Alumna
Takes Football by Storm
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As
long as she can remember, Stephanie Mountain (B.A. A&S
'04) has been involved with athletics. But as a young
girl in Garden Plain, Kan., she never saw herself making
a bone-crunching hit on a wide receiver.
Mountain just completed her first season as cornerback/wide
receiver with a women's professional football team,
the Kansas City Storm. The team was created by players
for players in the summer of 2004 and competes in the
Western Conference. Games are played on Saturday nights,
normally at 7 p.m., at area college and |
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high school stadiums. Conference rivals are the Detroit Predators,
Chicago Force, Des Moines Courage and Texas Revolution.
So, how does a 5' 9", 140-pound young woman become a
cornerback for a women's professional football team?
Mountain was playing recreational basketball with a few Storm
players, who interested her into attending practices. Always
up for a challenge, she joined the team, though it was two
months into the season.
"Growing up, athletics have always played a major role
in my life," she said, including high school and college
sports. "Football, it seems, has always been an untouchable
sport. There was not much opportunity to get involved, until
I crossed paths with the Kansas City Storm, that is. Team
owner Nance Wernes has opened up a lot of opportunity for
athletic women to garner experience on the gridiron."
"For a woman of my size on the team, the hardest thing
about playing is embracing the art of hitting," she said.
"Learning to tackle and tackle well is one of the most
important (and difficult) elements of the game. Needless to
say, I have all the respect in the world for the offensive
and defensive lines!"
Only a few days after her final game of the season, Mountain
already misses her team and the competition. But she's looking
forward to competing next year.
"After walking off the field of our last regular season
game (vs. the Detroit Predators)," she said, "I
sensed a slight feeling of loss. Having joined the team a
bit later than the rest, I feel as if I was just getting into
gear. This has left me with a great deal of anticipation for
tryouts and our mini-camp taking place this fall. I am looking
forward to the advancements that the team will make as a whole
in the 2005-2006 season."
She also has high expectations for the future of women's professional
football.
"The future of professional women's football is very
bright," said Mountain. "Teams that have been together
for nearly five years, such as the New York Sharks and the
Sacramento Sirens, are experiencing high levels of success
and visibility. Again, I have to commend team owner Nance
Wernes and all of the others that contribute their time and
effort to the Kansas City Storm. Their hard work and commitment
is certain to produce success for the future of the team and
professional women's football as a whole."
Kansas City Storm History
After completing a rigorous application process and
series of interviews, Storm owner Nance Wernes was granted
a license to join the IWFL in August for the 2005 season.
The team mission is to provide a safe, positive and fun opportunity
for women in Kansas City and surrounding areas to play tackle
football.
Founded in 2000, the IWFL is a member organization of team
owners created to support the new sport of women's tackle
football. The IWFL enables its member teams to function independently,
focusing on their local markets while combining resources
and strategies for the successful marketing and promotion
of women's football.
The IWFL says it is home to the most successful and talented
women’s football teams in the United States. New teams
undergo extensive background checks and interviews before
being admitted to the league. This process ensures the level
of play remains high for the fans and enables the IWFL to
continue to set the standard as America’s number one
women’s football league. |
Published
in E-Roos, a news update from the University of Missouri -
KC |
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