StingRayz Women's Professional Football team gears up for the season

January 21, 2003 - Women's Professional Football League (WPFL)
San Francisco Stingrayz News Release


The San Francisco StingRayz are kicking off their season in a new league with a schedule of exciting games and a new coaching staff, headed by Terry Burton, the former front office executive and player development coordinator of the Oakland Raiders.

This year, the StingRayz will be playing under the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL), a full contact tackle football league. The IWFL was founded in 2000 and allows its member teams to function independently, focusing on their local markets while combining resources and strategies for the successful marketing and promotion of women's football. The IWFL currently has 26 teams across North America from Florida to Montreal and Oregon to Massachusetts.

The conference operates under NFL rules and games are played just like the ones you see on Monday Night Football. The players come from all different backgrounds from pro & semi pro athletes in various sports to businesswomen, students, teachers, and doctors.

The StingRayz will be busy over the next two months. On January 25, the team will hold tryouts at Palega Field, which is located at Silliman & Somerset off Silver Ave in San Francisco from 9AM-11AM. All women over 18 are encouraged to try out.

On January 26, Superbowl Sunday, the team will be appearing at Jillians in the Metreon in San Francisco. On February 16, the team will play the Santa Rosa Scorchers in a scrimmage game at Crocker Amazon park in San Francisco.

The StingRayz official season kicks off on March 15 at 1PM in Kezar Stadium when they play the Sacramento Sirens.

"We expect this season to be exciting because we have our all-stars from last season coming back and some fresh new talent," says Dawna Williams, Administrative Director of the team.

The talent includes a new coaching team with more NFL experience than any other team in the IWFL. Head Coach Terry Burton has a total of 32 years in football as an player, coach, and NFL front office executive and a member of the NFL Players Association. Coach Assistant Head Coach / Co-Defense Coordinator Gary Thompson played with the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills; Senior Defense Coordinator Dennis Mc Collins played with the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins, and Offensive Coordinator Carl Sullivan played with the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers.



Women's Professional Football League Stories from January 21, 2003


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