ANTHONY: SUE SHELDON IS ONE VERY BUSY WOMAN.
SHAYNA: SHE’S IS A MOTHER OF TWO, A POLICE DISPATCHER, AND A LINEBACKER.
ERIKA: A GROUP OF WOMEN BRUSH AWAY THE CARES OF THE WORKDAY AND A RISE IN REVERE -- ARRIVE IN REVERE ON A CHILLY SPRING NIGHT.
THEY ARE HERE TO CUT, CATCH, AND KICK.
THE BOSTON RENEGADES PRACTICE BEGIN, BOSTON’S ALL WOMEN FOOTBALL TEAM.
NEITHER FOXES NOR FRIGID WINDS CAN KEEP THESE PLAYERS AWAY.
FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE BOSTON MILITIA, THE TEAM WAS PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY A CAR DEALER.
>> I HAD NO DESIRE TO BE AN OWN ER.
WHEN THE PRIOR OWNER LEFT, I AM PASSIONATE ENOUGH ABOUT OUR TEAM.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET FOOTBALL DIE HERE IN BOSTON.
ERIKA: MANY OF THESE WOMEN PLAYED FLAG FOOTBALL BEFORE BEING INTRODUCED TO THE TACKLE VERSION OF THE GAME.
>> SUMMITS ON THE PRACTICE IN THE FLAG -- SOME SAW ME PRACTICE IN THE FLAG LEAGUE.
THEY SAID I SHOULD TRY TACKLE.
THEY ARE MERCILESS.
[LAUGHTER] WE WILL GO TO PHILLY IN TWO DAYS, AND I HAVE LINEBACKERS THAT WANTS TO KILL YOU BASICALLY.
>> WE SEE THE WHOLE GAMUT OF INJURIES.
IF THEY SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION DURING PRACTICE, THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM PLAY AND WE DID.
ERIKA: THE TEAM AVERAGE AGE IS 26, BUT FOR MANY PLAYERS, AGES JUST A NUMBER.
-- AGE IS JUST A NUMBER.
>> I THINK WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 50 NOW.
ERIKA: HAND FOR ROOKIE RENEGADES -- >> WE ASPIRE TO BE FULLY PROFESSIONAL.
THE EXPECTATION WHEN A ROOKIE COMES IN IS AN EYE-OPENER.
THEY HAVE A PRETTY STEEP LEARNING CURVE WHEN THEY GET HERE.
>> IT WAS WAY MORE MENTAL THAN I WAS ANTICIPATING.
FOOTBALL, YOU THINK VERY PHYSICAL.
A LOT OF CONDITIONING.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLAYS, DIFFERENT FORMATIONS.
ERIKA: PLAYERS SPEND UP TO THREE DAYS A WEEK AT PRACTICE.
IN ADDITION TO WORKING ON THEIR OWN AND STUDYING THE PLAYBOOK.
>> THEY SPEND AT LEAST FOUR HOURS PRACTICING THE GAME.
THEY ARE SO INVESTED AND PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
ERIKA: SO INVESTED AND PASSIONATE THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO PICTURE THESE PLAYERS OFF THE FIELD.
>> WE HAVE ANYTHING FROM STUDENTS TO ACTIVE MILITARY TO TEACHERS TO MATHEMATICIANS TO SUMMER PARENTS TO ALL CAPS A DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC -- ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL
ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
WE HAVE A GOOD SLICE OF BOSTON REPRESENTED HERE.
>> YOU NEED THE DRIVE AND SACRIFICE.
IT IS A LOT OF WORK, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL A FULL-TIME SOMETHING.
ERIKA: AND THEY HAVE TO HEED THEIR COACHES, WHICH INCLUDE FORMER PATRIOTS LINEBACKER VERNON CRAWFORD.
>> THEY EXPECT US TO GIVE IT OUR ALL.
ERIKA: COACH APPRECIATES HIS PLAYERS’ATTENTIVENESS.
>> WOMEN LISTEN BETTER.
I HAVE BEEN AROUND MEN FOR 10 YEARS.
THE GUYS ARE LIVING THEIR COLLEGE GLORY DAYS.
THESE WOMEN ARE HERE TO LEARN.
THEY WILL TAKE IT ALL IN THEIR HEAD.
ERIKA: COMPETING WITHIN THE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL ALLIANCE, THE RENEGADES PLAY OUT-OF-STATE TEAMS AND 98 -- OUT-OF-STATE TEAMS IN AN EIGHT GAME SEASON.
>> IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT OPPORTUNITY AND EMPOWERMENT.
A PLACE TO FEEL AND PLACED -- PLACE TO PLAY AND FEEL SAFE REALLY COMPETEAND.
THE RENEGADES ARE STARTIN