Article by Claire Ellis
Twelve months ago I had not even heard of American Football.
Well, that’s a lie. I had heard of it but my experience was limited to cheesy
American ‘teen films’, TV programs
and an ingrained belief (from my all-consuming ‘soccer’ upbringing) that it was just a wimpy and inferior form of
rugby. And that in itself was, of course, completely inferior to the ‘beautiful’ game played with an entirely
spherical ball.
Given all of this, no one - least of all me - would have
expected for me to be getting kitted up on the eve of my first ever American
Football contact practice, just one year on. Seeing all the kit you need for
American Football for the first time has one of two effects on people. It
either terrifies you at the prospect that this much protection is needed or it
makes you feel invincible and able to take on whoever stands in your way. Ideally,
I’m guessing you need a little bit of both. Me, well I felt like I could take
on the world.
So how did I end up knee high in helmet parts, screwdrivers,
etching tools, booby pads and lowers padding, shouting at idiots on Ninja Warrior UK and stuffing my face
with peanut butter cookies on a Saturday evening with 5 other completely
bonkers girls? Well….
Five months ago I moved back to the UK from Thailand where I
had been living for four years. Whilst there, I had been doing Muay Thai boxing for three years. This
may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but I have always been someone who got
involved in any sport going and the prospect of contact and getting hit has
never bothered me (I was soon to learn that this would be a valuable asset when
stood on the American Football field!) After a little research and realising
that Muay Thai might not be a realistic option back in the UK, my thoughts
turned to my newly acquired interest in American Football.
I was facing many challenges on my return to the UK; I was
moving to a new city, a new job, a new house and I knew no one. Having been
briefly introduced to the NFL by a close friend when in Thailand, I anxiously
(and with more than a little trepidation) entered the infamous words ‘Women’s American Football Team Norwich’ into
Google. There it was, ‘Iceni Spears
Women’s American Football Team’, my new passion and I didn’t even realise
it yet.
So I set off for my first training session with no idea what
to expect. I needn’t have worried. It turns out that I had inexplicably and
against all odds managed to find myself among some of the warmest, most
bonkers, hardworking and all-accepting group of players and coaches that I
could have wished for. It’s fair to say that I had no idea what I was doing at
that first “Flag” training session (for
those of you who haven’t had the pleasure: “Flag” is the non-contact version of
the game and a good way to learn certain skills and techniques before being
overwhelmed by the prospect of full contact football). In all honesty I
probably didn’t pick it up for weeks, but it didn’t matter. Watching everyone
go through footwork drills, running plays and passing routes was overwhelming,
but I was put at ease and made to feel part of the team at every stage.
For those of you who have watched any American Football it
appears, at first glance, to be totally confusing and illogical. I soon learnt
that it takes a lot of hard work mentally, physically and emotionally. Learning
your playbooks is honestly a bit like revising for an exam where if you forget
the answer you end up running smack bang into one of your own players and
taking each other out – a both painful and embarrassing experience. But I found
that the game is full of patient, experienced and talented coaches who break it
down and make the impossible seem just that little bit more plausible.
Within six weeks of my very first practice session I was
playing starting Centre for the Iceni Spears in the ‘Opal 5v5 Flag Series’. And it was awesome.
Looking round the pitches at the other 8 teams in our South
division, it was full of smiling, overjoyed (if a little cold and damp) faces.
There were teams from different backgrounds, up and running for different
lengths of time. There were players of different ages and experiences. But they
were all there for the same reason, with the same passion. Many having the
dedication and commitment to travel for hours to train with their team each
week.
Every play was hard fought for each other, each time the
ball dropped to the floor or was run in for a touchdown by the opposition there
was a rallying, a hope, and a desire to pick ourselves back up and face the
next play. And we did. Every woman who set foot on the field that day learnt
something, achieved something and left feeling a part of something incredible.
That feeling continued through the four-weekend series culminating in a 17-team
‘finals day’ in December. I can
honestly say that throughout all 16 games we played during the Opal Series I
was never really aware of what the score was. I was genuinely too busy trying
to remember to get my snap right, catch the ball and run in the right
direction. But somehow it didn’t matter. The joy of playing and being part of
the team surpassed everything else and I think that speaks volumes about the
sport as a whole. It’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Women’s American Football is still a new and developing
sport within the UK, but having been privileged enough to spend only a few
months being involved in it, I am sure it will not be long before its rapid
expansion helps it reach out to many, many more people just like me, just like
you. If you get the chance, don’t pass it up. In fact, don’t wait for the
chance to find you, go and find your nearest team today.
It might just be the best decision that you ever made.
I know it was for me.
Now all I have to do is make it through my first contact
practice…But that’s a challenge for tomorrow.
