Whether she liked it or not, Tynnetta Rasheed always seemed to end up in a leadership position in her athletic pursuits. And, quite frankly, by the time she graduated from college, she just wanted to hit someone.

Rasheedhad always been a football fan, watching televised games "like there's no tomorrow," and when she wasn't on the hardwood as a point guard for the Iowa State Cyclones, she played intramural flag football intramurals. But while she had the athletic skill and competitor's spirit to tackle the real deal, "actually going out and hitting someone; I didn't think that would be a reality."

Think again, said friend and fellow athlete Diane Goldsbury. Since the establishment of the Des Moines Courage in 2004, Iowa has been home to, not just the Cyclones and the Hawkeyes, but the Independent Women's Football League. And last year Rasheed eagerly took on a new leadership position: quarterback.

Having savored the adrenaline of scoring the first touchdown in her first dominating game in 2005, Rasheed will be back in the pocket this year. But 2006 marks a new phase for local women's football, with the Des Moines Courage giving way to the Iowa Crush, a team with fresh management, a new name and an updated logo. And, with the season's start just three months away, they're looking for a few good women to shore up a team, that Rasheed says, is going to "open some eyes" in the IWFL this year.

But those with anything less than a passion for the game need not apply. Rasheed says her commitment to the team is akin to a full-time job, but she isn't paid. The team does have spaghetti dinners and beer busts to raise money, Goldsbury says, but many players cover their own costs for gear and travel. Rasheed even pays out of pocket for twice weekly physical therapy sessions to ensure she's 100 percent after a late hit last season left its mark for most of 2005. But while team members may take a hit to their pocketbooks, the chance to play unfettered football is priceless.

"You go through all kinds of emotions really, from ecstatic over a good play to dragging your ass back to the bench after a missed tackle," Goldsbury says of the team's eight regular season games. "But there's also a sense of you've got 40 of your best friends out there and the goal is to beat this other team."

Of course, these are best friends who expect you to show up on Saturday morning and bust your butt for four hours so they're sure you've got their back once they take the field. As Goldsbury points out, their team may be diverse - from professionals to bowling alley owners, from college student to teachers - but a dedication to grid-iron physical fitness is a quality they all share. For Goldsbury, who trains on a near-daily basis, it's all about strength and stamina. You don't want to start dragging in the fourth quarter, she says, and "you don't want to be pushed around, you want to be the pusher."

"When you're putting on the pads you have a sense of armor around you, a sense of durability," she says. "But really, in this game, you have to have an aggressive attitude, you have to tell yourself you're going to put the hit on someone. You have to have that mindset."

And don't think for one second that mindset is clouded with sugar and spice. The women's game is absolutely identical to the men's game; same rules, same plays, same take-no-prisoners approach. "Girls can get down," Goldsbury says. "There's some trash talking out there." Especially when they take the field against Detroit. Because, well, "those girls play dirty," she adds.

So while Goldsbury says many come to their first women's football game out of out of sheer "you're kidding" curiosity, it's the athleticism and excitement that bring them back for more. The Crush may not have NFL trainers like the ladies in pro-football towns like league-leading Chicago, but these women aren't overly concerned about standings anyway. They're more interested in getting their fair share and proving that the ability to score a touchdown has nothing to do with testosterone.

"It's just fun getting out there and doing what women haven't been allowed to do, what we should have started a long time ago," Goldsbury says. "Why keep it a right to the boys?" - Carolyn Szezepanski

To become a Crush player, contact Jackie Ward at 515.271.5571 or gm@iowacrush.com. For a game schedule and other information, visit iowacrush.com. CV

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