Gulf Coast Riptide
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| Founded | 2001 |
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| League | Women's Spring Football League |
| Team history | Pensacola Power (NWFA) 2001-2008 Gulf Coast Riptide (WFA) 2009-2012 Gulf Coast Riptide (WSFL) 2012-present |
| Based in | Pensacola, Florida |
| Arena | Emmitt Smith Stadium, Escambia High School |
| Colors | Navy, white |
| Head coach | Mike Thomas |
| Championships | 0 |
| Division titles | 8 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) |
| Dancers | Riptide Cheerleaders |
The Gulf Coast Riptide is a women's American football full contact football team in the Women's Spring Football League founded in 2001 as the Pensacola Power of the National Women's Football Association. The WFA plays under NFL rules with minor modifications such as ball size and kick off placement. Their home field is Escambia High School in West Pensacola.
The team's history started one cool Saturday morning in February 2001. That's when Catherine Masters (NWFA CEO & founder) held tryouts for the first women's football team in Pensacola. Ray Quinn (Head Coach & owner of the Alabama Renegades) and Tim Smart (Power Head Coach Candidate) were on hand to greet the first batch of football hopefuls. Over 120 women tried out for the team over the next three weekends but only 60 could make the squad. After a laborious selection process, 60 women were chosen and the team was ready to get started.
The Power had less than 2 months to select a team, get in shape, order equipment and learn the fundamentals of the game. Expectations for the first season were understandably moderate. With 4 games against teams from Nashville and Huntsville, (teams with 8 games under their belts) the Power was optimistically hoping for a 4-4 season.
The Power burst on the NWFA scene with a vengeance setting records for attendance ranging from a reported 2,500 to 5,000 fans per game. No one was disappointed. During the course of their first season the Power recorded the first ever undefeated regular season, earned the Southern Division Title with the 2nd ranked defense and the 2nd ranked offense in the league led by team captain and starting quarterback (Julie Moss), they had the leagues first and only 1,000 yard rusher (Jill Penderghest), the league leader in interceptions (Jodi Albright), the leagues’ best punter and field goal kicker (Emily Morgan) and earned a berth in the first ever National Women's Football Association National Championship game. While the Power lost the championship game to nerves and the overwhelming size and strength of the Philadelphia Liberty Belles, no one could have asked for a better start.
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