Confessions of a Rookie

It all started when Jason came home and tossed me a business card with a casual “You should try out.” I picked up the card and saw that it was for a women’s football team. I think we were both surprised when I emailed and asked about tryouts and asked if I could come play.

I received a really great email back (Thanks Jenna!) and I was invited to come to the tryouts. The next tryout was scheduled for a month away, so I had a whole 30ish days to convince myself that this really was something I wanted to try, that I wasn’t crazy (jury is still out there…) and that I wasn’t going to die. Things you have to understand, I hadn’t really exercised in about 8 years, hadn’t been on a team in about 9 years, had just left a negative work environment and didn’t have a very high opinion of myself. Also, I’m an introvert and meeting and getting to know new people is scary!!! However, I really wanted to get back into shape and I missed being part of a team. So, heart in throat, I walked onto the field in December for tryouts.

Tryout day, I woke up feeling ill. We had bought me some new sweatpants and in the process of tying them tight so they wouldn’t fall off, the string broke…nervous energy and cheap sweatpants are not a good mix apparently. So, I had to wear some of Jason’s that didn’t fit really well. That didn’t help, I wanted to at least feel comfortable in my clothes. I think I decided to go and also to not go about 20 times that morning.

I finally decided to go; Jason came with, I think mostly to ensure I didn’t chicken out at the last minute and run away to the coast for the day! When we arrived there were a few other people there and I almost turned around and left again. (Yes, I am a complete chicken at times.) I survived the physical aspect of the tryouts and there were some awesome people there who made it fun. T-Lo, Salad, Rainbow, you three made the choice of returning and continuing with football easy.

I had attempted running a little before, but my natural laziness kicked in and Christmas with all its food and just hanging with family happened and before I knew it, I was still out of shape and starting football practice. To say that I died multiple times while on the field that night and in the following days is an understatement. I could barely make it through warm-ups, then we got into the actual practice. Muscles I didn’t know I possessed started screaming at me to stop this nonsense, go home and sit in a hot tub for a month. However, with tons of encouragement from multiple people, I made it through the first months. I think I could probably talk about each of my teammates and how they encouraged me, whether it was taking extra time after practice to help with some skill, or making sure I understood a certain play, or telling me to hit someone hard the first time I got onto the field, I learned a lot from each of them. (See the comment later about a group of phenomenal women!)

Then, a little while before our first game, I got the news that I had broken a tiny bone in my foot. This littlest of bones caused me to have to sit out the first 6 of 8 games. That was definitely not in my plans. I was frustrated, shed a few tears and moved on.

I was able to suit up for the last two games of our season. In game 7 I got a little playing time and it was addicting! I got to hit people, and shove people and be praised for being violent. Fun! Bring on game 8! I was still coming off of my injury and was definitely back in my “out of shape” shape, so when coach mentioned that I would be playing both sides of the ball, I freaked out a little. Sadly, that didn’t last and I was only able to play defense (sorry coach!) but it was so much fun even though it was exhausting. I could talk about the game, about figuring out how to push my opponent around, about her strengths and weaknesses. I could talk about my teammates and how encouraging Nikki was to all of us, about being part of the pileup and stopping the progress down the field, about breaking free from my opponent and almost, almost getting my first sack, about being able to see and be a part of some amazing plays by some amazing women, about watching Mac hit an opponent so beautifully and hard that even the refs were asking who Mac was.…but this blog has gone on long enough. Let’s just say, I’m fired up for next season.

There were days I loved it, there were days I really, really didn’t want to go to practice, especially after I was sidelined, there were days it took every fiber to keep my feet moving under me (I’m still working on getting quicker feet…uhg). But I did it. I completed my rookie year, not as a top player, not as an all-American, not as anything special, but definitely a part of an awesome team. I have been able to get to know a group of phenomenal women, I have discovered strengths about myself as well as some weaknesses, I have been pushed and have learned to push myself, I am stronger because I am a part of this team. I am a Fighting Filly!