivate a woman who suffers respiratory problems, persistent fever, two types of flu, a traumatic knee injury, and months of rehab to want to endure it all again just to play for another season?

“Happiness motivates me. Whenever I make a wish – on a star or when I blow out a candle – I wish for happiness; for myself and my loved ones….for everyone. One of the best parts of being involved with the LFL is being able to show girls what they can do and that there really aren’t as many limits in this life as they might think. Be smart, plan well, and play hard.”

Spoken like a true athlete.

Welcome to the All-Whigham team, Lisa.

Long live sport.

Humans are born with an innate curiosity; an instinct to explore that is hard-wired into our brains. From the day we open our eyes and see that there’s a world outside of ourselves, we begin the wonderful process of discovery.

That desire to explore our world is part of our survival instinct. You can’t escape it. It’s like jumping when you see a snake, or ducking when you see lightning. It’s something that will stay with you forever.

Its that curiosity that makes us try new things.

And that curiosity is what brought Mea Angelini into the world of sports.

“My Mother wanted me to play and experience all kinds of activities. I asked my mom one time how would I know what sports I’d be good at. She explained to me that I’d have to try it first and THEN decide if I liked it.”

That pretty much sums up how Mea Angelini came to be one of the beautiful, athletic women who showed up at try-outs in Orlando hoping to make it into training camp for the LFL, and from there, onto a team.

“I was exposed to all kind of activities but wasn’t forced to any particular one after I decided if it was for me or not. She wanted me to be well rounded, and in doing so I became an expert at learning new sports. The hodge-podge list included soccer, t-ball, ballet, tae-kwan-do, tap dancing, baton twirling, and competitive swimming (to name a few). My parents were also firm believers in the Scouts program, so I experienced, and later became an expert at, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, sailing, wind surfing, snorkeling, and even tried my hand at horseback riding.”

“In high school I fine-tuned my list. I was on the cross country team and the track team, running the 400m and 400m hurdles. I was a part of a two-time National Champion majorette squad and my junior year I joined the newly formed varsity flag football team. Thanks to Title IX, both girls’ and boys’ sports had to be equally funded. My county decided to add girls’ flag football instead of taking away a boys’ sport. My family members are baseball fans, and I hadn’t ever even thrown a football before let alone understood what the down markers meant, but when the announcement came that the flag football team was having try-outs, I was quick to volunteer to try a new sport. Looking back, joining the flag football team was a major turning point that would greatly effect the next 10 years of my life.”

She started playing flag football in high school, then joined a women’s flag football association in college where she played in tournaments up and down the eastern seaboard. She also tried her hand at semi-pro tackle football, but her opponents grossly outmatched her in size and weight. Having learned a hard lesson, she went back to flag football. It was at a flag football tournament in Key West that she met a team from Melbourne, where she moved to after college. Playing with them, she was part of a team that won 2 championships and 3 second-place finishes.

“Its like when a granddaughter asks her grandmother, ‘how did you know that grandpa was “the one”?’ Grandma answers simply, ‘you just know’. For me, football is “the one”. I just know. But I did have to kiss a bunch of frogs before I found my “one”. I was hooked shortly after starting. I learned in football that each member is crucial to the success of the team. If the center, who tends to be the most overlooked position in my opinion, doesn’t hike the ball properly, or if the QB drops the ball, there will never be a play. A football team needs to be a well-oiled machine if its going to be successful. Each part must do its job. In this game a star player cannot hold up the rest of the team. That’s what I love about football; that the team must act like a unit to succeed.”

Bolstered by the support of two friends – who also play football – Mea decided to try her hand playing in the LFL. After all, its instinctive to try something new.

“I was a bit apprehensive, but then I realized, ‘I’ll get to play more football’. The LFL is giving the women of Orlando a chance to play on a higher level; training with successful football coaches and NFL players. This is a chance for a person who has played to her highest potential to uncover another level of competition.”

She did the drills. She ran the routes. She hit the tackle dummy.

And she made it past the first round of cuts.

So did her friends.

Mea Angelini, Veronica Moor, and Lindsay Alfano could become one of the top WR/QB/RB combinations in the league, bringing a combined 20-plus years of football experience to a league that’s only in its second year.

Or they could fail miserably.

But if they don’t try, they won’t know.

Any advice for girls who are starting high school or college and wondering if they should try something new, like you did?

“As my mother taught me, try out various activities until you find one you like. Your sports team is your family; the ones who you will learn to work with in high-pressure situations. Off the field, this will benefit you and your teammates. Like family, you may not like a person all of the time, but for sure they will be there to back you up when needed. The bond that is formed is stronger than other friendships, and these friendships will greatly help you when experiencing high school life. I recommend when making a decision to join a sports team, ask yourself ‘why not?’. Take a risk, try something new, and you just may like it. And if you don’t, you’ve just learned one more thing about yourself. So take that growth, and apply it to the next activity. Without failure, how will you ever know when you’ve succeeded?”

Well said.

As children, our parents ask us “what do you want to be when you grow up?” In job interviews, we are asked a variation of this question; “where do you see yourself in ten years?” But we know the old lie. You can’t plan the next ten years of your life because you don’t know what will wash up with the next day’s tide. Markets crash. Businesses fail. Romances end. Or the wave rolling on your personal shore just might bring “the one” and make everything else seem inconsequential.

That’s when plans change.

Title IX was a controversial amendment that caused a wave of decisions by county boardmembers, and that wave carried football to Mea Angelini’s shore.

Her time with the LFL may end in training camp. She may never make the final roster; never play a down in the Eastern Conference. She just might end up flat on her back with another girl’s elbow pad stuck in her teeth.

But even if she does, she will have learned something about herself, and that is a lesson she can take with her for the rest of her life.

It isn’t possible to nominate an MVP before a game is played; much less before a team is even formed. But it is possible to make it onto the All-Whigham Team.

Because sometimes the best thing you can do is try.

Welcome to the All-Whigham Team, Mea.

Long live sport.

Everybody wants to be treated equally. Everybody wants their fair chance at success; a fair shot to pursue their happiness. It’s one of the founding principles of this nation.

Sometimes that equality comes from hard work; raising your individual ability to the level at which others are operating. Sometimes that equality comes from the opportunity to perform with others of similar size and weight, where the best determination of victory is how much hard work you’ve put in to prepare yourself for the challenge of competition.

Heather Perez is not your typical 24-year old New Jersey girl. At 5′7”, 130 pounds, she may be statistically average, but this Colombian beauty is one tough cookie.

She’s working on her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice while serving her third year as a member of the Air National Guard’s military security forces. You know; the tough-as-nails types who won’t hesitate to take you down to the ground and choke you out; not because they enjoy it (which they may), but because they’re the first line of defense against those who oppose society.

She’s also a safety for the LFL’s Philadelphia Passion, the last line of defense against those who oppose her team.

She’s a badass.

She played softball from the age of 5 until her freshman year of college, her athletic ability allowing her to play every position on the field at one time or another.

In her sophomore year of high school, she took up kickboxing, practicing diligently against a bag until she could generate the speed and power she wanted.

For her senior year of high school, she decided to do something different, because crushing a ball with a bat and kicking the snot out of a bag just wasn’t enough for her. She tried out for – and played her way on to – the Nottingham High School junior varsity football team as the NHS Northstar’s free safety.

In 2007 she competed against other women similar to her size and weight and won the women’s lightweight division belt at a boxing fund-raiser for fallen officers and firefighters.

And in 2009 she joined the LFL.

“I chose football because it’s something that I’m passionate about. After playing in high school I needed to get out there and play again! The reason I chose to play for the LFL was nothing other than just to try it out. I saw it as a chance to play and I decided it would be smarter for me to play for them rather than playing for a ‘regular’ women’s team, seeing as how the players in other women’s leagues are pretty much twice my size!”

She wanted an equal chance. She got that chance and, as a wide receiver and safety for the Passion, she made the most of it.

She played all four games of Philadelphia’s season. Officially, she’s credited with 9 tackles, 2 blocked passes, and a forced fumble. She also generated 53 yards on offense, including a 24-yard catch – nearly half the length of the LFL football field.

But those numbers don’t reflect the tenacity she brought to the defensive secondary against some of the toughest offenses in the league.

You can’t tackle a runner that doesn’t run your way. You can’t block a pass that isn’t thrown in your zone. You can’t run up defensive stats if the opposing coach calls plays to avoid your side of the field.

That’s the impact that Heather Perez had all season long.

“I’ve been recognized mostly for sports. I’ve been in the paper quite a few times; when I was playing in minor league softball, football in high school, and boxing. Recently I’ve been in a few papers for the LFL. Also, after graduating from ANG basic training, they had a short article about me with my graduation pic. My reaction was pretty much ‘Wow!’ It was pretty cool to open up the paper and there’s my picture and story for everyone to see. It kind of set me back. I never would have thought anyone would be interested in my accomplishments. It feels good to go out and have people say ‘hey, I saw you in the paper for this or that’; kind of like you’re a local celeb!”

So to whom do you owe your success?

”I wouldn’t say one person, but definitely my family and closest friends. Without their support and patience I don’t think I could have done any of the things that I have accomplished. With all of the things I’ve done, and do, I live a pretty crazy and busy lifestyle so, time-wise, the important people in my life truly understand that it can be tough with time management.”

Any advice for the next generation of average-sized young women?

“Just because you are girls shouldn’t halt you from doing ANY sport. As long as its something that you really want or you are passionate about, you can succeed in anything.”

And your future?

“I would like to start establishing a more secure, family-oriented lifestyle; hopefully marriage in a couple of years and a house of my own. Then, after that, I hope to be more relaxed as far as schedule goes, so I plan to have kids within four or five years because I would like to still be able to enjoy spending time with my kids as a younger parent. Long term, in ten years, I will still be in the Air Force. I plan on retiring through them but I also hope to have a secure full-time job and a full, happy family. I think at that point all of the pieces would be put together almost completely.”

A college degree, a career, a family, and her own home. That’s the American Dream. That’s why people fight to be equal.

Because everyone deserves an equal chance at success.

Even a badass.

Welcome to the All-Whigham team, Heather.

Long live sport.