On the field, anything goes

There are only seven women’s American football teams in Russia. It is a non-professional sport so anyone can join. It’s all about personal enthusiasm so players often have to learn the rules and moves by themselves while coaching is simply done by more experienced players. Some women start playing American football because their friends invited them. Some are drawn by the exotic sport. Others simply want to become more athletic. Many drop out after the first training session: after all, it’s not only about strength and endurance but also about the ability to understand and remember formations. Those who stay find themselves a new family and a safe place for expressing emotions, including aggression. Young women admit that American football has made them braver and more decisive. They leave their comfort zone and broaden the boundaries of their usual routine. The sound of shoulder pads smashing against each other becomes their favorite sound.