The Chattanooga’s Locomotion, a full contact women’s professional football team, has been growing over the last five years into a Southern Division powerhouse. The last three seasons have seen the Locomotion compile a 22-2 record, and they are pumped to garner more wins.
Karen Timon and Felicia Hudson own the Locomotion.
“Our team is well led by head coach Steve Lewis, offensive line coach Richard O’Shields, defensive line cooch Bryon Davis, and defensive back coach Sheryl “GATOR” Talley,” says Timon. She then went on to say that their coaches are the best they have encountered. And even though all four coaches volunteer their time, they wouldn’t have anyone else.
The Locomotion’s quarterback for the 2006 season is Nicole Henry (#7) and has been the subject of several feature articles in various papers.
This Locomotion’s season kicked off recently in Knoxville against the Knoxville Tornadoes. There first home game was on May 6. The regular season consists of eight games, with the playoffs held in July and the Championship on August 5. All home games for the 2006 season are played at Red Bank High School’s (RBHS) Red Bank Community Stadium and Tom Weaver Field. The venue is located on Morrison Springs Road in Chattanooga/Red Bank, Tenn.
Timon says, “We hope our new venue this year will inspire more fans to come out and support out team.”
Tickets are $10 per game with season tickets available for $35 for all home games and $65 to include home and away games. The team practices two to three times per week in Rivermont, with all games held on Saturdays at RBHS.
The NWFA has 37 teams spread out over 23 states. Tennessee is well represented with teams in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, and Bristol. All teams are active within their community. The Locomotion’s exhibition game on April 1, 2006, helped to raise funds for Whitwell High School’s Athletic Department and will help other schools in the future.
Locomotion also participated in many area Christmas parades, volunteering time to mentor young children, and provide female role models with athletic skill, sparking interest in women’s sports for players and sponsors alike.
For those that may think this is powder puff, touch, or flag football, you are well advised to think again. These ladies lay each other out in practice, and that refers to their own teammates. The action just gets more combative on Saturdays when they meet opposing teams. A lot of these ladies would have done our college teams proud had they had the opportunity to show their stuff on NCAA fields.
Lately the league has received national attention, as it signed a movie deal with ITHAKA Entertainment to do a full-length feature film about the league’s history and players. The last movie covering women’s sports to any large degree was the successful “A League of Their Own.” There are currently no details available on the production and casting dates, but this project should be a huge boost to the NWFA as well as on both local and national levels.
All the teams in the National Women’s Football Association (NWFA) are voluntary players, and teams are responsible for their own transportation to away games. Chattanooga’s Locomotion plans many fundraisers to offset these expenses throughout the season. If you are interested in supporting the ladies, you can check out their Web site at www.chattanoogalocomotion.com and visit their calendar of events.