The Last Train to Clarksville

My first experience with football was a good one. Our first game of the season was Clarksville. We did not win, but we played hard. I rode up with my fellow rookies, Anna Gail (AG) and Suzy (Kicker). Suzy’s significant other, Pam, drove the whole way up and back for us. That was very much appreciated.

The road trip there is about 2 ½ hrs or so. Distances in the South are measured by hours and minutes rather than miles. And depending on whom you ask you will get a different answer how far away something is. This is because most people drive at least 10 mph over the speed limit. Those who drive faster will tell you something is a shorter drive than it might take you.

We stopped along the way to eat at Ruby Tuesday’s. I explained to Pam, Suzy, Anna Gail and the rest of the restaurant how to sell a duck to a deaf man. If you don’t know, just ask me during our next dining experience together.

Thanks to Pam’s interspatial mapping experience, we found the field no problem. We walked through our offense, defense and special teams plays. It seemed as though I blinked and then it was time to kick off.

We won the toss, but then deferred the kick off to Clarksville. Our defense did a good job of holding them but on forth down they went for it rather than punt. That is one thing about women’s football is that sometimes there is just not someone who can punt and the team has no choice but to either make a first down or turn it over on downs (we do not have that problem, our kicker can actually kick). They got the first down and in doing so uncovered a very weak area of our game plan. They kept running to that same weakness and proceeded to score and score and score again.

During the defense’s first time on the field I went in for two or three plays at Linebacker. I got steamrolled by a TE blocking off the edge on one play, and got clobbered by someone else during a cross-field pursuit. I must’ve looked as bad as I felt, because it was after that they pulled me out and sent someone else in.

I started at Tight End and got involved in the game a decent amount. There was one pass that our QB, Katie White, threw to me which we connected for over 20 yards. My first catch in the IWFL! I also got the ball on an end-around which went nowhere.

Unfortunately, shortly after halftime my calf muscle started to cramp up. I tried everything; including drinking 64 oz of strawberry Gatorade, eating three bananas and three mustard packets. It is a wonder I kept that combination down. Dana even came out of the bleachers to come and rub it out…and deliver the mustard. Although she made it feel better, the cramp never went away and was tight the whole way home, the next day, and all throughout the week. I wanted back in but didn’t want to risk tearing it.

Our offense was moving the ball but we had a hard time finishing for points. In fact, our only TD came late in the game on a busted pass play that Katie ran in for six. Our attempt at a two-point conversion failed when Katie was hit hard and sacked. She came out of the game, sat down next to me and told me about how little padding there is in the back of the helmet. I knew she was woozy, and found out the next day that she had suffered a concussion.

We lost 36-6, but we fought hard and we never stopped believing in ourselves. It was loads of fun and although a win would have been preferred, it was still a great experience.