Breaking into the boys club: Wood suits up

Correction appended

Meet sophomore Tess Wood. A former crew standout at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla., Wood came to Princeton looking for something new and exciting in the way of sports. This is when she discovered sprint football.

Founded in 1933, the sprint football team features students of all athletic backgrounds and experience levels. Some players on the roster had never touched pigskin before tryouts, while others had played all throughout high school. The only bond that ties these athletes together is their interest in the sport and their sub-172 pound weight.

The relative inexperience of the squad, as well as the challenging competition it faces, has resulted in only one win since its inception seven years ago. In the 2007-08 season, the team went 0-6 and was outscored 279-51 by its opponents.

Despite the team’s lack of success on paper, learning the game and joining a varsity athletic squad requires its fair share of work. For Wood, the transition from the open water to the gridiron has been far from a painless process. Nevertheless, though crew and football may not have much in common, Wood’s previous sports experiences have provided her with a strong base to facilitate her shift into football.

“I would say the most difficult part was just adjusting to playing football and learning all of the plays and everything,” Wood said. “Since I rowed for so many years, I’m not used to thinking too hard about what I’m doing.”

The mentality of being part of a team and working together toward a common goal provides perhaps the single common point between football and crew.

“I always like to be in shape and stay fit, and I love being on a team. I wouldn’t say that the training for the sports was similar, but the idea of driving hard to do well is definitely constant,” Wood said.

Though Wood is a girl playing a boy’s game, her presence both on the team and in the locker room with the guys has not detracted from any of the camaraderie and chemistry vital to the success of the squad.

“All the boys are great, and they do a good job of not making me feel different at all,” Wood said. “Everyone, from the players and coaches to the equipment room staff and trainers, has been very accommodating and friendly, and I haven’t really felt singled out in the least. I’m just a member of the team.”

Head coach Tom Cocuzza notes very similar reactions to Wood’s presence both on and off the field.

“We’ve always been a close bunch of guys, and I haven’t noticed anything different,” Coccuza said. “We told everybody at beginning of the year, she gets treated like any other player, and that’s how it’s been day in and day out.”

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

In terms of learning the skills necessary to master the pigskin game, Wood has demonstrated a tremendous learning curve and has greatly impressed the coaching staff with her work ethic.

“She’s got some work to do before she can contribute,” Cocuzza said. “She’s like a lot of the guys we get that haven’t played football up to this point. But she’s out there every day practicing and giving it her best. My staff respects her as much as any other guy we have.”

While some may view Wood’s foray onto the football field as merely one of those bugs that everyone catches at some point in their college years, Wood sees football as far from being just a short stint to satisfy her curiosity.

“This team is incredible. I feel like everyone really loves football and enjoys being together on the team. I love the players’ and coaches’ attitudes,” Wood said. “The sport itself … I can’t imagine just quitting after this year. I didn’t join to make a statement or get publicity or anything like that, I joined to play football. I don’t see myself suddenly deciding that I don’t like it anymore. Basically, this isn’t a whim. I’m excited to play, and I see myself returning to alumni games in the future.”

The sprint football team squares off against Mansfield University in a scrimmage this Saturday.

Correction

The original version of this article was based on the incorrect notion that Wood is the first female sprint football player. In fact, women first played for the team during its 1986 season.

The article also misstated the year that the sprint football team was founded as well as the team's most recent season record. In addition, the article implied that sprint football was not a varsity sport.

The Daily Princetonian regrets these errors.