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Football Chick This is the fusion of being a fan of football and now at 43, playing professional tackle football with the Dallas Diamonds, 4-time World Champions. We travel together through my journey of being an overweight, suburban wife and mom to a seasoned professional athlete. My goals include encouraging and impacting you to live a clean and active life and to never utter the words, 'I can't'! Latest Posts Archive for June, 2008 "There's No Crying in Football" I started walking back to the locker room at the half…I had to stop just short of the door….I moved back…turned myself around…I was about to cry and we all know, ‘there’s no crying in football!’ Disgusted with my performance just before the end of the half, I had to collect my thoughts, my attitude, my tear ducts before walking into that locker room. I missed a clear shot at my first solo tackle during a kickoff. I was too high. I was right there and I let her get around me. Yeah, like I was going to pull her down by grabbing her arm. I know to go low…I practice going low. Coach Black did the right thing as we were running into the locker room. He said I needed to make that tackle. Then he saw me pull up just shy of going in and he asked me if I was okay. I said, “I want so desperately to do this right.” He again said the right thing to me, “We all miss it sometimes, it happens to all of us; you’ll get it.” It’s not just missing that tackle that got me, it is what the miss represents. First, it means someone else had to make that tackle. I let down the team. Perhaps she got a few more yards because I missed the tackle…or what if she actually scored on that return?? Making sure I stay in my lane and get the tackle are critical in kickoff situations. Second, it reveals in my heart the desire to be ‘perfect’; that belief somewhere in my DNA that says, “I want to be really good right now….never mind I am a rookie”. I think that perfect desire is related to that whole ‘fear’ thing I blogged about a couple months back. Not being perfect reveals an insecurity about failing, messing up, not getting it, and looking bad in front of others. Truth be told, I think it reveals my desire to better than I am or maybe ever will be. I turned 42 Friday. And, while just starting to play tackle football at 42 is inspiring, it does not give me a long window to get good at football. So, I want to be good now…see the logic there? This involves a learning curve. I am aware. I am still in mid-curve even though the season is over (9-0) and we are in the playoffs. And, nearly every Coach and every player has reminded me of that and given me kudos for making progress each practice and each game. I guess I wish I was more of the aggressive…let it rip type of person. The natural talent. You need those on the football field. I am a classic learner…tell…show…do…I study…I read…I watch film. I practice…practice…practice and practice some more…at team workouts and on my own. It just feels like I work real hard to be average. More than likely, I will not be on the travel team when we head to the next playoff game in Seattle in two weeks. I am totally ok with that and understand fully the reason. So, I will pay for my own ticket and go. I'll suit up. And, more than likely, I’ll get to play. Dang it…I want to hit hard like KB Bowman and Jen Welter. I want to be fast and strong like Jessica Springer. I want to get through that line like Ann Richardson, Tiny Mitchell, or Moma Young. I’d love to hold that line like Nicole Malloy, Suede Murrell, Esther Pitchardo, and Michelle Gailey. I want to cover and catch like Berta Fitcheard-Brydson, Valerie Murawka, Dani Welniak, or Jennifer Ferrell. I want to read that offense and make the play like Lindsey Clark, block like Rachel May, zigzag down the field like Q. Ragsdale and Odessa Jenkins, or be the most versatile player like Monica Foster. Okay, and I want to pass like Karen Seimears. Yes, it’s true, I want it all and I want it right now!! See, how ridiculous it is to expect perfection especially at 42 in your rookie year of playing tackle football. I am so blessed and so honored to be around all of these incredible women and Coaches. The Diamonds are full of amazing athletes and the depth of our team is unbeatable and unstoppable. We will bring DFW another World Championship Title! Stay inspired…telling myself that… Kip #45 Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jul 1, 2008 6:08 AM Comments(0) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this The Battle in the Heat Stadium Update: Frisco ISD came through with Memorial stadium! “Yes, we found a place to play and it is close to home, more of my friends and family can be there…this is great…surely the City of Frisco will show how much they love their Diamonds,” I thought. “This is going to be sooooooo good!”. I was misguided…while the Frisco ISD and Ronny Mullins, Assistant Athletic Director, did come through for us with a great deal on Memorial Stadium, the 100,000 to 200,000 fans next door at PizzaHutPark for KLTY’s Celebrate Freedom prevents us from playing there. It would be a nightmare of a traffic jam trying to get anywhere near Memorial that night. Our Owner did look at some other stadiums but I understand none were available. So, we face a tough battle…against the heat and against the California Quake at 3:00PM at Pennington Field. Head Coach Todd Hughes says this will be a great game against a great opponent, “They have an explosive offense. Their running back is very fast and we have to contain her.” The battle both teams will face is the heat. Perhaps this gives us an edge since we’ve been practicing and conditioning in the heat. My teammate Jen Welter says this will be no big deal for us, “The hotter the better! It’s no secret the weather is part of homefield advantage. We train in this weather and we are ready for it. I doubt California is. We want to show them Texas football and hospitality and make them sweat by keeping the heat on them.” I’m nervous for us but believe we do carry an advantage. Perhaps some of our players who play both sides of the field will not be able to do that as effectively given the high temperatures. We are going to have to rotate players in on a more regular basis to keep everyone as fresh as possible. Maybe I am just a ‘woos’ when it comes to the heat. After all, I grew up in Ohio. I am a cold weather girl. And, normally, I retreat out of this heat for a few weeks during the summer. I take my kids and we descend on the BuckeyeState for summer fun with family and friends. I quite frankly find the heat oppressive. So, maybe it’s my own personal battle and no one else’s on this team. I can own that…. See you there….tickets are available online at www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com Stay inspired and keep moving, Kip #45 Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jun 24, 2008 9:43 AM Comments(1) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this We Need a Stadium The tension is great. We may play our first Western Division playoff game at 3:00 in the afternoon due to a booking error. Seems the staff in charge of Pennington Field double booked us with a soccer team. We’ve been calling around the Metroplex area in search of an alternative field for a night game. So far…no one has come through with an available field. Surely, somewhere in this vast DFW area, there are folks attached to a high school stadium or even Pizza Hut Park in Frisco willing to host the Dallas Diamonds and the California Quake. We just finished the season 8-0, a perfect record. We have the highest points scored per game and one of the lowest points allowed per game. The Diamonds are one of the most successful professional teams in Texas. With a winning streak of 28 and three World Titles in the past four years, clearly someone would want that success attached to their field! The intensity is up. Coaches are demanding more….discipline on the smallest of things is critical…and the focus in practice has clearly taken on a different tone. It is playoff time! And we are on a quest for a 4^th World Championship title. We are women who love this game and want to give the fans our best. WE love football and we are ready to play! Come on DFW…where? www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com Stay inspired and get moving, Kip #45 Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jun 19, 2008 12:20 AM Comments(0) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this Protecting Kids is More Important than Football First Political Rant Three of the nation’s major internet service providers made a powerful agreement this week. Sprint Nextel, Verizon Communications and Time Warner Cable have chosen to block customer access to newsgroups and Web sites that offer child pornography. Under the agreement, these companies would shut off access and remove sites believed to spread such pornography. Who in the world would be against this? Yet, as I read the article in the Dallas Morning News Wednesday morning, I saw that critics exist. Their problem centers around violating First Amendment Rights. They believe by forcing providers to censor sites this violates free-speech. Are they freaking kidding me? Hello, we are talking about sick people who commit crimes against children in order to feed a desire that is clearly wrong. According to the DMN article, Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said his group created a list of child-porn web sites but only a few of the major internet companies agreed to use the list to take them down. This new approach to reach the provider as well as the recipients of the images is awesome! Get that stuff off of there! Do not even make it available! I find it absolutely amazing than only three companies have jumped on board with this. What could be more important to their customers than protecting kids and stopping the spread of online child pornography? As a counselor who has seen and heard the pain and destruction from such crimes, it is absolutely stunning to me that questions of censorship arise. There is nothing more devastating to a human being short of death than to be sexual exploited and abused. It can damage a person for life. It cuts to the core of our God given creation and undermines our ability to be intimate in a healthy and vibrant way. Most are never the same. Most struggle with wounds and scars the rest of their life. One key to this wonderful agreement is you and me. These companies plan to respond more rapidly to complaints about child pornography. If there is one thing to complain about, please make this it! Let's protect all kids! www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com Stay inspired, Kip #45 Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jun 14, 2008 12:36 AM Comments(0) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this How Jim McKay made a Mark on Me He wasn’t just a legend in his field, he became part of our family in a way. For those of us old enough to remember, Jim McKay was the man who brought the ‘constant variety of sports’ into our family rooms every Saturday. So, when I heard of his recent passing, I had to give my small tribute to the man who influenced my love of a variety of sports. That may sound silly to some, but I don’t think there are such ‘living legends’ in the world of sports broadcasting today as back in his day…either that or I am not as in tune with them today as I was a kid and teenager. Ironically, when my Son asked me to fill out a questionnaire for his school Mother’s Day project, one of the questions was ‘what was your favorite television show as a child?’ My first reaction was Wide World of Sports with Jim McKay and The Olympics with Jim McKay. (I know…not normal…usual answers are The Brady Bunch or something like that.) There was not a Saturday I did not tune in if I was home. I have memories of him, his gentle, warm yet enthusiastic style that taught me the sport and people behind it. In 1972, I was 6 years old. I remember being riveted to the television watching him describe a horrific scene. “They’re all gone”, he said. It was the first time I learned of terrorism and that there are people out there who hate and do bad things. The brighter side of the 1972 Olympics for me was pixy Olga Korbut. That’s when I announced to my parents I was going to be a gymnast. Four years later, Nadia Comaneci swept the world by storm with her perfect scores and I was training on a private gymnastics team. McKay’s voice became synonymous with telling the stories of the people behinds the sports like gymnastics and golf. Most of us grew a fondness for horse racing and Indy racing because of McKay. I can remember in 6^th grade being able to tell you every winner of the Indy 500 for the past 20 years…Johnny Rutherford, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Gordon Johncock, Rick Mears, Bobby Rahal. I still get goosebumps thinking about Danny Sullivan’s 360 and ultimate victory. Of course, I would not even know about some sports unless Jim McKay covered them. Who knew there was Lumberjack Championships? I cringed every time I saw those folks bolt down the pole…their knees looked like they would blow out of their skin at any moment. Jim McKay, I have missed you all these years you have been out broadcasting. It was the ‘thrill of victory’ to see you hosting a portion of the 2002 Olympics. There is a little ‘agony’ to learn of your death. Your legacy is strong and lives in those you have influenced from broadcasters to the public. Thanks for passing on the love of sports! May this world continue to honor the dignity of sport and remove politics and hatred from it. Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jun 11, 2008 5:11 PM Comments(0) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this Football: Similarities and Differences with the Men Football: It’s the game America loves! No other sport in the U.S. generates as much hype, stars, media coverage in and out of season, money, debate, bets, clothing, memorabilia, and fan loyalty of all ages, sizes, and shapes. It is America’s sport from Pee Wee up to the Professional level! What is the difference, then, between men playing this beloved sport and women? Why does the media and corporate sponsors largely ignore us? Why won’t they support women playing this game like the massive outpouring of support and love they give the men of all ages? Yes, I admit, men are faster, bigger, and stronger than women. And since there is no feeder system for women to play the game from age 6, men tend to be more accurate Quarterbacks, Kickers, and Punters. Nonetheless, it is the same game. This is not powder puff football. It is not flag football. Both men and women play in full pads, full tackle football. And, women play with the same intensity, physicality, and competition on the field. Head Coach Todd Hughes of my team, the Dallas Diamonds, believes women offer the purest form of football competition, “I have coached at every level from college on down to my kid’s Pee Wee ball. I enjoy the Diamonds most because they play for the love of the game not for a lot of money, Nike contracts, or scholarships, just for the love of the game of football. That is as pure as it gets. These ladies all have main jobs and families yet give up so much time, sweat, blood, tears, and risk their health to play a game they watched their brothers or other men play. They want to be a part of that great experience. The Diamonds are that outlet and we are addicting because we are a family and students of the game of football.” We hit hard, train hard, and compete hard. We go through speed drills, conditioning, strength, and field drills just like the men. “She is part of the family. She works hard and she goes out there and works out with all guys but she is a lady doing the same thing we’re doing. That’s a beast! That’s great”, says Ken-Yon Rambo former Wide Receiver for the Dallas Cowboys and now for the Calgary Stampede about the ‘Football Chick’. “She’s a great athlete, a competitor, and a go-getter.” So, the similarities are evident in training for the game and playing on the field. The biggest differences between men and women playing football come off the field. Most of the professional women who play this great game have other full time jobs. The Diamonds represent Teachers, Corporate Executives, Licensed Counselors, Nurses, Fire and Emergency Medical Personnel, a Film Production Owner, an Accountant, a Jeweler, Business Owners, an Army Officer, Managers, a Personal Trainer, a Corrections Officer, Security Specialists, an HR Executive, Graphics Artists, a Nanny, and more. They spend their days earning a pay check and impacting their community in many ways. No, there are no Nike contracts, Gatorade commercials, or razor ads for these gals. While we workout, grind through the drills, and win multiple World titles just like the Cowboys, companies are not knocking down our doors or contacting our agents for high profile product marketing. Oh yeah, that reminds me, we do not have agents either. We can’t afford them. But why? What is the problem? Could it be image? Could it be the three professional women’s football leagues have not joined forces yet into one? I can understand ESPN not wanting to show the league championship games until the three leagues are unified into one. Yet, how many different types of men’s football leagues are there? And, at least most, if not all, of them get print coverage and scores posted. Is there a perceived image issue with women playing football? Is that why the media frowns upon covering us or even posting our league results? The media and corporate sponsors have embraced the WNBA, women’s softball, soccer, tennis, and golf. Why not football when it’s been around since the 1970’s and in major and medium markets across this country. “We have every race, religion, and ethic background. We have people with children, adopted children, special needs children. We have almost every type of person covered but the media won’t acknowledge us,” says Diamonds Player Relations Director, Amy Ashkinazy. “What makes me mad is people automatically assume we are all gay, but once you get them to a game and they meet us after the game, they discover we are normal people just like them from all walks of life. We just give up everything in order to play this game.” My husband had that experience. He got caught up in the perceived image and what he found was a great bunch of women who can play ball, “Before I saw them play, I thought this won’t be ‘real football’. It is going to be really large women who could barely move playing powder puff, no hard hitting and running simplistic schemes. That is not the case. These are good looking ladies out there doing a very manly thing. This is real American, full-on, head-banging football. This is 100% serious stuff with big hits and big plays. I am continually awed by the sight of these women doing the things I’ve only seen men do. I am amazed at their athleticism. Many of these women are incredible athletes. This is true at every position from Springer, to Bowman, to Welter, to QB zipping hot passes that ‘pop’ when they hit people’s hands for a catch. But most of all, I’ve found that women’s tackle football is actually fun to watch. The fans are nuts. The energy is awesome up in the stands. Wow! Who knew?” Other friends who have seen the Diamonds play agree, “`I consider anyone who is a professional sports person to be motivated, athletically fit, and driven to excel. After seeing my first professional women's football game, my opinion did not change one bit. In that game I saw determination, motivation to succeed and athletic excellence. These women were on the field to win, to achieve, to entertain a loyal fan base and to excel athletically”, said Marlyse Bassett. My church life group leader also was inspired by what she saw, “`There are hard hits, unbelievable catches, and those sprints for the goal that just take my breath away!” saidTina Bliese. The similarities are obvious. We play and train for the same game the men do. The difference is simple: there is no future in it for us. We sacrifice a lot to play football. It is a pure love of the game. What we find is a great family and amazing fans! It just would be nice if the media and corporate sponsors would jump on board enable us to grow, unify, and show other young women that football is available to them. Join us! Come watch us play this Saturday, June 7^th at 3:00PM as we take on the Tucson Monsoon at Pennington Field. Tickets are just $10 for adults and $7 for children. Visit www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com for ticket information. Visit www.iwflsports.com for more information about women’s professional football. Stay inspired and get moving, Kip #45 Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jun 5, 2008 5:45 PM Comments(0) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this When a Win Feels Like a Loss The wave of dissatisfaction spread across the locker room. “We are better than what we displayed out there,” I thought. While we won the game Saturday night against the Kansas City Tribe 28-13, we did not play like a Championship Team. We even secured our position as IWFL Midsouth Division Champions. But the win was frustrating. We all knew it. We kept trying to get the edge back, but it just wasn’t there. We made key mistakes. The post-game locker room was sullen and relatively quiet. You could hear bubbles of self-condemnation creeping up from player to player. Some knew they missed key blocks, let receivers get past them for big yardage, allowed stupid penalties, and we had a couple interceptions…it just was not our night. Yet, we still won! And we overcame several obstacles including a bus driver who took us 90 miles in the wrong direction. We arrived just in time to put on pads and get a short warm up. But, a win is a win right? Not really. For playoff positions and home field advantage, we have to play above ‘just a win’. If we are still tied in best win, lose, tie results in head to head competition, then the tie breaker goes to the highest net total of points scored minus total points allowed in head to head competition between tied teams. If still tied, then it is decided by fewest points allowed in all regular season games played. If still tied, the most defensive points scored in all regular season games played decides our fate. We want to give our fans home field playoff action. They deserve it for all the travel they do at their own expense to our away games. And, since we are not the NFL, it comes down to basic economics too. It will cost us 15 to 20 thousand dollars to travel to LA or Seattle for a playoff. Quite frankly, we can not afford that. Anyone want to sponsor our playoff travel to bring DFW another World Championship? OK, maybe the frustration is great because we are a little spoiled. We dominate most of our opponents. We have high expectations of ourselves. While individuals did have great game plays, we wanted the entire team to gel and make no mistakes. And, perhaps we knew we could win and we failed to realize the Tribe got better. We beat Kansas City 58-0 the first game of the season. So when we only held them to 7-0 in the first quarter, we sat stunned. As a second-stringer, I knew this probably meant I would not see any playing action. That selfishly hacks me off! I want to play and gain the experience I so desperately need. Honestly, this game was good for women’s football. Better competition means better football all around. The Kansas City Coach even saluted both teams at our center field prayer after the game. We gave fans a game worth watching. He noted we are two female football teams who love this game and want to continue to play, improve, and bring more people to the game. So today, after one day of reflection, Diamonds’ Assistant Coach Mikel Black, reminded us to re-focus our mental game and not let this win defeat us, “Maybe it is time to check our perspective. We are 6-0 and in the playoffs. Yes, we do trail in a tie breaker. Yes, our first round opponent may be more formidable. Yes, we may have challenges to overcome if we have to go on the road for the conference championship game and the league championship game. All these hurdles can be jumped. We may not know how yet, but there is a way. Championships are not easy to win, and last time I checked, we are still on a championship path.” We face the Tucson Monsoon Saturday at 3:00PM at Pennington Field in our quest for another championship. Please join us! We love this game and it’s time to play! Let’s Dominate! Visit www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com for ticket information. Adult tickets are only $10 and children get in the door for $7. Visit www.iwflsports.com for more information on Women’s professional football. Stay inspired and get moving, Kip #45 Posted by Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT on Jun 2, 2008 10:51 PM Comments(1) Report as objectionable Why is this objectionable? (please leave contact info if not a registered user) Submit Please wait... Community Interest Slug Submit E-mail this

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Kip Watson, MA, LPC, ACE-CPT