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Paula Anderson-Estep Woman on the Field
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aula Anderson-Estep helped opened a new, competitive playing field for women when she started the Memphis Belles, a female tackle football team, five seasons ago, however the Belles’ owner and executive manager wishes the same opportunities for women football players had been available when she was growing up in Ohio. Going back to her teen years, she recalls being escorted off her high school’s football field when she went to inquire about trying out for the team, so she resorted instead to cheerleading and playing tennis. When Anderson-Estep did finally get to wear a real football jersey with the Belles, for which she sometimes suits up and plays for if there are not enough players, she made sure the number on her jersey meant something. “Dwayne Woodruff, who I was good friends with in high school, went on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers as Number 49, so I wanted to have that same number,” she tells. Anderson-Estep went into the Belles’ inaugural season solely focused on creating a team to play in the Independent Women’s Football League, consisting of 30-plus teams across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. She found out quickly that there are challenges to recruitment though, as many women who come out to play are full-time students, have jobs or are mothers. And since recruits aren’t required to have any playing experience, they have only one pre-season to cram in eight year’s worth of training, unlike many pro and semi-pro male players who have high school and college team experience under their belts. Anderson-Estep’s son, Zak Klingemier, the Belles’ director of operations, also says that the first Belles team experienced a lot of knee problems, an issue that has been alleviated since adding many knee-specific exercises into training. “What often separates recruits is when they start hitting, and then putting on all the gear [including NFL helmets], which is extremely heavy and hot in the summer,” Anderson-Estep notes. “If you’re a female athlete though, what a great opportunity this is to compete against other women!” Admittedly a little ahead of her time when she started the Belles, Anderson-Estep feels like people are coming around to female tackle football, with up to 300 fans attending games at either Halle Stadium or Fairgrounds Stadium, and the team itself, which averages 20-25 players a season, is exuding a love and passion for the sport she never expected. Anderson-Estep points out that one player even had 1,000 yards rushing in eight games last year and has been approached by a college to coach a men’s football team. Two Belles players were also recruited to be on USA Football’s first female team to play in the inaugural International Federation of American Football Women’s World Championship in Sweden in 2010, though the chosen Belles couldn’t go. Proud of all her players, Anderson-Estep wants nothing more than to focus on the current season. May 12 will mark the team’s first home game (see memphisbellesfootball.com for more details), so be sure to catch what all the buzz is about on the field. Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts