IN THE HUDDLE

 

By Erin Throneberry

Have you ever put water in a pot, turned on the stove, put the pot over the fire, and then just watched what happened? First the water just sits there.  Then those little bubbles start forming at the bottom of the pot.  They sit there waiting to jump with all the excitement building and then,,,it POPS! The water starts to boil, popping and splashing with the fire.  Well, much like the water I've described, the blood of the Tree Town Spitfire football team is beginning to bubble with excitement.  It starts with just one person, one look and it grows.

It's the aura that radiates from a person while she is doing something she loves and genuinely enjoys.  It's a passion first displayed as a spark, soon enough, and through practice, the spark becomes a full-fledged fire burning deep.  more...

THE BOYCE BOX -

FIRST AND TEN

By Jennifer Boyce

Sunshine and blue skies graced us during our last outdoor practice.  Of course, we did have our tights, sweatshirts, and wool hats to protect us from the early November chill.  Football weather would be featured at our last 2007 practice in cleats and on the grass.  It was also our biggest turnout, and as a quarterback (and teammate) I was thrilled!  The rookies are bringing new people each week; and each time the faces of the veterans who are present light up with excitement, but also in relief! 

 

We'll be moving inside for practices now that the weather has turned and the sun disappears before some of us make it home from work in the evening,  so put away the cleats and lace up those cross-trainers.  As a quarterback, I'm looking forward to keeping my hands warm, but also staying loose during the down-times of practice.  Long gone are the days of getting eaten by mosquitos at Frog Island Park!  Get ready for floor burns on your knees and ceiling lights in your eyes.  more...

 

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:

Denise "TNT" Thompson

By Erin Throneberry

Denise has the Spitfire spirit through and through.  She has three seasons of experience and is back yet again.  Denise says "I don't remember (what happened), all I know is someone fell on me and that's when I heard SNAP."  It was at West Michigan and early in the second quarter of only the second game last season when Denise broke her ankle - she has not stopped fighting to get back to playing football since.  Her doctors claim she will be "good as new" as soon as her physical rehabilitation is complete and have recently cleared her to begin practicing again on that surgically-repaired ankle.  more...

 

Special thanks to the

EMU Athletic Department!!!

THREE AND OUT -

FOOTBALL THE COACH TED WAY

By Ted Moore

Being involved in the world of men's semipro football I get asked sometimes, "Why do you coach woman's football?  They can't run fast, hit hard or throw the ball far - so what's the point?"  Well to my caveman brethren I ask, "Have you ever seen a game?!"  The reply is always, "No." I tell them to check it out and then let me know what you think. 

 

I will be honest with you, when I first thought about it I didn't imagine that women would be very good at playing football.  I figured they'd run into each other and beg out of action claiming injury over such minor items as a broken finger nail.  But I admit now that I was wrong - these women can play!  When I saw my first game I didn't even think about the fact that there were a bunch of woman out there playing - they were ball players.  You really can't tell once the game starts, anyway.  The only time I realize that they are women is when we stand together as a group and the helmets are a little lower than I'm used to.   They have speed, they have size, more...