NATIONAL WOMEN'S FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
NORTHERN CONFERENCE
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|---|---|---|
| BALTIMORE | CINCINNATI | CLEVELAND |
| BURN | SIZZLE | FUSION |
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|---|---|---|
| COLUMBUS | CONNECTICUT | D.C. |
| COMETS | CRUSH | DIVAS |
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|---|---|---|
| DETROIT | ERIE | INDIANA |
| DEMOLITION | ILLUSION | THUNDER |
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|---|---|---|
| INDIANAPOLIS | KENTUCKY | MAINE |
| SABER KATZ | KARMA | FREEZE |
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|---|---|---|
| MASSACHUSETTS | MILWAUKEE | PHILADELPHIA |
| MUNTINY | MOMENTUM | PHOENIX |
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|---|---|---|
| PITTSBURGH | SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN | ST. LOUIS |
| PASSION | JAGUARS | SLAM |
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|---|---|---|
| TIDEWATER | TOLEDO | |
| FLOODS | SPITFIRE | |
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
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|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA | ASHEVILLE | ATLANTA |
| RENEGADES | ASSAULT | LEOPARDS |
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|---|---|---|
| AUSTIN | CHATTANOOGA | DALLAS |
| OUTLAWS | LOCOMOTION | RAGE |
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|---|---|---|
| DENTON | EMERALD COAST | GULF COAST |
| STAMPEDE | SHARKS | HERICANES |
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|---|---|---|
| KANSAS CITY | KNOXVILLE | NASHVILLE |
| KRUNCH | TORNADOES | DREAM |
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|---|---|---|
| NEW ORLEANS | OKLAHOMA CITY | PENSACOLA |
| BLAZE | LIGHTNING | POWER |
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|---|---|---|
| TENNESSEE | ||
| VENOM | ||
Arranged above are the NWFA divisional alignments for the 2005 season. The league is currently divided into two conferences -- The Northern Conference and Southern Conference. Prior to 2005, both conferences were further divided into divisions, however this year divisions are absent.
New teams for 2005 include the Cincinnati Sizzle, Emerald Coast Sharks, Indianapolis Saber Katz, Kentucky Karma, Milwaukee Momentum, and Tidewater Floods. The Dallas Dragons have changed management and have become the Dallas Rage. The Evansville Express, Roanoke Revenge, Rochester Raptors, Shoals Smashers and Wisconsin Riveters have either disbanded, left the league or were on "hiatus" for 2005. In 2006, the league will expand into California for the first time with two teams, the Antelope Valley Bombers and Orange County Breakers.
HISTORICAL TEAMS
The following are historical helmets once used by the teams above, helmets for teams that once played in the NWFA, but have since disbanded, or prototypes depicted on web sites but never used on the field.
I'm sure there are other helmets I'm missing. Any help would be appreciated.
ALABAMA RENEGADES
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| 2000 - present |
The Renegades were one of the two founding teams of the NWFA along with the Nashville Dream. The teams played a six-game exhibition schedule in 2000 to drum up interest and support for a full league. The team is based in Huntsville, AL.
ASHEVILLE ASSAULT
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|---|---|
| 2002 | 2002 - present |
The Assault began play in 2002. For at least some games in their first season, they wore black helmets without a logo. The team is based in Asheville, NC.
ATLANTA LEOPARDS
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| 2002 - present |
The Leopards began play in 2002. The team has been on shaky ground for sometime and I think they forfeited some games in 2005. In fact, I can't determine whether they even finished the season.
AUSTIN OUTLAWS
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| 2004 - present |
The Outlaws were one of the first established teams to join the NWFA. Prior to 2004, the team played in the IWFL.
BALTIMORE BURN
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|---|---|
| 2001 | 2002 - present |
The Burn began play in 2001.
CHATTANOOGA LOCOMOTION
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| 2001 - present |
The Locomotion began play in 2001. The team is based in Chattanooga, TN.
CINCINNATI SIZZLE
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| 2005 - present |
The Sizzle are a new team for 2005 and are coached by former NFL player Icky Woods.
CLEVELAND FUSION
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| 2002 - 2003 | 2004 - present |
The Fusion began play in 2002, perhaps earlier.
I'm not entirely sure when the current helmet was adopted. It may have been worn in 2003 as well.
COLUMBUS COMETS / COLUMBUS FLAMES
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|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2003 | 2004 - present |
| COLUMBUS FLAMES | COLUMBUS FLAMES | COLUMBUS COMETS |
The Flames began play in 2003. For at least some games in the first season, the team wore helmets with no logo. The team was either sold or changed management in 2004, and became the Comets.
CONNECTICUT CRUSH
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|---|---|
| 2001- 2002 | 2003 - present |
The Crush began play in 2001 . The team is based in Hartford, CT.
I'm fairly certain that the team has worn more helmet versions than the two above. Any info on addition variations is much appreciated.
DALLAS RAGE / DALLAS DRAGONS
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|---|---|---|
| pre-2004 | 2004 | 2005 - present |
| DALLAS DRAGONS | DALLAS DRAGONS | DALLAS RAGE |
The Dragons began play in 2004. The team was sold, or changed management, in 2005 and became the Rage.
D.C. DIVAS
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| 2001 - present |
The Divas began play in 2001.
DENTON STAMPEDE
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| 2004 - present | |
The Stampede joined the league in 2004. I believe they played independently before then. They wear the logo only on the left side of the helmet as shown in the second image above. The team is based in Denton, TX.
DETROIT DEMOLTION / DETROIT DANGER
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|---|---|
| 2002 | 2003 - present |
The Danger began play in 2002, winning the championship in their first season. In 2003 the team changed hands and became the Demolition. They haven't missed a beat however, and have won the championship every season since.
EMERALD COAST SHARKS
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| 2005 - present |
The Sharks were a new team in 2005, based in Panama City, FL. I believe they are somehow related to former team the Panama City Beach Rumble (see below). They already have plans to change again and play as the Barracudas in 2006.
ERIE ILLUSION
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| 2003 - present |
The Illusion began play in 2003. The team is based in Erie, PA.
EVANSVILLE EXPRESS
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| 2004 - present (?) |
The Express began play in 2004. They were still listed as members of the league in 2005, but did not play. The team was based in Evansville, IN.
GULF COAST HERICANES / BILOXI HERICANES
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|---|---|
| 2002 - 2003 | 2004 - present |
| BILOXI HERICANES | GULF COAST HERICANES |
I believe the Hericanes began play in 2002, perhaps earlier. In 2004, they became the Gulf Coast Hericanes. The team was originally based in Biloxi, MS.
INDIANA THUNDER
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|---|---|
| 2003 - 2004 | 2005 - present |
The Thunder began play in 2003. They are based in South Bend, IN, and I believe they are somehow related to the South Bend Golden Hawks, who played in 2002 (see below). Like the Leopards, the team seems to be on shaky ground and may even have forfeited games in 2005.
INDIANAPOLIS SABER KATZ
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| 2005 - present (?) |
The Saber Katz are a new team for 2005. They have already either folded or changed ownership, as the team has been replaced on the NWFA web site with the Indianapolis Chaos.
JUNCTION CITY CAVALRY
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| 2003 (?) |
The Cavalry have been slated to join the league since 2003. They were still listed on the league web site until 2005. They never did play, but I wonder if they ever had a prototype helmet made. Any help finding out more info about this "almost" team is much appreciated.
KANSAS CITY KRUNCH
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| 2003 - present |
The Krunch began play in 2003. I've heard rumors that the team recently folded following the 2005 season.
KENTUCKY KARMA
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| 2003 - present |
The Karma are a new team for 2005. The team is based near Louisville, KY.
KNOXVILLE SUMMIT
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| 2002- 2003 |
The Summit began play in 2002. They left the league following the 2003 season to play in the IWFL.
KNOXVILLE TORNADOES
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| 2004 - Present |
The Tornadoes replaced the Summit for the 2004 season. The team is based near Knoxville, TN.
As far as I can tell, the Tornadoes wear blank navy blue helmets. If this is in error, please let me know.
MAINE FREEZE
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|---|---|
| 2003 | 2004 - present |
The Freeze began play in 2003. They are based in Portland, MA.
MASSACHUSETTS MUTINY
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|---|---|
| 2001 - 2004 | 2005 - present |
The Mutiny began play in 2001. The team is based near Boston, MA.
MILWAUKEE MOMENTUM
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| 2005 - present |
The Momentum are a new team for 2005. They replaced the Wisconsin Riveters, who played in 2004.
MOBLIE SEA-PIRETTES
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| 2001 (?) |
The "Sea-Pirettes", played, if they played at all, in 2001. They would have been based in Mobile, AL.
NASHVILLE DREAM
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|---|---|
| 2000 (?) | 2001 - present |
The Dream were one of the two founding teams of the NWFA along with the Alabama Renegades. The teams played a six-game exhibition schedule in 2000 to drum up interest and support for a full league.
NEW ORELANS BLAZE / NEW ORLEANS SPICE
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|---|---|
| 2002 - 2003 | 2004 -present |
The New Orleans Spice began play in 2002. They changed ownership and became the Blaze for the 2004 season.
OKLAHOMA CITY LIGHTNING
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| 2003 - present |
The Lightning began play in 2003.
PANAMA CITY BEACH RUMBLE
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| 2002- 2003 |
The Rumble began play in 2002. They folded following the 2003 season, but seem to have resurfaced as the Emerald Coast Sharks er.. Barracudas, for 2005 (see above).
PENSECOLA POWER
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|---|---|
| 2001 | 2002 - present |
I'm certain the Power began play in 2001, although I'm not sure exactly when they switched to the current helmet design.
PHILADELPHIA LIBERTY BELLES
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| 2001 - 2002 |
The Liberty Belles began play in 2001. They left the NWFA to join the IWFL following the 2002 season and were replaced by the Phoenix (see below). I believe the team was the first to leave the NWFA for a rival league.
PHILADELPHIA PHOENIX
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|---|---|
| 2003 | 2004 - present |
The Phoenix replaced the Liberty Belles following their defection to the IWFL in 2003. They originally used the same color scheme as the Liberty Belles, but now appear to have replaced the navy blue with black, as in the second helmet above.
PITTSBURGH PASSION
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| 2003 - present |
The Passion began play in 2003.
ROCHESTER RAPTORS
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| 2003 - 2004 |
The Raptors began play in 2003, but folded following the 2004 season. The team was based near Rochester, NY. Apparently they merged with the WPFL's Syracuse Sting to form the Empire State Roar, a new WPFL franchise.
ROANOKE REVENGE
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| 2004 |
The Revenge played in 2004. They were still listed on the league web site well into the 2005 season, but did not field a team. They were based in Roanoke, VA.
SHOALS SMASHERS
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| 2004 |
The Smashers played in 2004. The team was based in the "Shoals" area of AL, west of Huntsville.
SOUTH BEND GOLDEN HAWKS
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| 2002 |
The Golden Hawks played in 2002. They were replaced by the Indiana Thunder following the season.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN JAGUARS
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|---|---|
| 2002 | 2003 - 2005 |
The Jaguars began play in 2002. The team was based in Otsego, MI, in between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. They have either been sold or otherwise replaced by the West Michigan Mayhem for the 2006 season.
ST. LOUIS SLAM
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| 2003 - present |
The Slam began play in 2003.
TENNESSEE VENOM
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| 2001 - present |
The Venom began play in 2001. The team is based near Johnson City, TN, east of Knoxville.
TIDEWATER FLOODS
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| 2005 - present |
The Floods are a new team for 2005, based near Norfolk, VA.
TOLEDO SPITFIRE
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| 2003 - present |
The Spitfire began play 2003. They are based near Toledo, OH.
WISCONSIN RIVETERS
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|---|
| 2004 |
The Riveters played a single season in 2004. They originally played in the WPFL. The team was based near Kenosha, WI.
COMMENTS
The NWFA got its start as the NWFL, National Women's Football League, in 2000. The name change was prompted by a lawsuit from the NFL, claiming the names were too similar. The NWFA happily changed their name as they welcomed the publicity. A rare success story in recent women's football, the NWFA has been featured on nationwide television and some individual franchises enjoy partnerships with the NFL teams in their cities. The league has grown every season, and is already planning future expansion for 2006 and beyond, despite the fact that the 2005 season just ended.
The current champions are the Detroit Demolition, who defeated the Pensacola Power for the second straight time in the championship. They are technically 4-time champions, as they won the title in 2002 as the Detroit Danger under different ownership. For the first time in 2004, the NWFA welcomed in established teams who have "defected" from other leagues, along with the more traditional expansion franchises.
I still need help with this league and any information anyone can provide would be very appreciated. I've only been able to piece together some helmets from web site photos and images, and even those are inaccurate at times, as teams seem to change face masks, logo size and logo placement rather frequently.