These Ladies Can Play: The USA Women's National Football Team

When you think of women and football, the game of soccer comes to mind. The USA have been the best team in the world when it comes to a code of football embraced by every corner of the world.

But mention the thought of the USA having an American football team—girdiron—made up of women to the average armchair sports fan in the States and one thought comes to mind: Are you crazy? You can't be serious!

Believe it or not, there is a USA Women's National Football team. Coached by John Konecki of the Independent Women's Football League's Chicago Force, this team features some of the toughest females in the sport. And in Sweden, a country obsessed with winter sports and the world game (ever heard of Umea IK? If you follow Women's Professional Soccer), the USA women dominated in grand fashion like never before.

"We're going to take 45 individuals and turn them into a team and try to take the philosophy of any team that I've ever coached—and that's we don't have any superstars," Konecki said. "We have 11 good people on offense, 11 good people on defense, and 11 good people on special teams, and we win together."

Team USA, whose bulk of its roster consisted of players from the IWFL, was fueled by high hopes, and the spirits were even higher as they had their camp in Texas.

"This is a business trip," Dallas Diamonds tailback Jessica Springer said. "We came here to win the gold medal, and our coaches have made sure our minds are staying focused on the end goal...our focus is definitely on football."

"The biggest thing is that it's a lot of individuals, a lot of stars who have to meld together and become a team," said Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach Mark McLaughlin. "Team USA—this country started as a melting pot. We have a melting pot. We've got to come up with a good soup is what we need to do.

"I'm going to actually have these ladies write—if ESPN were interviewing you, what would you be saying? How would you be politically correct? You're going to be gracious, and all this type of stuff. When they walk away, there'll be a bond with these ladies. They will be the Michael Jordan, the original Dream Team.

"This could be—and I have said this right from the very beginning—this may be the incident that puts [women's football] on the map."

Little did McLaughlin know how right he would be.

On June 27, the USA opened up IFAF Women's World Championship play against Austria at Stockholm's Zinkensdamms IP Stadium. The match was not even close. Team USA routed Austria 63-0, dishing out 481 yards of total offense to Austria's 58.

"I'm pleased with the win of course," Konecki said after the victory. "We tried to stay balanced with our running and passing game and took what the defense gave us. We came out slowly but soon found our rhythm."

Springer led the charge with 12 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown, while the Boston Militia's Mia Brickhouse added two more scores on the ground. Taking the reins on the receiving end was WR Rusty Sowers, who caught five passes for 63 yards and two scores.

"Coming from a week of training camp—it was hard and hot," Sowers said after the victory. "And to come here and put it all together—it was pretty cool."

For Brickhouse and Springer, it was all about national pride.

"Running out of that tunnel and hearing your national anthem played—this was the sweetest anthem I've ever heard," Brickhouse said after the match. "Having tears come down my eyes, everyone knew exactly why—to be representing your country is the highest honor you can achieve."

"You play for what's on the front of your jersey, not on the back," Springer added. "When they played our national anthem, it game me chills and I teared up."

That red, white and blue pride would show its true colors once again when they faced Finland, a team more commonly faced by its ice hockey counterparts. This time, the margin increased as they destroyed the Finns 72-0.

"Finland is by far the most technically sound team that we had to face thus far," Konecki said on the win. "We spent a lot of time preparing for [Finland], and that is a testament to the job [they] have been doing."

Heading into the match, Finland defeated Austria 50-16 two days ago. But once again gain, Konecki's offense proved too much for the Finns to take, chalking up 541 yards to Finland's 45.

While Sowers earned second straight game MVP honors after hauling in eight passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns, it was a balanced offensive attack that made all the difference.

Chicago Force QB Sami Grisafe passed for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and Kansas City Tribe gunslinger Jenny Schmidt added another two scores on 88 yards passing.

Adrienne Smith of the New York Sharks—who scored the first points in the history of the women's national team against Austria a few days ago—caught three passes for 77 yards and a score while South Carolina Breakers wideout Desiree Weimann caught two passes for another touchdown.

The ground game was led by Sacramento Sirens tailback Julie Shockley, who ran for 103 yards and a touchdown. Sharks tailback Melissa Pickett added another score on 77 yards rushing while Brickhouse added one more on 55 yards on the ground.

That set the stage for the gold-medal game with Canada, a team known for its code of gridiron rather than the American brand. Team USA wrapped up a successful IFAF Women's World Championship run with a 66-0 victory over their neighbors to the north.

There were 707 fans on hand to witness history at the Zinkensdamms IP Stadium. The USA racked up 573 yards of total offense to Canada's 111 and 487 of those yards were on the ground.

Eleven different players rushed for yardage, but Springer's was the biggest performance of her career, with 10 carries for 161 yards and four touchdowns. For her heroics, she earned Offensive MVP honors. Sowers wrapped up her run with three catches for 69 yards and a score.

The Pittsburgh Passion's Sharon Vasquez earned Defensive MVP honors and soaked it all up. "It was amazing to win the gold medal. It was very emotional. We played an awesome team and it feels great to be in this moment," Vasquez said.

"Canada was an excellent team and we had to work hard to prepare and play against them," Konecki said on the win. "I feel honored to have coached Team USA. It is a remarkable group of women."

With the win, the USA reigns supreme as the rulers of their own game, with gold medal victories the IFAF World Championship in 2007 with the men's senior national team and the IFAF Junior World Championship in 2009 with their junior national team.

But for the women of team USA, let there be no mistake about it: these ladies can play.