There has been a lot of hype in the last few weeks about the American Allstars Lingerie Football Team Arriving in Australia to showcase the growing sport. The aim of the visit was to promote awareness about the sport and ultimately, pick a squad from each State to create the Australian League.
I had watched a few of the games of Lingerie Football (LFL) on Foxtel and flirted with the idea of trying out for the Sydney team when it was announced. The flirting lasted about 1 minute and I was already deciding what I was going to wear to trial.
I figured it was worth a go, as I am fit enough, strong enough and can certainly muster up enough anger to charge at someone. (thank you ex boyfriends/ friends)
The tryouts:
I rocked up to All Phones Arena at Homebush with my reference photo in hand (mine was tame compared to a few I got a glimpse at), shorts, sports bra and smile and hit the field with around 80 other girls from all over Sydney.
Run by one of the US Quarterback’s Liz Gorman, and LFL Chairman Mitchell Mortaza we were to run though a number of drills; quarter back, wide receiver (which I felt I felt I had in the bag), offensive and defensive drills and the best were chosen from each area.
From the girls who were chosen…If you could throw or you were apart of the Ladies Gridiron League you were pretty much a shoe in.
The trials lasted around 3 hours and from the 80 girls, 25 were chosen to progress to the next round. Unfortunately, not me. I was disappointed however there are to be more tryouts later in the year and with that in mind I left positive that next time would be my “in”.
The All Stars Game: That following Saturday, my mum dad and I headed back out to Homebush where we would see the two US teams battle it out, one team representing NSW and the other QLD.
I attended this game excited to see what the future could bring but was disappointed.
To say I was naive in thinking that the game would be about the sport and the players was true, however from what I had seen on the TV, thats what it was, strong, fit, professional athletes who wanted to play ball, forget the damn outfit, it is what it is and no one is forcing them to wear it. You get over the outfit after 3 or 4 plays.
But the real disappointment was the crowd, advertising and the disrespect that was a result of this.
Majority of the men in the crowd – or should I say circus were alcohol fueled pigs, yelling out offensive comments, passing around blow up dolls, asking any woman in the crowd if they were a lesbian; cause why else would they be there?, throwing beer cans at unsuspecting onlookers and trying to grope the players over the barricade. SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT.
To have seen this on the TV where it was all about the game, to be subjected to such poor male behaviour once the crowd was involved was the biggest let down of all.
The game was sponsored by a chat line, the half time entertainment was a male crowd member being able to tackle one of the girls (who then proceeded to grope her) and to tell you the truth, the way the game came out in the flesh was not desirable.
I left deflated, let down that the sport and the girls had been made such a mockery of by not only Australian men, but by those from the US in charge of it.
I was never one to say it was inappropriate because I saw past all the bullshit that had been spoken of in the news, in regards to womens rights etc etc. Their right is to be able to do what they do best, regardless of what they are wearing; volley ball players, touch football, triathlon, swimmers, lifesavers…Don’t get me started.
The inappropriateness was anyone who had anything to do with the way the night went down.
When the Sydney team was introduced I was glad it wasn’t me, so I came home and enjoyed a game on FOX, from the comfort of my own couch where all you could see was the actual game and left anything I had witnessed back out at All Phones Arena.
You can train for the big event but sometimes it might not be what you expect. This doesn’t mean you stop, you keep heading forward, cause if another opportunity arises you’ll be ready. Train for you…nobody else.
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