Lesbians wanted — Dallas Diablos begin recruiting women
WOMEN WELCOME: Rose Preizler, prop for Dallas Diablos. – DANIEL A. KUSNER/Dallas Voice
It didn’t take much to convince Rose Preizler to join women’s rugby. As a girl, she played soccer and even baseball. But Preizler was never an athlete. Athletic supporter was more like it — especially women’s sports, like basketball.
Her college years were spent overseas, and in England Preizler enjoyed rugby as a spectator, where professional matches get the mega-sport reception. Of course, rugby isn’t as popular in the U.S. Most Americans are introduced to it during college or later. So when it comes to experience, the playing field is fairly level for everyone.
She knew women athletes who played contact sports, like football and rugby. And Preizler noticed how pumped they got when talking about knocking their opponents to the ground.
"Listening to them, I knew I wanted to play a tackle sport," Preizler says.
Now Preizler is hardly a demure little flower. She’s a two-wheeling badass with a Yamaha Royal Star cycle. Her partner, Kim Davis, encouraged her to pursue rugby.
"She helped me realize that getting into sports was easier than I had thought," Preizler says.
About a year ago, she joined the now-defunct Denton Whiptails women’s rugby team — mostly with the intention of getting in shape. Eventually, she "whored" her way onto the Dallas Diablos Football Club, Big D’s primarily gay rugby team. The "whore" term comes from the fact that in the U.S., teams are often looking to enlist players from other teams because there’s a shortage of ruggers.
Now the Diablos are really trying to whore some ladies onto the team. This summer, the Diablos will have a new women’s side. In July, a "sevens team" will start playing other women’s side teams. Preizler says it’s still all one big Diablos squad. In fact, the women and men practice together.
Just because Preizler is an adrenaline junkie who enjoy a good tackle, that doesn’t mean the Diablos are hoping to recruit hormonal lesbians looking for a way to vent their frustrations.
"No way! The girls are laid back, friendly and welcoming. Rugby is all about camaraderie. After matches, you hang out with the other team," she says.
Body types do help determine a player’s position. Since Preizler is a big girl and not the fastest runner, she’s a "prop," which means she’s in the front row of the scrum, locking heads and shoulders and pushing with her legs while trying to gain ground.
"Hookers" — players who hook the ball in the scrum — are in the front row too. Sometime their short stature can be an advantage.
"Locks," like Preizler’s partner, are usually taller. Fast and skinny girls do better as "half-backs" — for when the ball comes out of the scrum.
What’s it like practicing with men?
"It’s fun. They guys want a women’s team. A lot of them play rugby because there isn’t a football team they can join. They really help us learn the game. That’s what good rugby is all about — having a good attitude and be willing to learn a new game," she explains.
| GET IN THE GAME
Interested in rugby? Experience not necessary. The Dallas Diablos Football Club holds 90-minute practices on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m at the Lake Highlands Pitch located at the southwest corner of Lake Highlands Drive and Buckner Boulevard (Loop 12). For information about the women’s side team, e-mail Preizler at motorose@gmail.com or the Diablos’ coach nollkamper@hotmail.com. |
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 9, 2008.
