In anticipation of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Women's World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, this summer, three women went to an unlikely place: Hollywood.
Melodie Abrook, Leeann Brzozowski, and Adrienne Smith from the New York Sharks of the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) appeared on E!'s reality show "Bank of Hollywood" on Jan. 11. The show features contestants with compelling needs for monetary donations. Celebrity panelists hear their pleas and decide whether to award players cash out of their own pockets.
In the Sharks' case, the show's panel of Sean Patterson, Vanessa Rousso, Candy Spelling and Melody Thornton answered their prayers with a prize of $65,000.
"I was so excited when we were on the set and found out we were going to win the money," said Smith, who plays wide receiver and quarterback. "When we actually won, I couldn't believe it. My knees got weak. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to hug. I wanted to play. I wanted to do everything. It was a dream come true."
Getting on the show was a fundraising effort by Smith who is known as an entrepreneur and owns her own businesses. After receiving an e-mail about open casting calls, Smith contacted Sharks owner Andra Douglas about the idea.
"Adrienne is a self-starter, she takes initiative," Douglas said. "She sees something that could turn into a great thing and goes for it. This is a prime example. She made it happen, and I'm very proud of her."
They went through a series of auditions and call backs beginning last summer before finally making it on the show and filming their episode at the end of October. The dream Smith pitched to the celebrity millionaires was funding for travel to Stockholm for the IFAF Women's World Championship.
With USA Football now assembling the first Women's National Team for the competition and selecting players and coaches from the IWFL for the squad, Smith plans to use the winnings to help fund herself and any of her New York Sharks teammates who are selected to Team USA's roster.
The IFAF Women's World Championship presents a landmark occasion of firsts. The international tournament will be the first for IFAF in women's football while Team USA will be the United States' first women's national team in the sport. Five other nations will join the United States on the gridiron in Sweden as the competition takes place from June 26-July 4, 2010.
"I think it's the biggest thing to ever happen for women's football," Douglas said. "I think the relationship with USA Football has just given us a real shot in the arm. We have a good product, and it's really nice to see that other people are realizing that. It's truly exciting. In fact, it's renewed my enthusiasm for women's football. It's really cool."
With women like the passionate and determined Smith representing women's football, the sport is already headed in the right direction.
"It's extremely important for women's football," Smith added. "This is our very first international stage and because of that, I only think it appropriate that the United States fields the best team possible and that we walk away with a championship."
