As a little girl growing up in the desert town of Reno, Nevada, Stephanie Noel Sawyer didn’t do the same things that other little girls in other towns did. She didn’t take dancing lessons. She wasn’t interested in ballet. It wasn’t her thing. Neither was jazz. Or tap. Or cheerleading.
No; little Stephanie Noel Sawyer never did the silly, frilly things like the other girls did. Instead, she enjoyed running around outside playing with the boys. And when she wasn’t outside playing basketball, or soccer, or whatever sport the boys were playing, she preferred to spend her time watching television with her grandpa.
Only, it wasn’t always the simple-minded elementary shows that they watched together. Her grandfather had something he loved, and he wanted to share it with his granddaughter. The little kiddy shows were turned off on Sundays. Instead, he and his granddaughter would settle in for some quality bonding time watching something they both would enjoy.
They watched football.
“I grew up watching football with my grandpa. I loved it and always wanted to play, but I knew playing with men wasn’t an option. My Papa’s and my favorite team is the 49ers!”
Every Sunday they would watch Joe Montana – dashing and brave in his bright red jersey with his gold helmet gleaming in the bright California sun – lead his team up and down the field to the roar of the crowd, the excited shouts of the broadcasters, and the joyful glees of a grandfather and his granddaughter. As the years passed by and Joe Montana began to fade, Papa and little Stephanie sat together on Sundays and watched Steve Young take charge of their team; and when it was time, Jeff Garcia.
And as each of the Niners quarterbacks slipped into football legend, Stephanie Noel began to show her athletic talent as well.
She learned to play basketball – real basketball – at school, and became a top player. She then took up track in high school and immediately made it onto the varsity squad her freshman year; something rare in high school athletics. The track coach saw her speed and scheduled her for the 100m, 200m, 400m sprints and relays. Two years later she was a state champion.
Not only was she fast, she was strong. She squatted 245 pounds and set a school record for Highest Female Exponent; her squat max power plus her clean max and bench press max divided by her weight. That record still stands today at Reno High.
After high school she enrolled in the Ralston School of Massage, graduating to become a sports massage therapist. She followed that up with an enrollment at the International Academy of Style to become a licensed aesthetician. She got married and became Stephanie Noel Psick. She had her career plans pretty much mapped out; go to school, get a degree, get a job, get married, and go from there.
Things were going just as she had planned.
And then…
“I heard about tryouts for the LFL in Los Angeles. I drove eight hours from Reno for the tryouts and made the team!”
Coach David Bizub saw potential in the speedy brown-haired massage therapist and aesthetician. Not only was she fast, she was also strong. He placed her at running back and wide receiver on offense, but where she really shined was at corner on defense where she could run with the fastest sprinters and go straight-on against the strongest ball carriers. She developed a reputation as one of the best tacklers in the league, capable of shedding the blocker to make the hit. In six games with the Los Angeles Temptation, Stephanie Noel Psick recorded 15 tackles (9 of them solo) with 3 passes defended and 2 interceptions.
And in her first season in the LFL, her team was crowned the champion.
If that wasn’t enough, she also made the All-Fantasy team; recognized for her skills as a cornerback.
Not bad for only having played the game for a year.
Any advice you’d like to share with other little girls who watch football on Sundays with their grandfathers?
“I would definitely encourage girls to play sports. They have everything to gain and nothing to lose. I believe sports will make you stronger physically and mentally and make you a much more confident person. Through sports you meet new people and make lifelong friends and new memories.”
So what have you learned about football by playing in the LFL?
“I learned just how hard it is. You have to be prepared to be able to handle the pressure from your coaches as well as your teammates. Also, how you handle the pressure of being in a game situation in front of the crowd and on TV. I also learned just how important it is to learn every aspect of the game offensively and defensively to be able to excel and be the best at your position.”
What do you consider to be your greatest play, and your greatest accomplishment on the field?
“I think the interception against Denver to set up our team to run out the clock to seal the win after a great come from behind victory was probably my best play. My greatest accomplishment on the field would be myself and my teammates becoming a championship team when no one thought we could do it! I credit my friends and family for always having my back and believing in me.”
Favorite memory?
“When we were in Miami for Lingerie Bowl VII at the awards ceremony, every player from the other teams were being recognized and awarded individual player awards. Everyone except players from our team got awards. Our defensive coordinator, Coach Tui, was asked to say a few words and got up on the microphone and congratulated all those players for winning their awards. He then turned to our table and told us how proud he was of our team and told everyone in the room how we were the best team. He then spoke in a louder voice and told everyone he didn’t care about those individual awards and was there to only take one award home back to LA, the LINGERIE BOWL CHAMPIONSIP TROPHY! He said he was going to put it up in Los Angeles City Hall right next to the Los Angeles Lakers Championship trophy! The other teams booed him but our team was pumped and we cheered and applauded loudly for him and let everyone know we were gonna win it all! It was classic!”
So do people come up to you in public now that you’re an accomplished athlete?
“I get recognized at the gym and the beach. It’s mostly girls who are interested in playing and some of the guys who have seen it on TV or in person. When they ask if I’m Stephanie Psick of the LA Temptation, I tell them ‘yes’ and I ask if they’ve been to a game or watched any online. For the girls, I also ask if they are interested in playing and tell them to check out the LFL website.”
What advice would you give to the women if they saw the videos and wanted to try it for themselves?
“I would tell every girl to learn as much about the game as possible. Prepare yourself for the physical aggressiveness, intensity, and mental toughness required to play this game. You need to be tough physically and mentally if you’re going to make it in the LFL. Be able to handle criticism from your peers and coaches and learn from your mistakes. If you can’t handle it, you need to play another sport.”
Good advice; because one of those girls might have spent her childhood Sundays watching football on TV with her grandfather, too.
