Tackle football: A place for women?

Photo credit: IWFLsports.com, via AMELIA KUNHARDT/The Patriot Ledge

In short, the answer is yes.

Only their season isn’t during the fall like we’d expect – it’s in the spring. How do I know this?

I read a great article today on Associated Content titled The IWFL and the History of Women’s Tackle Football. The Independent Women’s Football League is, quite simply, a league for women who play tackle football.

Representing my area (Northeast) of the United States are the Boston Militia, New York Sharks, Philadelphia Firebirds, New York Nemesis and Connecticut Crushers. If possible, I’m going to try and catch a Philadelphia game this season to check out the sport – it’d certainly be a first time experience for me.

What’s particularly interesting to me about the league is the IWFL’s success… in generating not only sponsors and fans, but participants. It simply shocks me that this many women are interested in playing and supporting women’s tackle football.

For example, the IWFL has 22 teams on its tier-one level (that’s right – there’s three different tiers of teams with a total of 51 organized clubs participating). Compare that to pro fastpitch softball which continues to struggle with only 5 remaining teams.

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Her Sports Rounds: The Best of Women’s Sports

Below is my weekly rounds of what’s being discussed in the blogosphere of women’s sports:

16-year-old girl (with a mean knuckleball) is playing professional Japanese baseball. Check it out at Girls Dig Sports (b5 media). Also cross-posted at Girls Can’t What! and Pretty Tough. (I will likely be blogging about this later, too).

Sue Favor surveys foreign players on US college teams – covered at the Women’s Hoops blog.

Mara Yamauchi, a British long distance runner who holds the record for the second fastest time in a marathon amongst British women, is discussed at Right Fielders.

Jennifer discusses her frustration with playing on mixed-gender rec teams on From a Left Wing. (I have to say – I have to agree with her points).

Women Who Serve posted a link to a 2009 guide for the Women’s Tennis Association.

Keri Mikulski discussed her recent trip to Texas to meet professional softball players, including USA Softball gold and silver medalist and the best shortstop in the world, Natasha Watley.

Pat Griffin discussed Jeff Sheng’s Fearless Campus Tour, a traveling photo exhibit of GLBT high school and collegiate athletes, on her LGBT Sports blog.

Over at Sports, Media and Society, Marie Hardin discussed a new book about women’s basketball by by Marie Hardin, titled, “Why She Plays” . The book features interviews with top figures in women’s basketball — including Val Ackerman, Tamika Catchings, Donna Lopiano, and Diana Taurasi.

At the Stanford Women’s Basketball blog, Judy Richter discussed how Stanford’s forward Jillian Harmon is looking to lead the team this year.

At The Final Sprint, editor Adam Jacobs featured post-run interview videos with elite runners Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher.

Apryl Delancey from Women Like Sports, featured a video from the Seattle Majestics, an IWFL team in her area.

Hope you enjoyed! Please be sure to send your links over to me at bciplayedsports@gmail.com to be considered for inclusion the next rounds.