DaytonDailyNews.com

site web

Tanya Jackson stood by her SUV as the sun set on Kettering Middle School and the Dayton Diamonds' practice. She began listing her former jobs.

"I was a firefighter," Jackson said. "A correctional officer, the first black female supervisor with Chrysler, in the Air Force reserve, a service technician with Sears, a police officer."

She laughed.

"You never learn how to do just one thing," she said. "One thing doesn't always last."

Which brings Jackson to her newest venture. The Diamonds, who open their inaugural season Saturday, April 19, are a women's professional tackle football team in the National Women's Football Association, which has 35 teams, including franchises in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland.

The Diamonds, who will play an eight-game schedule with home games at Fairmont High School's Roush Stadium, return women's tackle football to the area following the Dayton Fillies of the 1970s and the Dayton Rebellion, which folded three years ago.

Jackson has been part of that bloodline since the beginning, as a linebacker for the Fillies and defensive coordinator for the Rebellion. When she learned of the NWFA in November 2006, the retiree flew to Nashville, Tenn., to meet with the commissioner and started the process that usually takes up to $70,000 to build a team from the ground up.

Of the Diamonds' 31 players, some have played tackle football, either with the Rebellion or teams in Cincinnati or Columbus. Some noticed ads for tryouts and decided to try.

"Everyone out here is an athlete," said Jenny Crews, who doubles as a Washington Twp. general practice attorney and inside linebacker. "People would be surprised what we can do."

Tracy Cabugao, a personal trainer in Kettering, heard murmurs about the team last fall and tried out.

"You get a little chuckle when you tell people what we're doing," said Cabugao, a receiver. "The biggest thing is getting used to the equipment, the pads and the loss of peripheral vision in the helmet."

The NWFA uses most NFL rules, although only one foot is needed inbounds for a catch. The league, founded in 2000, will add three more teams for the 2009 schedule.

By then, the Diamonds hope to gain a foothold in the area sports consciousness, which is why Jackson is preparing T-shirts, hats, water bottles with Diamonds labels and license plate covers to promote her newest venture.

"I was amazed when I first saw it," said Frank Jones, the team's general manager, of watching women's tackle football. "I never knew women could play like that."

{\rtf1\mac\ansicpg10000\cocoartf824\cocoasubrtf440

{\fonttbl\f0\fnil\fcharset77 LucidaGrande;}
{\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;}
\margl1440\margr1440\vieww9000\viewh8400\viewkind0
\deftab720
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
\f0\fs22 \cf0 Schedule\
Date	Opponent\
Saturday	FORT WAYNE FLASH\
May 3	at West Michigan Mayhem\
May 10	at Cincinnati Sizzle\
May 17	INDIANAPOLIS CHAOS\
May 24	at Fort Wayne Flash (4 p.m.)\
June 7	CINCINNATI SIZZLE\
June 14	WEST MICHIGAN MAYHEM\
June 21	at Indianapolis Chaos\
* All games at 7 p.m., unless noted. Home games played at Fairmont High School's Roush Stadium in Kettering\
Roster\
No.	Name	PosITION\
9		Tracy Cabugao	WR\'e1DB\'e1QB\
11		Suzanne Salazar	S\'e1WR\'e1DB\
12		Maranda Carpenter	QB\'e1LB\'e1K\
20	Tonya Hill	RB\'e1DB\
22		Tanya Robinson	CB\'e1S\
24		Pisce McCoy	CB\'e1PR\'e1KR\
25		Carol Jahn	RB\'e1S\
30	Amy Dudgeon	RB\
34	Laura Turner	CB\'e1DB\
37		Doria Thomas	WR\'e1DB\'e1KR\
38		Jenny Crews	LB\'e1OL\
43		Stephanie Bean	WR\'e1QB\'e1S\
52		Karen Huff	LB\'e1DB\
53		LeAnna Fannin	LB\'e1TE\
54	Jen Wumer	DL\'e1OL\
55		Yashika Gill	LB\
56		Angela Niese	OL\
62		Joy Hopson	LB\'e1DL\
63		Sheila Sisson	C\'e1DL\
68	Tonya Qualls	DL\'e1OL\
71		Ann Smith	OL\
73		Danielle Carter	DL\
75		Shawntae Preston	OL\
76		Ashlee Duncan	OL\
79		Lisa Brookbank	OL\
80	Robyn Bradford	WR\
84	Robyn King	TE\'e1DE\'e1P\
86	Bonnie Ward	FS\
90	Josette Blalock	OL\
91		Jonica Ziemer	K\
99	Keelynn Cummings	OL\
More online\
Read about the Diamonds' league at womensfootballcentral.com}

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com

Vote for this story!