By Jonathan V. Perez
Variety News Staff

FORTY-TWO first-time players enjoyed the first day of the Women’s Football League boot camp last Saturday at American Memorial Park.
The camp started at 9 a.m. with Patricia Coleman leading the warm up and stretching exercises.
Coleman and WFL coordinator Brenda Schultz divided the participants into three groups handled by WFL players Divya Sharma, Vanessa Prichard and Becca Rath.
Aside from Coleman, Schultz, Sharma, Prichard and Rath, other WFL players that helped in the boot camp were Linda Anastacio, Betty Johnson, Maria Ornes and Becky Covarrubias.
Sharma, Prichard and Rath taught participants of how to do a proper throw in, how to run drills past cone markers, dribble and use the body to block the ball.
Coleman said they taught a variety of drills to the participants to determine their fitness and skill level. “Most are beginners but some of the participants have played football before. The skills are very basic and apply to all whether you are a beginner or a veteran player.”
The drills that the participants did involved evading defenders and passing to their teammates.
Coleman said there were 10 female participants who failed to show up and she is expecting more will sign up as the clinic progresses.
Schultz reminded interested female players that the signup is still open and the final day of registration will be Feb. 17 when the coaches will do the team drawing under the supervision of an NMIFA board member. The players need not be present during the drawing and this will be the final roster for the season.
The boot camp is open to women 14-years-old and above with a desire to learn how to play soccer.
The boot camp will run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The sessions will follow the same schedule for the next three Saturdays in January and February. The registration will take place simultaneously with the boot camp.
The cost of the registration is $25 which covers the insurance, uniform and the use of the NMIFA equipment.
The boot camp is especially for female participants who want to learn the sport but the NMIFA is not limiting the sessions to rookies, as players who participated the past two seasons are welcome to join.
The team practices will begin on Feb. 21. The practice sessions will be held every Wednesday and Saturday until the league opens on March 10.
This will be the first time the NMIFA will be having a Spring season. They usually open the league in the Fall.
Last year, the Fiesta Resort & Spa Femme Fatales became the champions in the second season of the Women’s Football League beating the Marianas Eye Institute Eyeballers in the Sunday finals at the Oleai Sports Complex, 4-2.
Games in the WFL are played with two 25-minute halves with a five-minute break. During the semis and championship games, a five-minute “golden goal” overtime rule is followed in case of a tie. If a tie remains after the overtime, a five-person shootout takes place.