Chicago Force News

Archived News/Events
Latest News

[2/18/2018]
Chicago Force Finale – Team Ends Operations
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[2/17/2018]
Coach Konecki and QB Grisafe Inducted into Chicago Force Hall of Fame
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[2/14/2017]
2017 Calendar Raffle
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[2/3/2017]
2017 FORCE Season Kicks Off!
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[1/5/2017]
Join the 2017 Chicago Force
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[11/10/2016]
Join the 2017 Chicago Force
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[2/5/2016]

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[1/18/2016]
2016 Tryouts Ongoing
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[11/8/2015]
2015 Force Banquet
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[11/7/2015]
2016 Tryouts 2
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[9/20/2015]
2016 Tryouts 1
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[2/20/2015]
2015 Calendar Raffle
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[12/10/2014]
2015 Tryouts 2
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[10/29/2014]
2015 Tryouts 1
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[10/19/2014]
2014 Force Banquet - A Night of Celebration
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[9/24/2014]
Coach Konecki and Wide Receiver Jeanette Gray Receive WFA Honors
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[7/23/2014]
Chicago Force Inspires Girls in the Game
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[6/9/2014]
2014 National Conference Playoff Bracket
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[6/9/2014]
Congratulations to the 2014 Force All-Americans
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[6/9/2014]
2014 Alumni Day and a Hall of Fame Induction
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[6/4/2014]
MELISSA SMITH INDUCTED INTO CHICAGO FORCE HALL OF FAME
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[5/11/2014]
This spring the Chicago Force have been busy on and off the field!
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[5/1/2014]
The Swagger of a Star Quarterback
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[4/5/2014]
Two Force Players Honored with Cook County Unsung Heroine Award
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[2/14/2014]
Buy your ticket here to win!
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[1/6/2014]
Chicago Force Receive Championship Rings, City and State Proclamations.
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[12/17/2013]
Buy your 2014 Chicago Force calendar here!
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[12/1/2013]
A Wonderful Night for an Exceptional Season.
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[9/3/2013]
Laura Ricketts Keeps Promise
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[9/3/2013]
QB Sami Grisafe Sings Anthem at Wrigley Field
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[7/26/2013]
2013 SILVERSPORT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
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[7/15/2013]
FORCE SET FOR REMATCH WITH BOSTON
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[7/6/2013]
TEAM USA WINS GOLD, Defeats Canada in IFAF World Championship
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[7/1/2013]
Team USA Overwhelms Sweden 84-0, Force players Shine
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[6/10/2013]
10 Force Players Receive All-American Honors
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[3/26/2013]
Force Home Opener
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[3/25/2013]
Interview with Down & Dirty radio
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[2/17/2013]
Team USA features 11 Chicago Force Players
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[2/14/2013]
Buy your ticket here to win!
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[2/11/2013]
Future Chicago Force Player
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[2/9/2013]
Chicago Shines at Team USA Tryouts
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[1/10/2013]

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[12/27/2012]
FANS! GEAR UP FOR THE 2013 SEASON at our NEW online store!!
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[12/18/2012]

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[12/10/2012]
Buy your 2013 Chicago Force calendar here!
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[10/24/2012]
Chicago Force holds annual awards banquet
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[10/18/2012]
TRYOUTS FOR THE CHICAGO FORCE WOMEN'S TACKLE FOOTBALL TEAM!
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[9/17/2012]
TRYOUTS FOR THE CHICAGO FORCE WOMEN'S TACKLE FOOTBALL TEAM!
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[8/6/2012]

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[8/5/2012]

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[8/5/2012]
Access to Championship Game Replay:
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[7/22/2012]
Force Look Ahead to Play-offs
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[7/10/2012]
Free Ticket Promo
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[7/9/2012]
Cubs Owner Laura Ricketts Supports Force
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[7/9/2012]
Behind the Scenes with Coach Konecki
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[7/7/2012]
7 Force Players named to All-American Squad
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[6/28/2012]
Lewandowski Guides Force on Defense
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[5/5/2012]
Chicago Force Establish Hall of Fame, Induct Schaffrath & Bache
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[5/5/2012]
Chicago Force Host Alumni for 10 Year Anniversary
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[4/14/2012]
2012 Home Opener
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[4/12/2012]
WEBCASTS FOR ALL FORCE HOME GAMES
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[4/9/2012]
Intra-Squad Scrimmage Prepares Force
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[4/9/2012]
Force set to open 2012 Season
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[3/31/2012]
Chicago Force Raffle Winners
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[1/25/2012]
Chicago Force Player Calendar
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[1/9/2012]
The Business of Sports
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[12/20/2011]
Berggren Excels In Rookie Season With Force
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[12/20/2011]
Open Try-Outs
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[12/18/2011]
Force Look for Help for 2012 Season
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[10/27/2011]
Force Team Banquet Celebrates 2011 Season
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[10/24/2011]
2012 Tryouts
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[10/14/2011]
GOLF OUTING A SUCCESS - 80 and Sunny
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[9/12/2011]
Chicago Force Serves at Melrose Park Taste
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[8/10/2011]
Chicago All Stars Shine
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[7/26/2011]
Sky Fitness Festival
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[7/2/2011]
Women's Football Alliance Announces All American Teams
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[6/28/2011]
Force to Host Conference Semi-Final
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[6/23/2011]
PLAYOFFS! Not just Chicago storms causing a BLACKOUT in town
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[6/2/2011]
FORCE Players Volunteer at Sheffield/Belmont Festival
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[6/1/2011]
Women’s Football League: a Force to be Reckoned With
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[5/12/2011]
It's a suite deal!
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[3/31/2011]
Crowd comes to their feet at Exhibition
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[3/31/2011]
Chicago Force prepare for Upcoming WFA Season
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[2/23/2011]
Tri-Fitness Featured on WGN News
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[2/18/2011]
Ross Forman
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[1/17/2011]
Vital Injury Prevention Sessions Start
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[12/20/2010]
Individual Tryouts in January
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[12/1/2010]
Chicago Announces Schedule
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[11/18/2010]
CHICAGO FORCE PART OF HISTORIC UNIFICATION OF WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
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[11/2/2010]
Future Force Hopefuls strut their stuff on Boy's teams
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[10/21/2010]
Local Student Wins ESPN Award
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[10/15/2010]
UPCOMING TRY-OUTS!!
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[10/11/2010]
5th Annual Force Golf Outing a Success
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[10/1/2010]
The Force moves forward to help unify Women's Football
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[9/13/2010]
FORCE VOLUNTEER AT MELROSE PARK FESTIVAL
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[7/6/2010]
USA Wins Gold Medal at Inaugural IFAF Women's World Championship of American Football
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[7/2/2010]
Team USA Wins to Advance to Gold Medal Game
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[6/27/2010]
USA Records 63-0 Victory over Austria to Open IFAF Women's World Championship
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[5/26/2010]
Alumni Weekend
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[5/25/2010]
JENNIE MCNULTY'S COMEDY SHOW
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[5/25/2010]
Force Players assist NFL with Flag Football Clinic
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[5/11/2010]
Chicago Tribune Series
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[4/22/2010]
USA FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES 45 Member Roster for 2010 Women’s National Team
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[4/16/2010]
VICTORY FLIP!!!
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[4/16/2010]
Girls in the Game
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[4/12/2010]
Final Raffle Winner: Ricky Marks
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[4/12/2010]
2Guys and a Mic interview Head Coach John Konecki
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[4/5/2010]
Otis Wilson to perform Coin Toss
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[3/26/2010]
Chicago Force Ready for 2010 Season Kickoff
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[3/13/2010]
Force Coaches to lead USA Football's Women's Team
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[3/12/2010]
Girl Scouts Meet the Force
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[2/22/2010]
Force Adds Intern for 2010
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[2/11/2010]
Chicago Force hold Physicals at AthletiCo
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[2/7/2010]
Season just around the corner
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[1/3/2010]
Head Coach encouraged by what he sees at recent tryouts
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[12/29/2009]
Force Players Stuff the Bus for Charity
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[12/23/2009]
2010 Season Schedule Announced
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[12/12/2009]
2010 Tryouts a Success!
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[11/19/2009]
Force Players Teach Flag Football for Girls
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[11/12/2009]
Warner Bros Pictures invites Force to movie preview
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[10/27/2009]
Force Banquet Celebrates 2009 Season
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[10/6/2009]
Force Golf Outing is a Fall Classic
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[9/29/2009]
Megan Finnegan: A Powerful Person
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[9/12/2009]
UPCOMING DECEMBER TRYOUTS!!
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[8/9/2009]
Force All-Stars Represent
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[7/2/2009]
Help the Force get the whole team to KC!
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[6/25/2009]
The Force place 13 on the 2009 IWFL All-Star Team!!!
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[6/1/2009]
Force Players "Give Girls Game"
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[5/12/2009]
Chicago Pride interviews Force wide receiver
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[4/20/2009]
Robbie Leeann Topp performs the coin toss
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[4/18/2009]
Force Win Home Opener on Alumni Night
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[4/11/2009]
Force Dominate In Season Opener
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[4/8/2009]
Intra-squad Scrimmage a Success
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[4/6/2009]
St. Baldrick's follow up story
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[3/20/2009]
Intra-Squad Scrimmage and Media Day
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[3/13/2009]
Coaches will shave their heads for charity
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[3/12/2009]
2009 Force Schedule
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[2/15/2009]
Thanks Dr. Weber
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[2/5/2009]
Andersonville AthletiCo hosts Player Physicals
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[2/5/2009]
Win MONEY and support the Force
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[1/9/2009]
A Recap of 2009 Try-outs
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[1/8/2009]
Brittney Payton tries out for Chicago Force
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[1/8/2009]
Force Gears for Another Run
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[11/24/2008]
IWFL AND USA FOOTBALL PARTNER TO STRENGHEN AMERICA’S FAVORITE SPORT
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[11/3/2008]
2008 Team Banquet / Awards
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[9/30/2008]
Force Players Golf for Children's Charity
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[9/30/2008]
Force golf outing a HUGE success
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[9/2/2008]
Force Volunteer at the Taste of Melrose Park
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[8/28/2008]
Chicago Hope Academy
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[8/15/2008]
Force has 15 selected for the 2008 IWFL All-Star Team!!!
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[7/18/2008]
Jon (The Coach) Cohn and the coin toss
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[7/8/2008]
The Chicago Force featured on Nike
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[6/30/2008]
UNDEFEATED FORCE CONTINUE CHAMPIONSHIP QUEST
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[6/24/2008]
Future Chicago Force player - 2018
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[6/24/2008]
Undefeated Force Hosting Playoffs this Saturday 6/28
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[6/24/2008]
Chicago Force helps to "Give Girls Game"
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[6/9/2008]
Chicago Force meet the new head of CPD and former Philly FBI chief Jody Weis
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[5/12/2008]
IWFL Announces 2008 Championship Game Venue
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[4/17/2008]
Chicago Steel meets the Chicago Force
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[4/9/2008]
2008 Scrimmage Game Day
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[3/25/2008]
Media Day Full Contact Game Scrimmage
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[3/18/2008]
2008 Chicago Force Team Captains
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[3/8/2008]
2008 Season Approaches
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[1/31/2008]
Chicago Force kicks off 2008 with first fundraiser
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[1/22/2008]
2008 Contract Signing
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[11/26/2007]
2008 Try-Out press release
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[11/26/2007]
2007 Awards Banquet
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[11/19/2007]
Last Try-out for 2008 Season
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[9/17/2007]
Chicago Force Players chosen for 2007 All Star Squad
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[6/30/2007]
Chicago Cubs suite winner!
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[6/24/2007]
The Force and Chicago's On-Air Local News
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[6/24/2007]
The Force Celebrates Youth Football Day with Under Armour
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[5/18/2007]
Jeannie Tanner to sing National Anthem at Home Opener
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[4/11/2007]
Media Day Full Contact Game Scrimmage
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[8/3/2006]
UPCOMING EVENT: Chicago Force BOWLING Fundraiser
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[7/10/2006]
Chicago finishes the season 6-3 with a hard fought game against the Demolition.
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[6/27/2006]
Chicago Force WIN and advance to PLAYOFFS!
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[6/24/2006]
Chicago Force Finish 6-2
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[6/20/2006]
Check out our fans at our AWAY Kansas City game!
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[6/17/2006]
Chicago Force wins 42-0 against KC Storm
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[6/12/2006]
The Force on CBS Channel 2 - Thursday, June 15 at 5pm.
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[6/10/2006]
The Force suffer their second loss of the season, now 4-2.
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[5/27/2006]
Chicago Force weekend WIN against Predators 36-8
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[5/22/2006]
Chicago Force weekend WIN against Iowa Crush 20-6
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[5/19/2006]
Chicago Force live on WGN TV
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[5/16/2006]
Chicago Force Suffers First Season Loss. Current Record: 2-1
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[5/10/2006]
Force Dominate in Road win over Predators
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[4/26/2006]
The FORCE on The Score AM 670 Mike North Show
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[4/26/2006]
Chicago Forces WINS Home Opener
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[4/25/2006]
HOME OPENER SATURDAY, April 29th
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[4/22/2006]
Chicago Force Honored at 100 Champions Event
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[3/26/2006]
Fundraiser at T's Bar and Restaurant
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[3/26/2006]
NEW! Calendar of Events posted on site
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[2/28/2006]
PLAYER NEWS: Directions to Practice Fields
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[1/20/2006]
We are still recruiting
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[1/10/2006]
New Home for the Force..LANE TECH
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[1/10/2006]
Player's Corner Unveiled on Site
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[12/20/2005]
2006 Bowling Fundraiser
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[12/12/2005]
Dec 17th (Sat) Tryout Directions and Details!!!
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[11/4/2005]
2nd Tryout Directions and Details Posted
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[10/31/2005]
Force Banquet and Tryout Photos Posted
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[10/29/2005]
Come Meet our Tryout Rookies
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[10/26/2005]
2005 End of Season Awards Announced!
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[10/20/2005]
Chicago Force Banquet just days away.
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[10/20/2005]
1st Tryout Details and Directions Posted
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[10/11/2005]
15 yr old Girl QB steps in and wins Highschool Varsity Game.
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[10/10/2005]
Chicago Force Management Changes Hands
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[10/4/2005]
Original Force Founder, Lisa Cole, dedicates a mile at the Chicago Marathon
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[10/1/2005]
Unveiling of New Website
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[10/1/2005]
Chicago Force Banquet Scheduled
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--5/12/2009--
Chicago Pride interviews Force wide receiver

ChicagoPride.Com Interviews
April 29, 2009

Interview with Patricia Harper

By PJ Gray

The old expression “you play like a girl” has now become the ultimate compliment thanks to the Chicago Force Women’s Tackle Football team. Founded in 2003, the Force is a Midwest Divisional Tier 1 team of the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) and is currently in season until playoffs begin at the end of June 2009. Expect another exciting season of play after their Eastern Conference Championship win last year. Patricia Harper, Wide Receiver and 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year, took a during half-time at a recent home game to talk with CP about her experience with the Chicago Force.

CP: How did you become involved with the team?

PH: My roommate at the time had read about it online before I moved to Chicago and recommended I join. I moved here and missed try outs the first year. After living with me for a whole year while not having my usual sports outlet, she all but signed the waiver for me.

CP: How many other teams exist in the league and where are your away games played?

PH: There are 41 teams in the IWFL league. They are broken into two different tiers and multiple divisions. This year we will be traveling to Detroit, Kansas City, Minnesota, and Iowa. When we make it to championship again, we will be going to Dallas.

CP: What is the biggest misconception about women’s tackle football?

PH: Where do you even start? There are often only two reactions: “Wow! That’s awesome.” or “HUH?!” People often mistakenly assume that it’s all a bunch of rough and tumble Amazon women
just beating each other up. That’s not the case at all. Take off the helmet and pads and you find
mothers, police officers, consultants, corporate climbers, EMTs, realtors, white collars, blue collars, sheriffs, engineers, teachers, city councilwomen, coaches, soldiers, upper management, carpenters, electricians, musicians, nurses, architects, and doctors, just to name a few. There’s every type of girl out there from every walk of life; but what we do isn’t what stands out, it’s really about women who love a game enough to show up and play every week. We live for the season. We give our weekends, our free time, and our bodies just to play a game that we were told we never would be < able to play. If anyone can wrap their head around passion, then they can wrap their head around women’s tackle football.

CP: Tackle football can be a rough sport. What has been your worst injury?

PH:There’s a big difference between being hurt and being injured. The rule basically is: if you can
walk, you can play. Girls have played with broken hands, broken arms, torn ligaments, you name it. Let’s put it this way, an injured player never “walks” off the field by their own accord.

Personally I can’t say I’ve had a terrible injury. As Wide Receiver I get my fair share of strained ligaments, broken and jammed fingers and have had the wind knocked out of me more times than I’d like to remember. I dislocated my right knee cap in college and that tends to creep up as an issue after a few good hits or jabs into the ground, but it’s nothing that can’t be iced, taped up and gotten back into the game with.

CP: What’s the worst you’ve seen from other players?

PH: Probably when something gets torn or dislocated or severe concussions. I’ve seen arms just
hanging out of the socket from a tackle gone wrong and everyone has seen knees twisted in inconceivable directions. Concussions are probably the worst because there isn’t really anything you can do to fix them; those are normally more season-ending than anything physical.

CP: Now that you’ve played more than one season, have you noticed an increase in the team’s and the sport’s popularity?

PH:I think I was lucky enough to have joined the Force during the perfect storm. Last year seemed
to explode. We really picked up a lot of coverage last year when we went into the playoffs undefeated. Once we were in the Championship game we were getting recognized by local news programs and various papers/columns. We’d always had primarily word-of-mouth type advertising; but it was great to have people answer “Oh, I’ve heard of you guys.” after you told them what you were doing that weekend.

The public’s reaction is normally a blend of confusion and intrigue. Most people initially are shocked to hear that such a league exists and then want to know why they’ve never heard of us
before. Then they feel like they have to see it to believe it. The problem is, you come once and you’re hooked. It’s like nothing you will ever see in your life.

I think the sport overall has nothing but growth potential. The IWFL recently partnered with USA Football to further promote the sport and its immense popularity among female athletes.

Ideally developing an IWFL J-League that would allow for youth teams to form and play as well. Women’s tackle football is every bit as exciting as men’s, if not more. You probably won’t find our Ferraris parked on the side of the highway anytime soon because we don’t get to play for million dollar contracts or compete for who can have the highest jersey sales. We are out there for a pure love of the game and play every down for every inch, the way the game was intended to be played.

CP: What has surprised you most from your experience since joining the team?

PH:It’s hard to say that just one thing has surprised me. I think the growth of interest in the sport and the Force has been phenomenal. People see your shirt, or hat, or advertisement and want to know everything about it. Even on a personal level, my friends, my co-workers, and my family have all been enthralled and encouraging of me, the team, and the sport in general.

Personally, I would have to say that I’ve been surprised at how inspiring it can be: how far I can push myself and how much everyone will give for success. I walked onto the field a complete stranger to the game, the team, everything. In a matter of weeks it was like I couldn’t remember a life before football. There are things that no one but your teammates will ever understand, and this bonds you immediately. There are coaches that give their time to teach such a complicated game to beginners year after year all while continuing to develop veterans. People look at the bruises you eventually become covered with, see the braces, the surgeries, hear about the intensity of it all and question your sanity of devotion. To us, it’s just common. We know it is part of the game and accept that before even taking the first snap. Giving anything less than 110% isn’t an option, ever.

When you see your defense sacrifice their body so the opposing team doesn’t get that one extra yard so you can get back out on the field, you know you have to go out there and give them that right back. When you are completely gassed and sitting on a fourth down with seconds to go in a championship and your quarterback looks at you and tells you that she will give you everything she has if you can give her just one push more and you look at your teammates who are bruised, broken, and covered in makeshift braces, all take that haggard breath in and nod, your eyes ice over, your pain disappears and you live that one play for everything it’s worth, it just makes sense and it surprises me that not everyone will understand or experience that feeling. Force. Family. Win.

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