The Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) has brought a new era of professionalism to women’s tackle football, and Birmingham’s Alabama Fire is a striking force in the rising league. The team currently has a 2-2 record and is fighting for the coveted #4 playoff seed in their conference with just two games remaining. Their next game will be a home match against the Texas Elite Spartans on May 14th at Wenonah High School at 5pm, and the final regular-season game will be an away battle against the Florida Avengers on May 21st.
I was fortunate to speak on the phone with Fire superstar Shardonay Jenkins, who had recently gone viral for executing two stellar stiff arms on the way to a touchdown in a recent matchup against the Houston Heat. “I’m a tough cookie,” the multi-talented player laughs. She is the team’s Full Back and Defensive Tackle, and was named the league’s strongest player after winning a bench press competition. Jenkins is joined by other all-star caliber players like Quarterback Courtney Billingsley (who currently leads the league in pass yards), rookie Kerri Isom (who currently leads the league in tackles and sacks), and Running Back Kelli Smith (who led the league in rushing last year, and is a strong favorite again this year). “I’m her blocking back. I make sure she gets into the endzone,” Shardonay shares on their successful scoring partnership with Smith.
The team is working hard, and has established a strong presence in Birmingham. This community is 6 years in the making, and first happened after Coach Lane (who was coaching flag football at the time) was encouraged by his players to learn more about the possibility of a Birmingham team joining a tackle league. He did some research and traveled to Atlanta, and the next thing you know the Alabama Fire was in the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA). Coach Chris and Coach Tim Jones also joined the staff to create a scary team for any opponent to face.
The Fire played in the WFA for two years before taking a year off to regroup on players and focus. During this time they were approached by the WNFC, which ramped their game up to the next level. “They invited us to join their conference and we’ve been with them ever since. What the WNFC is doing is providing us a platform to play professionally,” Jenkins shares, “We’re just forming a platform for women to play professionally and actually get paid to do what we do, so it’s amazing. There’s players of the week every week. Eventually, the end (goal) is for it to be just like the men. A professional platform for us.”
This new level of professionalism that comes with the WNFC can be seen in everything from the uniforms to the major sponsorships like Adidas, Riddell, and Bose. Players of the week get incentives for winning rewards, and every game is shown on Vyre. “We’re shutting down that platform,” the Fire shares on the league’s viewing numbers. With teams like the Mississippi Panthers, San Diego Rebellion, and the reigning champion Texas Elite joining the almighty Fire it’s easy to see why people are tuning in from around the nation to watch this exciting league each week. “Women have stepped their game up. Overall, everyone has stepped their game up. From the professionalism all the way down to the players-everything is just a step up,” Jenkins shares, “The criteria they hold us to, the standards they hold us to.”
The Fire enjoys playing in the Magic City, and are always looking to expand their reach to fans and potential players who may not yet be aware that there is a competitive women’s league in their own backyard. “If you really want to play, there’s an opportunity for you to play and it’s the real thing. We’re not watering the sport down, we’re playing the sport just like the boys. If you really want to play, there’s an opportunity to play. There’s a platform here for you. Just join. Step on up.”
Jenkins sales pitch to come to a game is easy. For a city and a state that love football so much, we must also appreciate that we “also have women out here balling for y’all.” The Alabama Fire is yet another wonderful reason to love the excellence that is our city, and we’re thankful for these players and ready to see a playoff spot get claimed!
See y’all May 14th.
Cover image from WNFC
