On Saturday, Fisher attended tryouts for the Baton Rouge Women’s Contact Football team, which is a member of the Independent Women’s Football League.

“I love sports, especially football,” said Fisher, a Eunice High graduate. “When I read about the league and then heard about the tryouts, I said ‘why not give it a shot?’ When I was in high school I really wish I could’ve played football, either with the guys or by starting a league for girls. This is my chance.”

A desire to play football is a secret Fisher hasn’t shared with anyone, not even her four sons.

“I didn’t tell them,” Fisher said. “I didn’t want to tell them too much, because then they would’ve wanted to come and watch me tryout.”

For a league and a team that is still trying to make a name for itself, Baton Rouge Women’s Contact Football coach L. Krandon Dunkins V was excited to see Fisher ready to get started.

“To get even one player out here for tryouts is more than enough,” Dunkins said. “We’re still trying to promote our league and team through word- of-mouth, so it’s going to take one person at a time. To have one player out here makes this tryout a success, because it doesn’t take but one person to be the missing piece of the puzzle that takes you to the next level.”

When asked what were some of the things he’d be looking for during tryouts, Dunkins quickly responded, “heart and determination.”

“We have some girls who couldn’t walk backwards and now they are making open-field tackles for us,” Dunkins said. “Which is why heart and determination are so important. We need people who really want to do this and are willing to give everything they have on every play and also have a desire to learn.”

After running the 40-yard dash, doing push-ups and showing off her arm strength, Fisher was excited about the opportunity playing football could create for her.
 

“The tryouts have been rough,” Fisher said. “It’s the first run through for me and I’m feeling all right. I’m going to make it, because I want to do this.”
And she wants to do it for no one other than herself.

“This gives me a chance to go out and compete,” Fisher said. “It’s also another opportunity for women and those are very limited, so I want to take advantage of it.”