Ever since I could remember I loved this sport. I remember as a 9-year-old child watching every game on TV. Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson, Larry Csonka, the Steel Curtain and the Purple People Eaters—yes, I watched them all, especially receivers like Fred Biletnikoff and Lynn Swann because they were so graceful and made it look easy. I wanted to catch the ball just like they did, so every night I got my ball and headed to the back yard. Since I was an only child, I didn’t have anyone to drag out there with me to play so I was on my own. So, I would stand at one end of the yard by our fence, throw the ball up toward the other end and sprint under the ball to catch it. I would do this over and over again until it was past dark. I just wanted to catch the ball.
So, time goes on and I remained a football fan as I continued to watch it every year. In fact, it wasn’t until I was about 32 years old when I joined a co-ed flag football team and got my chance to play receiver. I scored many touchdowns in the eight years I played. In fact, I was recognized as one of the best players in my league. One day, I saw on the evening news that a team in Kansas City that was holding tryouts. I found out the team was going to use full contact NFL rules and play in a national league with over 30 teams stretching from coast to coast. Although I was 39, I thought to myself, “What could I lose?” So, I tried out. It was August 24, 2002 and there were over 100 players out there just like me trying out. I made the team as the starting tight end. Six years later, I made the league’s First Team and made the all-star team as a tight end four of the six years that I’ve played. I also tied for fourth in the entire league in receptions among all receivers.
There’s one memory about playing that stands out in my mind and it took place in the first round of the playoffs in 2004. There was 5 minutes left in the game and we were down 19-6. We decided as a team that we were not going to give up. With 1 minute left, we drove down the field and scored on an 8-yard pass with 30 seconds left, making the score 19-18. A timeout was called and the coach called my number for the win on a two-point conversion. I lined up in pro-right next to the tackle and as the ball was snapped I slanted toward the sideline. I remember it like it was in slow motion, as the quarterback made a perfect throw and I caught the ball on the one. After I caught the ball, I put my shoulder down as I was not going to be denied the score. At the final gun, the score read 20-19.
Not bad for a woman who started out as a 39-year-old rookie. And my story isn’t unique. There are literally thousands of women with the same dream.
Back to “I Played” Stories