Porter Wilson Award

Our 4th Recipient: Lena Johansson - Sweden

 "To a woman, most dedicated to our cause who has helped us big time in Sweden and who continues to promote the sport and support the IWFFA"

 

Lena Johansson born in Partille, Sweden in 1957. Other sports she has played: Soccer and Handball.

How Lena became involved with the flag football is through friend and teamate, Pernilla Jigberg. How she become team manager: no one wanted to be the manager.

Meeting Lena (and the soon to be Angels) for the first time in 2000 during our six month IWFFA promotional tour in the Nordic Region, was amazing. After our first training, this was a group of women, intrigued by the game, who wanted to continue to play flag football and were willing to do so .......with no coach. They were able to read the rules and coach themselves. Interesting.

Bringing the Angels to the most competitions than any other Scandinavian Team
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Off to training, Gothenborg, Sweden

The Angels had competed in all of the IWFFA / Scandinavian and Key West Kelly McGillis Classic tournaments since 2001 (exception Oslo 04). For all these competitions, Lena had been the manager and team representative as well as the Ambassador for Women's Flag Football in Sweden.

Gothenborg, Sweden - Sanctioned IWFFA Tournaments

As the IWFFA was looking for a new city to offer the Sweden tournament in 2001, Lena took the opportunity to bring our sanctioned tournament to Gothenborg, where the tournament has offered the Scandinaivans and some Americans competition ever since. Year 2004 will host their 4th annual August 28 - 29th.

Getting the angels ready for training

 Lena was the Trouble Shooter

But then trouble came........in Sweden, 2002. The IWFFA got the big squeeze from the men's american football association: SAFF, less than one week before our second annual tournament. The Angels were told by SAFF it was: "either or", and the Swedish team, decided to tell the men "good-bye". Then the trouble was which club to put the Swedish women's flag football under. Much work and finally, Lena found: Korpen, which is a club that accepts the women and the IWFFA. To this day, all IWFFA women who play in Sweden also play under KOPEN.

 

 Women Taking Control of their own Game

 There are times when we say: "I quit", because it is the easier road to choose. And then there are others who say: "I will fight" and we push ourselves over the edge, for the benefit of others, or for the benefit of right from wrong.

So, without the Official's Association support in Scandinavia (part of the "Big Squeeze" process), it is the women who must officiate their games. Lena (and Lone - Denmark) were the first Scandinavian women to "step up to the plate" to do this, becoming the first female flag football officials in Scandinavia. Also during the tournaments, in between games, players are asked to hold "the chains".

Lena coming off the offensive line. To make it worse.... i think they were losing

Team of officials during Oslo 04, Lena is in back on right side

Lena doing chains during tournament while she is not playing (and showing us she is number one)

So much of Sweden's flag football and the Scandinavian Region rests on the work and efforts of this one woman. We are grateful and proud to offer the 2003 and 4th recipient of the Porter Wilson Award to ........ Lena Johansson.