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PATERSON — The first thing you notice at Hinchliffe Stadium is the sound.
Helmets crash into pads under the late afternoon sun while players shout assignments across the field. Music echoes through the stadium as fans begin filing into the historic Paterson venue, home to the Jersey Shore Wave, one of 16 teams in the Women’s National Football Conference, or WNFC.
For the women wearing full pads and preparing for kickoff, though, the game represents far more than football. It represents visibility.
“We’re building something that didn’t exist,” Jersey Shore Wave CEO Dawn Springer said. “We’re trying to bring something to the community, have role models for youth, and create a family-friendly atmosphere where people can come watch women play real tackle football.”
Story continues below photo gallery.
Now in their second season playing at Hinchliffe Stadium, the Wave are trying to establish themselves not only as a football team, but as part of Paterson’s growing sports identity alongside the New York Cosmos and the New Jersey Jackals.
For players like linebacker Marqweesha Guthrie, that connection to the city carries extra meaning.
“Being from Paterson and being able to play here means everything,” Guthrie said. “People from this city are tough. We fight for everything. So being able to represent Paterson on the field and show little girls from here that women can play football, too, that’s special.”
Guthrie said one of her biggest motivations is changing how people view women’s football.
“A lot of people still don’t know women play tackle football,” she said. “Then they come watch us and realize, ‘Oh, this is real football.’ We hit, we compete, we work just as hard as anybody else.”
That desire for recognition echoes throughout the organization.
“When I tell people about the team, they usually ask, ‘Wait, women play tackle football?’” Wave president Jared Ferko said. “A lot of people think I mean flag football at first. Then they come to a game and realize this is full-contact football played at a really high level.”
Ferko, who helped launch the organization in 2024 alongside his mother, Springer, said the team’s growth has been fueled by both community support and a commitment to professionalism.
“When we started this team, we wanted to separate ourselves,” Ferko said. “Playing at Hinchliffe gives us legitimacy. Fans walk in and realize this is serious. Visiting teams walk in and are blown away by the atmosphere.”
That atmosphere has become especially important as women’s football continues to grow nationally. Though girls' flag football has exploded across New Jersey high schools, tackle football still fights for mainstream attention.
Wave defensive coordinator Athena Reyes said the team is trying to shift perceptions every time it steps on the field.
“We want people to stop saying ‘women playing football’ and just say ‘football players,’” Reyes said. “That’s the culture we’re building. Respect for the athletes and respect for the game.”
Head coach Fabian Alesandro said building that culture has not been easy. The roster includes veteran players, rookies learning the sport for the first time and athletes transitioning from other sports.
“You have people coming in with completely different levels of experience,” Alesandro said. “Some players have been doing this for almost a decade. Others are learning football terminology for the first time. The challenge is getting everybody to buy in together.”
That process has created strong bonds inside the locker room.
Wide receiver Megan Stier said veterans immediately embrace newer players and help create a supportive environment.
“Everybody wants each other to succeed,” Stier said. “Nobody’s acting bigger than the team. The veterans really helped rookies learn the game instead of making them feel behind.”
Quarterback Danneille Ayala said balancing football with everyday life requires constant sacrifice.
“These women are students, nurses, teachers, law enforcement officers. Everybody’s doing something outside football,” Ayala said. “Then we still come here and give everything we have to this team.”
Springer believes that sacrifice is part of what makes the players so relatable to fans.
“These women are members of the community,” Springer said. “They’re teachers, EMTs, police officers, students, mothers. On top of all of that, they’re still showing up to play football because they love it.”
Running back Lauren Hall said that commitment creates accountability throughout the roster.
“You don’t want to let your teammates down,” Hall said. “Everybody’s sacrificing something to be here, so you push yourself harder because you know the person next to you is doing the same thing.”
The organization’s larger mission extends beyond the field. Through the team’s “She Can” foundation, the Wave host youth girls flag camps and award scholarships to young female athletes during home games.
“We want girls to see this and think, ‘I can do that, too,’” Springer said. “There hasn’t really been a pathway for women in football before. We’re trying to help create one.”
Ferko said the long-term goal is even bigger: paying players a living wage. At present, the players are not paid.
“Our number one goal is to eventually pay these women to play football,” Ferko said. “Right now, everybody here is sacrificing their time because they love the sport. But we believe women’s football deserves the same type of investment and recognition other women’s leagues are finally starting to receive.”
For now, the team continues building one game at a time.
Teams officials say attendance has increased during the Wave’s second season at Hinchliffe Stadium, and players say more fans are beginning to understand the level of competition on display.
“You can feel it growing,” Guthrie said. “People come once, then they come back and bring more people with them.”
Springer hopes Wave fans leave Hinchliffe understanding one thing above all else.
“I want people walking out saying, ‘Wow, that was an incredible football game,’” she said. “And then I want them asking when the next one is.”
The Jersey Shore Wave will play their final home game this season at Hinchliffe Stadium on Saturday, May 16, at 4 p.m. against the Chicago Winds.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ women's tackle football team beats odds to build fan base
Continue reading...
Helmets crash into pads under the late afternoon sun while players shout assignments across the field. Music echoes through the stadium as fans begin filing into the historic Paterson venue, home to the Jersey Shore Wave, one of 16 teams in the Women’s National Football Conference, or WNFC.
For the women wearing full pads and preparing for kickoff, though, the game represents far more than football. It represents visibility.
“We’re building something that didn’t exist,” Jersey Shore Wave CEO Dawn Springer said. “We’re trying to bring something to the community, have role models for youth, and create a family-friendly atmosphere where people can come watch women play real tackle football.”
Story continues below photo gallery.
Now in their second season playing at Hinchliffe Stadium, the Wave are trying to establish themselves not only as a football team, but as part of Paterson’s growing sports identity alongside the New York Cosmos and the New Jersey Jackals.
For players like linebacker Marqweesha Guthrie, that connection to the city carries extra meaning.
“Being from Paterson and being able to play here means everything,” Guthrie said. “People from this city are tough. We fight for everything. So being able to represent Paterson on the field and show little girls from here that women can play football, too, that’s special.”
Guthrie said one of her biggest motivations is changing how people view women’s football.
“A lot of people still don’t know women play tackle football,” she said. “Then they come watch us and realize, ‘Oh, this is real football.’ We hit, we compete, we work just as hard as anybody else.”
This is not flag football
That desire for recognition echoes throughout the organization.
“When I tell people about the team, they usually ask, ‘Wait, women play tackle football?’” Wave president Jared Ferko said. “A lot of people think I mean flag football at first. Then they come to a game and realize this is full-contact football played at a really high level.”
Ferko, who helped launch the organization in 2024 alongside his mother, Springer, said the team’s growth has been fueled by both community support and a commitment to professionalism.
You must be registered for see images
“When we started this team, we wanted to separate ourselves,” Ferko said. “Playing at Hinchliffe gives us legitimacy. Fans walk in and realize this is serious. Visiting teams walk in and are blown away by the atmosphere.”
That atmosphere has become especially important as women’s football continues to grow nationally. Though girls' flag football has exploded across New Jersey high schools, tackle football still fights for mainstream attention.
Wave defensive coordinator Athena Reyes said the team is trying to shift perceptions every time it steps on the field.
“We want people to stop saying ‘women playing football’ and just say ‘football players,’” Reyes said. “That’s the culture we’re building. Respect for the athletes and respect for the game.”
Head coach Fabian Alesandro said building that culture has not been easy. The roster includes veteran players, rookies learning the sport for the first time and athletes transitioning from other sports.
“You have people coming in with completely different levels of experience,” Alesandro said. “Some players have been doing this for almost a decade. Others are learning football terminology for the first time. The challenge is getting everybody to buy in together.”
Strong bonds in the locker room
That process has created strong bonds inside the locker room.
Wide receiver Megan Stier said veterans immediately embrace newer players and help create a supportive environment.
You must be registered for see images attach
“Everybody wants each other to succeed,” Stier said. “Nobody’s acting bigger than the team. The veterans really helped rookies learn the game instead of making them feel behind.”
Quarterback Danneille Ayala said balancing football with everyday life requires constant sacrifice.
“These women are students, nurses, teachers, law enforcement officers. Everybody’s doing something outside football,” Ayala said. “Then we still come here and give everything we have to this team.”
Springer believes that sacrifice is part of what makes the players so relatable to fans.
“These women are members of the community,” Springer said. “They’re teachers, EMTs, police officers, students, mothers. On top of all of that, they’re still showing up to play football because they love it.”
Running back Lauren Hall said that commitment creates accountability throughout the roster.
“You don’t want to let your teammates down,” Hall said. “Everybody’s sacrificing something to be here, so you push yourself harder because you know the person next to you is doing the same thing.”
Players are unpaid — for now
The organization’s larger mission extends beyond the field. Through the team’s “She Can” foundation, the Wave host youth girls flag camps and award scholarships to young female athletes during home games.
“We want girls to see this and think, ‘I can do that, too,’” Springer said. “There hasn’t really been a pathway for women in football before. We’re trying to help create one.”
Ferko said the long-term goal is even bigger: paying players a living wage. At present, the players are not paid.
“Our number one goal is to eventually pay these women to play football,” Ferko said. “Right now, everybody here is sacrificing their time because they love the sport. But we believe women’s football deserves the same type of investment and recognition other women’s leagues are finally starting to receive.”
For now, the team continues building one game at a time.
Teams officials say attendance has increased during the Wave’s second season at Hinchliffe Stadium, and players say more fans are beginning to understand the level of competition on display.
“You can feel it growing,” Guthrie said. “People come once, then they come back and bring more people with them.”
Springer hopes Wave fans leave Hinchliffe understanding one thing above all else.
“I want people walking out saying, ‘Wow, that was an incredible football game,’” she said. “And then I want them asking when the next one is.”
The Jersey Shore Wave will play their final home game this season at Hinchliffe Stadium on Saturday, May 16, at 4 p.m. against the Chicago Winds.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ women's tackle football team beats odds to build fan base
Continue reading...
