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LOCAL WOMEN HAVE PASSION FOR FOOTBALL |
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By Brian Herman
VALLEY INDEPENDENT SPORTS EDITOR
A volleyball and basketball standout at Belle Vernon Area last year,
Ava Nickens is a California University student taking up nursing and
works as as Wal-Mart cashier.
Brianna O'Toole was a sprinter, high jumper and swimmer at BVA who now
splits her time between being a waitress at Sonny's Restaurant in
Arnold City and being a nursing student at the CCAC-South Campus in
West Mifflin.
Devona Carter, who now makes Monessen her home, is a first-year
student at Point Park University where she's taking up psychology and
is a part-time security guard at the End Zone Restaurant in Charleroi.
Tonight, however, the three area women will be at Bedford Stadium near
Cleveland making their debuts as semi-pro football players.
Yes, you read right.
The trio are newcomers on the Pittsburgh Passion who are kicking off
their fourth season in the National Women's Football Association
against the Cleveland Fusion.
Nickens will be starting on the defensive line while Carter will be a
backup middle linebacker and O'Toole a backup safety and starter on
the special teams.
Team owner Teresa Conn is glad to have them.
"I love seeing younger girls on the team," said the 42-year-old Conn,
who also starts at safety. ""They bring a lot of energy and work hard.
They're all excellent additions."
Nickens and O'Toole are both 18 years old with Carter 25.
"Ava may be the youngest player ever to start for us," noted Conn.
Football isn't new to Nickens or O"Toole, who were teammates in two
powder puff games in high school.
"When we were juniors we killed the seniors and then won easy our
senior year," grinned Nickens. "I even knocked Brianna out in
practice."
A 195-pounder, Nickens has been looking ahead to the opener for seven
months.
"The powder puff games were so much fun. Imagine if we could tackle,"
she said. "The best feeling is being out there hitting the
quarterback."
"I always wanted to play football but never thought I'd have the
chance," said O'Toole. "Ava and I talked about it when we were in
ninth grade and the Passion were playing their home games at Jim Weir
Stadium."
While Nickens and O'Toole were athletes in school, Carter wasn't. "I
did a lot of moving in my school days," she recalled. "Besides
Monessen, we lived in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina."
She ended up with the Passion through a former player Rochelle Grogan
of Monessen. "I've known her all my life and she thought I should give
it a shot," she said.
Carter is glad she took her advice. "I love everything about it
especially the friendships," she said. |
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