User:Rikardo55/Powderpuff Football



Powder-puff football is a sport event in which women partake in a game of football. Genders switch roles on the field. The females that would usually be cheering and performing for the football players put down their pom poms and hit the field and become the actual players. The football players remove their equipment and hit the sideline dressed up as cheerleaders and cheer for the "new" players. The objective is to score on the opposing team and win. These games are usually not as competitive as high school football games, but they bring a new dimension to the game of football. Although competitive, these games are played for fun and entertainment and most importantly bring gender equality to a very patriarchal game. Powder-puff games are typically played by cheerleaders, but in some cases they are played by a group of female friends. These games are gaining more popularity in high schools and are quickly becoming traditions.

Set Up
The set up for playing in a powderpuff game is very simple and inexpensive.

Field/Players

 * normal sized football
 * minimum of two coaches per team
 * two teams consisting of 11 players
 * makes sure to make teams balanced and have extra players on the sideline in case of injury
 * cones set up to signify the first downs, sidelines, and end zones

Rules
The rules for powderpuff football games are similar to the rules of flag football.

Key Rules

 * no tackling
 * if tackling is done there will be a penalty charged
 * player is down once their flag is pulled
 * if flag or player falls with out any contact, the player automatically considered down
 * fumbles are dead balls

Regulations

 * two twenty minute halves with running clock
 * clock only stops in the last two minutes of each half
 * half time will be between six to eight minutes long
 * one time out by each team per half
 * touchdowns are six points with a chance for an extra point since there are not field goals
 * safeties are worth two points

Full list of rules can be found here

Traditions
For many high schools it is a tradition to have this football game. For example one school has had this tradition for more than 25 years. Fox Chapel Area High School annually has a Powderpuff game between the seniors and the juniors and are coached by the male football players. In some cases, such as this, money is charged at games and used as fund raising for the school. Money is not always the reason for these games. They are usually done for the fun and for the reactions of the spectators and the girls playing.

Views/Experience
Being part of a football game changes some peoples’ views toward women. The typical feminine idea is altered when women participate in the game of football. Men gain an appreciation for the cheerleading aspect of football while the women see how difficult the game of football really is. Powder-puff serves as an educational tool for both genders and helps them appreciate their respective worlds through a simple game of football. . The steady growth of women's interest in football is best exemplified by the creation of several female football leagues such as the Lingerie Football League.