About the Freedom
New Hampshire Freedom is New Hampshire's first and only full contact, tackle football team for women. Our franchise formed in 2001 as a member of the IWFL, Independent Women's Football League. Each franchise plays an eight game season, not including post season games. Regular season games start in April of each year as a member of the North Atlantic Division. The IWFL currently has teams across the US and Canada.
• The New Hampshire Freedom Professional Football Team will be marking it's 11th season playing tackle football in 2012. Also check out current volunteering positions. We are looking forward to a great season!
• The New Hampshire Freedom is currently looking for volunteers for the following positions: Concessions, Filming, Chain Crew, Ticket Crew. Anyone interested in helping the New Hampshire Freedom Professional Football Team is to email Ray Simoneau at owner@New HampshireFreedom.com.
Our Purpose: Our Mission
The New Hampshire Freedom is New Hampshire's first and only full contact, professional, tackle football team for women. Our franchise formed in 2001 as a member of the IWFL, Independent Women's Football League. We play an eight game season starting in April of each year as a member of the North Atlantic Division. The IWFL currently has 51 teams across the US and Canada.
The New Hampshire Freedom is dedicated to providing women 18 and older with the highest quality education and team experience in full contact, tackle football. Participants are treated with respect through the opportunity to experience growth in physical fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship, fair play, and the safe and effective execution of the game of football. The goal is to create a positive environment that allows these women to participate in a male dominated sport.
The New Hampshire Freedom is committed to service within the community that supports them. In 2005 and 2006 the Freedom hosted the opening ceremonies for the NH Amateur State Summer Olympic Games. As part of their fundraising efforts the athletes benefit from the profits of a 50/50 raffles at the home game of their choice.
Since 2001, the Freedom has developed a strong relationship with New Horizons Food Pantry in Manchester, NH. The Freedom dedicates over 200 community service hours each year to New Horizons, participating in the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas food deliveries and by collecting items at our home games for discounted admission.
In 2007, the Freedom joined forces with Governor John Lynch, other NH professional teams, and Southern NH University to support a charitable initiative to allow people with developmental disabilities to attend local sporting events.
Also in 2007, the Manchester Freedom took home the Northeast Division Title for the first time in Franchise history.
We invite you to come and see us play a game that was once only played by our fathers, brothers, uncles, or husbands. We are mothers, sisters, aunts, and wives who encourage you to watch us change history to "Her-story".
Our Roots: How it All Began
As one of the women who founded the Freedom in 2001, and helped to create the IWFL, Mary Sargent set out on a mission to start this team from the ground up. She started by visiting ball fields across the state of New Hampshire recruiting women to play for the Freedom. In order to stay in working order, she began to solicit support from local businesses who had no idea women played football. She began working with the press to get the word out, arranging practice locations for the team, and outfitting women with football equipment. When it came to game day, Mary found a small group of volunteers and covered everything from the chains on the field, to the tickets at the door, the game time announcements, the food for the fans and a half time contest with the kids.
In this first year of existence, Mary struggled to find a home for the Freedom. She began visiting every New Hampshire town trying to find a football field that could be used in the spring. In the end, Mary and Mike Lopez, Alderman at Large in Manchester, fought hard to be the first non-school program to strike a deal that would allow them to use the brand new Manchester West Memorial Field, which continues to this day to be the home field of the Freedom. The deal was finalized two weeks before the first game of the season and could not have been accomplished without the help of Joseph Raycraft, athletic director at that time. Coach Raycraft later began coaching with the Freedom staff as the lead Defensive Coordinator.
Over the years, there have many individuals who have been supportive of the team, constantly checking on our status. Mary attended our most recent playoff game in 2007 and said, "It was the women of the Freedom who made the team successful, I just helped keep things going while they worked on their game."
The unselfish work of many individuals has kept this team in constant growth. As we continue to grow, we cannot forget the efforts made by the past, present, and future of the New Hampshire Freedom.."Where Passion Becomes Excellence".
From the Owner
In 2003, I heard about a womens football team in Manchester from my daughter Amy Michelizza. She told me that she was going to try out for the team. Like other initial thoughts, I wasn't aware at the time that women playing tackle football was possible or even competitive. It was at this point I began researching the team and the league. I looked around many websites learning about their struggles and triumphs as women. In these brief moments I knew I had to see more, had to be apart of this, and didn't know how to get anything started, but I knew going to a game was my first step.
Opening day in 2003 and with my father, we ventured to West High School field, home of the Manchester Freedom. In the stands with approximately 400-500 in attendance, it proved to be a perfect afternoon for a football game. The kick off, the return, the offense, the defense...this was passion, this was history, this was where I found my heart eager to get more involved...an event many thought not possible, an event I wished to support.
So in 2005 the opportunity arose where I took on the investment of buying this team. Since the franchise purchase, I have gained a coaching staff and team of athletes I call family. Their efforts as members of the Manchester Freedom is inspirational and I encourage you to take the chance I took for their future initiative. There are women with full-time jobs, full-time families, their children are involved...they are not your average, run of the mill women.
Each year I gain more and more respect for the efforts they give to keeping this team alive. They play this sport with heart, strength, pride, and perseverance. This is the SOUL for the women of New Hampshire. There are many female semi-professional teams throughout the state, but not a single football team. They commit five and a half months, three days a week of hard work learning, performing, and perfecting the game with sprained ankles, muscle pulls, broken bones taped up, all with no complaints.
The New Hampshire Freedom has not grown to the point where they can pay their athletes, therefore sponsors and promotions are important as this franchise grows into the thought of, "It's not just a mans game anymore."
Thanks to our sponsors, fans, families, and friends who take pennies and builds dreams. You have become our inspiration on this journey. This is a collision sport...this is NFL rules...this is women at their best...giving hope to girls of all ages. The mom's, who play today, give them a chance to play tomorrow.
- Ray Simoneau, Owner/CEO of the New Hampshire Freedom
About the IWFL
The Independent Women's Football League (IWFL), a 501(c)(6) non-profit Texas Corporation, is a full tackle women's football league focused on creating a positive, safe and fun environment for the women who play the game and fans that come out to watch them. The IWFL was founded in 2000 by a group of women dedicated to making the sport a household name. The IWFL currently has over 1600 women playing the sport for 51 teams across North America from Southern California to Montreal and Washington to Florida with consistent expansion into to new markets. In Brief:
The IWFL is a member organization of team owners founded to support the new sport of women's tackle football. The IWFL enables its member teams to function independently, focusing on their local markets while combining resources and strategies for the successful marketing and promotion of women's football.
IWFL Mission:
Enable women to play tackle football by supporting the member owners of the IWFL with a stable organization that can draw on and combine the resources of the IWFL to promote the women athletes who play football.
IWFL Vision:
To create and promote a full tackle women's football league focused on creating a positive, safe and fun environment for the women who play football and a fun experience for the families coming out to watch them. The IWFL is a Women's Tackle Football league allowing all women the opportunity to play tackle football. The IWFL also allows women and men alike the opportunity to coach, manage and even own a sports team in order to further this opportunity for women athletes.
Organization:
The IWFL is a nonprofit organization here solely for the success of the sport of women's tackle football.
Our focus is on providing opportunities for women to play this great American sport while providing exciting and progressive entertainment for the public.
This league was started with player safety, community service, honesty, and integrity in mind. For more information, go to www.iwflsports.com.