The term “throwing like a girl” is about to take on a brand new meaning because women are playing football and playing well.  Starting Saturday, May 3, the Memphis Belles professional women’s football team will take the field.  

Don’t let the term “women’s football” fool you. This is no powder puff football. It’s all tackle with a few variations from the NFL.

The ball is slightly smaller and one foot in bounds, instead of two, is considered a fair catch.  The kick off is on the 35-yard line instead of the 30.  

The Memphis Belles are part of the National Women’s Football Association (NWFA) that was formed in August 2000 by Catherine Masters, a well-known sports and entertainment entrepreneur.  With more than 25 years experience in the top levels of the industry, Masters decided it was time for women to have a chance to play full contact football in a well-organized and professionally-run league. Starting with two teams, the Nashville Dream and the Alabama Renegades, the league held a pre-season showcase of six games. Running from October to December of 2000, the pre-season was a rousing success with thousands of fans in the stands and incredible support from the media worldwide.

The NWFA has also been the subject of many feature stories and articles in more than 250 major publications and TV networks including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “CBS Evening News,” “The NBC Today Show,” “The New York Times,” “Nickelodeon,” “The Boston Globe,” “The Washington Post” and many, many local and regional networks and publications.

In 2006, the NWFA created the slogan, “Baby, Look At Us Now”, which is a continuation of the highly popular and extremely successful, “You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby” slogan that helped launch the rise of women’s professional sports.

This year will mark the first season that Memphis will have a team.  Team owner Paula Anderson-Estep was so sure that Memphis would be a perfect spot for a team that she provided the start up money herself.

“I love the game of football and I am excited to let everyone know that women can still be women and play a hard game,” said Anderson-Estep.  

The team’s motto, “Pretty… Tough … Women,” pretty much sums it all up.  Head coach Devin Ragland, a Memphis native, brings many years of football coaching experience to the field.  A former high school football coach, Ragland says that coaching women is different from men. “There are some issues that you just can’t get around, but this is a great group and they are very receptive to learning the game.”

The team consists of 30 females, ages 21-45.  For some, this is the first time they have done anything more than watch football on a Sunday afternoon.  They come from all backgrounds.  Some are students, teachers, and professionals in various fields.  While their reasons for playing may be different, i.e. fitness, friendship through the bonds formed being on a team, and learning the sport on a different level, all the women say they are excited by the challenge.

Games will be played on Saturdays at 7 p.m. at St. Benedict High School of Auburndale, 2100 N. Germantown Pkwy. in Cordova.  The games are geared with families in mind and half-time shows provide entertainment for younger fans.

For more information about the team or ticket information, contact Anderson-Estep at (901) 216-7571.

	Team owner Paula Anderson-Estep looks on at the start of the Memphis Belles game against the St. Louis Slam. (Photos by Alan Kuntz)
	Alexandria Preyer (31), Rebecca Lawrence (87), and Andra Odipo (20) prepare to meet the St. Louis Slam.
	Belles ball carrier, Alexandria Preyer (31), rushes pass the Slam defense for a 2-yard gain.
	Head Coach Devin Ragland and team manager Shonda Lewis assist Rhonda Barton (54) off the field after she suffers a sidelining knee injury.
	A Memphis rushing play puts the St. Louis defense to the test.