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OREM — A local women’s football league is gearing up for a busy season and has been training for months in preparation of its first game.
Hiroku Jolley owns the Utah Falconz. She also plays left tackle on the team. Women who are interested in joining the team try out first, but Jolley said they take players with all levels of experience.
“Some of us have been playing for five or more years, for some this is their first year," Jolley said. "When women come to try out, we just tell them not to be intimidated. We’re all learning.”
The team is currently practicing three times a week to prepare for its first game on March 22. Jolley said conditioning is important and the team runs through a tough routine every practice.
“We run a really quick offense,” Jolley said. “We run a no-huddle offense. Developing agility and stability is essential for the teammates.”
She said the team is all about pushing limits and creating relationships.
"I want people to have fun, that’s the reason I formed the team,” Jolley said. “I wanted it to be a fun sisterhood where women can bond.”
The Falconz operate on fees paid by the players when they join the team, as well as community donations. They will play six games on the road during the 2014 season and five on their home field at Timpanogos High School in Orem.
Jolley said one of the most rewarding parts of participating on the team is its connection to the local charity group Mascot Miracles. The organization takes team mascots around the state to visit children with cancer and other terminal illnesses.
Women's football gaining popularity in Utah
This football season, it's not just boys padding up and working out on the field. Women's full-contact football it's starting to take off in the West, and a new team in Utah has even caught the eye of Nike.Part of the proceeds of each game goes to the charity, and Felix Falcon, the team’s mascot, visits with children often. It’s been a wonderful way to give back to the community, Jolley said.
“We cannot change the outcome of the illnesses,” Jolley wrote on the team’s website, “but we can fervently endeavor to bring a little happiness to their hearts.”
The Falconz' first home game will be April 12 at Timpanogos High School in Orem. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and veterans. Children 10 and under are free.
