Like other boys teams, the Oklahoma Rage offers area women ages 18 and older an opportunity to take to the field and showcase their athleticism, toughness and camaraderie.
The Rage play at Memorial Stadium at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs and are currently in their second season in Division III of the Women's Soccer Association. The top level, WFA Pro, is a semi-professional league made up of 14 teams. Across its three divisions, the WFA is made up of more than 60 teams nationwide.
Girls football has been around in Tulsa for about a decade, and some of the Rage's veterans previously played for the Tulsa Threat, a team that also played in the WFA for several years. The Rage, which went 2-4 in Division III last year, hopes to move up to Division II in 2022, much like the Oklahoma City Lady Force, which won the Division III title.
“We broke up, we regrouped and we rebranded,” the Rage safety/wide receiver says. Rachel Stinson“This will be our second year as the Oklahoma Rage in the same league.”
The game is identical to the men's football game, and the team is coached by a former Oklahoma State offensive lineman. Brandon Webb Defensive Coordinator Bruce Munden(who coached at Locust Grove High School) Stinson said Munden's basic coaching style resonates with his players because some of them have never played and need to learn the game.
The Rage team has about 20 full-time players and is always looking to recruit new members. Most of the players are in their 20s and 30s (the youngest is 22, the oldest is 40) and come from all over Oklahoma, from all walks of life and backgrounds. One couple even commutes three hours round trip just to practice.
“We have physical education teachers, human resources directors, nurses, surgical technicians, physical therapists, accountants and a lot of single mothers,” said Stinson, who works as the regional director for FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Center. “Single, married, heterosexual, homosexual, black, white, big, small, poor, rich — it doesn't matter.”
Perhaps the greatest appeal of playing a physical sport with the potential for injury, the long hours and unpaid commitment is that while it gives players a competitive platform, it also allows them to form close-knit relationships and become like one big family.
“I was in the military, and there's not much that can replace the camaraderie of always having someone on your side and the adrenaline rush that comes with it,” the fourth-year quarterback said. Courtney Eldridge“I found it here, and I hope others can find it here too,” says , an avionics engineer.
While most of the players have no formal soccer experience, a few, like Eldridge, actually played soccer with boys as kids and moved on to other sports as teenagers. Her goal now is to be an example to young girls that there is a place for them to play in the future.
“We're always looking for females who want to play basketball and be role models,” Eldridge said. “We're providing a place for young players to go. We're going to continue to be around and grow this. I'm excited about it.”
The Rage's 2024 regular season finale will be against the Iowa Phoenix in Sand Springs on June 15. If they win the division they'll advance to the playoffs. Follow the Oklahoma Rage on Facebook for more information.
