Porter Wilson Award
Porter Wilson was the inventor of the Sonic Boom belts and flags and founder of Flag-A-Tag. Porter passed away in September of 2000. In honor of his contributions and support of girls and women’s flag football, we name this award after him.
Each year we continue the Porter Wilson Award tradition and welcome nominations from any league, team, group, or individual who knows of a well deserving person which they feel has done so much for girl’s and women’s flag football.
Please send your nominations to the IWFFA at iwffa@iwffa.com no later than November 30 of each year.
Recipients of the Porter Wilson Award
2019
Marcus Darnel, United States
2018
Sabria Manboobi, Afghanistan
Nejeebullah Fayez, Afghanistan
2017
Jackeline Elizabeth Ferman Osorio, El Salvador
2016
Chris Mann, Canada
Chris had coached minor football for about 14 years when a friend’s daughter, 14-year-old Debbie McGougan if she could play football. The idea was put out to the general public and 4 weeks later they had a women’s football league, Cowichan Women’s Flag Football League, comprised of 4 teams. Over the next 32 years (with huge support from his wife Wendy) they have gone from 4 teams to 12 teams and back down to 7 and have had women playing from the age of 16 to 50 plus. He has helped coach and ref and helped form several of these teams with the help of other coaches and his brothers.
2016
Jane Eldredge, Rhode Island, USA
Jane had been involved with Rhode Island women flag football for over fifteen years. She began her adventure playing for Orange Crush on a Sunday morning league. During her career she was fortunate enough to participate in tournaments on the east coast, meeting a variety of players and coaches. Due to numerous injuries, Jane had to hang up her cleats. Not being involved with flag football was not an option, so Jane decided to become a referee. Jane started to officiate for the IWFFA in 2011. One of a few female officials, Jane is most respected and loved by many teams.
Mark Walker, Rhode Island, USA
Mark got involved with officiating flag football as a favor to his sister, who asked Mark to officiate for the Rhode Island Women’s Flag Football League. That was 18 years ago and he still officiates for the RIWFFL and has been the Head Official since 2006. Mark joined the IWFFA in 2010 and officiates Key West, Provincetown, New Jersey, and Norristown, PA tournaments. In 2013 Mark became the Head Official for the IWFFA’s North American region. He sits on the rules committee board for the IWFFA and shares so much passion and dedication for the rules of the game, the integrity of the sport, and the safety of the players.
2014
Rebecca Suarez, Puerto Rico
Rebecca has been playing female flag football for three years. They (Isleñas) were given the task to help the growth and promotion of the IWFFA in her and other Latin American countries. After their trip to El Salvador, where her coach Joel Otero, Isleña’s player Lucille Ruiz and her taught IWFFA rules, 8 vs 8, for the first time in these countries to women from El Salvador and Guatemala, she became the first female flag football representative of IWFFA to the Latin American Region. Four months later, player Dhara Adkins and Rebecca, flew to Guatemala to supervise the First Latin American IWFFA Tournament, where six (6) teams participated: three (3) teams from Honduras, two (2) teams from El Salvador, and one (1) team from Guatemala.
2013
Tamalan Walker, Georgia, USA
As a supporter and promoter for female flag football, Tamalan is part of the core of volunteers it takes to produce the IWFFA tournaments and is a regular commentator and radio host for the monthly “On the Air with the IWFFA” podcast, where she brightens and colors every topic the radio show panel talks about. Her optimism and enthusiasm are addictive and her support is ever lasting. She has been a true devotee of the IWFFA ever since she caught the IWFFA fever. Since 2011, Tam has been the woman “behind the mike” commentating on the women’s and girls’ flag football games in the Kelly McGillis Classic.
2012
Barbara “BJ” Coletta, California, USA
“BJ” is a true pioneer of women’s tackle and flag football as well as football podcasts on the internet. Every month she brings together thousands of players, fans, and coaches from around the world. While playing women’s tackle football in 2006, BJ liked following the three leagues: WPFL, NWFA, IWFL, scores and teams so she started a blog. Her blog was very successful, and BJ gained a large following of players and fans alike. Wanting to gain a larger audience and spread the word of tackle and flag football to other areas was at the top of BJ’s agenda. She wanted to educate and promote tackle and flag football together hoping they would unite and work together. In August 2007, with one producer, BJ’s podcast debuted. Late 2009, the IWFFA was invited for interview on a women’s tackle football podcast. It was the first time IWFFA had the opportunity to share on a dedicated woman’s podcast. After the show, it’s host: “BJ” offered the IWFFA its own prime spot and so, since January 22, 2010, every third Thursday of each month, the IWFFA has had the opportunity to highlight and share female flag football from around the world.
2011
Nance Werner, Kansas, USA
Nance Wernes is a lifelong athlete having earned nine varsity letters in high school and played volleyball at the collegiate level. Athletics continued to be a large part of her life after college. In 2004 she founded the Kansas City Storm to give women in and around Kansas City a rare opportunity: to play tackle football. In three short years the Storm established themselves as worthy opponent and in 2007 won their division crown! They repeated as division winners in 2010 and 2011 – achieving an undefeated season in 2010. As an advocate of women’s sports in Kansas City, Nance started the Kansas City Women’s Sports Association that provided a structure for all adult women’s sports in the area: rugby, football, roller derby, lacrosse, and swimming, to unite and work together for sponsorship dollars. In addition, she has recently launched her own, not-for profit entity – SupportHer with Sport to promote women’s health, esteem, and well-being with sport. She is a member and volunteer of the IWFFA and the Kansas City Sports Commission’s Women’s Intersports Network (WIN). She serves on the scholarship committee for the National Women’s Athletic Association.
2010
Lone Olesen, Denmark & Sweden
Lane was introduced to flag football when she met Diane Beruldsen (who was promoting this new sport in Denmark) in Copenhagen summer 1998. She traveled to the United States to compete and played in Key West 1999 for the Danish team: Copenhagen Mermaids (first women’s flag football team in Denmark). They were the very first Danish team ever to play in the United States. The First Danish IWFFA Tournament was held in August 2000 – Copenhagen mermaids played against a combined Swedish/Norwegian team which Diane, the president of the IWFFA, played as quarterback for the team. In Spring 2008 she trained a small group of women flag football in Håcksvik. They participated in Gothenburg 2008 tournament with a combined Håcksvik / loose women team. Lane played in Denmark and Gothenburg 2009. In 2010, the IWFFA / Diane came to Håcksvik for a huge flag football training camp.
2010
Eduardo Lopez Barrientos, Mexico
Eduardo’s coaching career started at a young age of 12 in Club Vaqueros with children of 5 years old. When he grew up, he started teaching to 17 teenagers in different categories. In 2000, through the joint participation of Minerva Utrilla Pineda and Valeri Araceli Martinez Martinez (who played in the Vaqueros’ first women’s team), they invited young ladies interested in starting this project in Vaqueros with Eduardo as coach of the team. In 2002, they achieved the first place in women’s flag football in the juvenile category of Football Americano del Estado de México (FADEMAC), Eduardo also gained the position of head coach for the north vs south bowl. Thanks to all the perseverance, patience, self-improvement and willingness to promote this great sport by helping women to practice it. The conference’s women’s Club Vaqueros start to increase in the number of players, making teams from 2000 to 2010 of 153 women participating in ages of girls of 8 years to women over 40 years. This last tournament of FADEMAC, Club Vaqueros count with 53 players formed by 5 teams, 2 teams in the children category, two in the senior category and one more in the juvenile category. In order to extend all this development and partnership, the women’s flag football players have participated in 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 in the Kelly McGillis Classic International Women´s & Girls Flag Football Championship, organized by the International Women’s Flag Football Association (IWFFA) in Key West, Florida. In this tournament, Vaqueros have achieved one first place in 2008 (Beginner Division), two in 2010 (Girls Division and Division Two) and one all-star bowl Championship & World Challenge III. At the beginning, it started with one team in 2003, nowadays Vaqueros went with three teams in 2011. Under the direction of Coach Eduardo Lopez Barrientos, Baloo, Club Vaqueros has achieved 16 championships (4 in children category, 10 in juvenile category and 2 in senior category) positioning the organization in the first place of all the organizations in wining tournaments of the FADEMAC league.
2009
Mary Angelina, Florida, USA
Mary has been playing women’s flag football since she was a junior in high school. Arriving at Flagler College in St. Augustines, Fl, she started a women’s flag football team there that was eager and ready to compete. Shortly after, Mary contacted the IWFFA and was invited to play as a ‘loose woman’ in 2003. Thus, beginning her lifelong commitment and dedication to girls and women’s flag football and the IWFFA. As a leader, player and coach, Mary has worn many hats. In 2005 she joined the Blue Wave women’s flag football team located in Melborne, FL, where she currently plays corner, safety, WR, and part time wildcat quarterback. The Blue Wave women have a history of winning. They participate in many games and tournaments throughout the year including the annual Kelly McGillis Classic in Key West. One of the driving forces behind the development of the first and only women’s flag football league in Orlando, FL was Mary Angelina. 2010 is the league’s first year and currently consists of four teams. Mary was also instrumental in starting the IWFFA monthly podcast.
2008
Eduardo Gonzalez, Florida USA
Eduardo Gonzalez is an avid football player and coach. In Puerto Rico, as he grew up, he worked his way up the different football divisions: pop warner, high school and later semi-pro. In 1998, he was accepted in the Ocean Engineering program of the Florida Institute of Technology. While pursuing his degree, he got involved with flag football as an intramural sport. In 2002, a year before graduating, he was challenged by a sorority to come up with a football team to beat them. The Blue Wave Flag Football Club was the result of this challenge. Fast forward three years and he was still in college, still coaching and his team was dominating the intramural league. In 2005, he decided that in order for the team to improve, they should find competition elsewhere. That is when he first got involved with the IWFFA and the first time Blue Wave competed in a tournament (Division 3 Champs). Eduardo graduated from college with a Master’s degree in Engineering in 2008, he still coaches the intramural team at FIT, the women’s IWFFA team, and a job in another state. Over the years, Ed has turned duties over to his team, allowing the women to take charge. Their efforts have developed the first Orlando Women’s Flag Football League which is still growing. The commitment, dedication and genius of this man has made a difference in women’s’ flag football.
2007
Yvette Henriksson, Sweden
Knowing nothing about American Football, in 2000 Yvette was invited to travel to the U.S. to compete in the Kelly McGillis Classic first time ever: Nordic Team – which was a combined team of women from: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. Yvette got hooked. When she arrived back at home in Sweden, she decided to form her own team. She named the team after the city she lived in then “Oostersund” meaning ‘the land Republicans’ and started with two teams: Junior and Senior. In that same year, following the IWFFA / Oostersund Women’s Flag Football Tournament, team reps from Scandinavia officially joined together to support one another in growing American Flag Football in Scandinavia. Yvette helped represent Sweden. Yvette was board member, a team leader and played in Oostersund for the next two years. Over the years she had competed in both U.S. and Nordic tournaments never missing a year since 2000 – 2008.
2006
Rosaria Baldaria, New York, USA
Rosaria has devoted many years to promoting flag football even though she is not an athlete herself. She understands the opportunity for women to bond and the development of skills girls can obtain from the sport which can better their lives. Dedicating her talents in helping the IWFFA share its visual image. It is not only important to organize teams, leagues or officiate flag football in order to support the sport. It is also important to communicate with others who do not participate in flag football, to reach out and offer a visual image of what we flag footballers and flag football is about. Hence, is the need for an artist who can make such a thing happen. Rosaria Baldari, otherwise known as Rori, has really been a powerhouse for the IWFFA and women’s flag football. Rori has been promoting women’s flag football ever since 1979.
2005
Birger “Bill” Klitgaard Holstebro, Denmark
Bill is from Holstebro, Denmark and has been playing “American Tackle Football” for over 15 years, and also coaches. In 2000, when the IWFFA conducted its six month promotional tour in the Nordic Region, Bill became part of the Denmark promotions by organizing flag football introduction and training in the city of Holstebro. Over two hundred students where throwing, catching, grabbing flags, and running with a football that day as they were learning how to play flag football for the first time. Starting up a group of athletes to play flag football is one thing, finding coaches to continue the new flag football teams, is the most difficult part of developing the sport of flag football in countries where it is unheard of. In another city in Denmark: TIM, was a group of boys which the IWFFA initiated through some early trainings, who needed a coach desperately. Bill was willing to coach. As an official and coach for American Football, Bill was valuable and very much a part of the Scandinavian Tournaments. Since the Copenhagen Tournament in 2000, Bill has officiated in every IWFFA Scandinavian tournament (the exception of one Swedish tournament), as well as the Key West Tournaments, where he was the Tournament’s Head Official. October 15 – 17, 2004 was the IWFFA’s first Officiating Training in Scandinavia which took place in Hjorring, Denmark. This training encouraged female players to learn how to officiate and to strengthen the women’s flag football in those countries. All three countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden were represented as the training was hosted by the Danish Devils and instructed by Bill.
2004
Wendy Moreau Johnston, Rhode Island, USA
When the Rhode Island League’s original founder had to step down, there was no one to keep the league going. Wendy “stepped up the plate” and not only kept the league in existence but brought her Rhode Island teams to national and international competitions. Wendy has been involved in the RI Flag Football League since the opening year back in 1995. Because the IWFFA had commitments and time constraints in Scandinavia, during year 2004, Wendy accepted responsibility to promote and act as Tournament Director for the 2nd annual Kate Clinton Classic, in Ptown, MA. Her time and effort spent in creating such a well-organized event, made competition and experience for all the teams fantastic! Her work gave the opportunity for women flag football players to have the chance to compete in such a highly and qualified event.
2003
Lena Johansson, Sweden
The IWFFA first met Lena (and the soon to be Angels) for the first time in 2000 during the six-month IWFFA promotional tour in the Nordic Region. After our first training, this was a group of women, 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. Lena has brought the Angelthe 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. 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 Scandinavians and some Americans competition ever since. But then trouble came in Sweden in 2002. The IWFFA got the big squeeze from the men’s american football association: SAFF, less than one week before the second annual tournament. The Angels were told by SAFF it was: “either or”, and the Swedish team, decided to tell the men “good-bye”. However, another problem was that the officials in Sweden we not allowed to officiate in the tournament. So, the women had to officiate their own games and Lena was one of Scandinavia’s first female flag football officials. After the 2002 Gothenburg tournament, the trouble was which club to put the Swedish women’s flag football under. After much work 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.
2002
Mashonda Gilmore, Georgia, USA
After moving to Atlanta in 1994, Gilmore soon found herself surrounded by others who shared her developing passion for football. An avid all-around athlete, Gilmore was a standout long distance runner in high school, later turning her attention to flag football, but the genesis of what would evolve into the formation of the Lyte-n-Tyte Lady Warriors would come at high personal cost. Blessed with an extraordinary sense of compassion that belies her years, it was that gentle spirit that was shattered in 1996 with the sudden passing of her best friend, Valerie Morgan. On the wings of her faith in Christ, Gilmore found a way to channel her grief into positive motivation, and from there the groundwork was laid for what would become Lyte-n-Tyte. Like a woman on a mission, Gilmore, along with a group of friends formed the Lyte n Tyte Lady Warriors Flag Football team in the summer of 1997. And in no more a fitting tribute, Gilmore adopted her fallen friend’s number 13, and took to the field with the rest of Lyte-n-Tyte, leading them to the championship in that first year of competition in the Georgia Women’s Flag Football League. Always a player at heart, Gilmore nonetheless found herself retired to the sidelines by a severe knee injury, effectively ending her playing days. Discovering a affinity for managing, Gilmore’ stewardship of the organization propelled them to subsequent league titles again in 2000, and 2001, and a fifth place finish in national competition for the United States Flag and Touch Football League in 1998. And in what became a season to remember, Gilmore’ Lady Warriors capped the 2001 championship in the GWFFL by also capturing their first title in the 2002 Kelly McGillis International Flag Football Championships competitive division, leaving Lyte nTyte 15-0 for a remarkable 2001-2002 season. In keeping with her unselfish nature, and ultimately always trying to promote, and further advance the sport of football, in 2000, Gilmore facilitated an after-school program in which the team adopted two metro Atlanta middle schools, Campbell, and Griffin, mentoring young girls in the game of flag football, and sportsmanship. Just getting started, there seems to be no end to the mark Lyte-n-Tyte will make as they march onward, guided by their passionate president. In 2002 many of LNT’ starting players found themselves chosen to play for the Atlanta Leopards, the city’ professional women’s tackle football team, and a member of the National Women’s Football League. During the year in which Gilmore added yet another title to her growing list, later invited to join the Leopards as their General Manager. When the GWFFL closed the 2002 season, and following the absence of the league’s commissioner, Gilmore was yet again tapped to lend her polished business acumen to another group and assumed the title of league commissioner.
2001
Stephanie Vigneault, Canada
Stephanie’s involvement with flag football not only supports the area of Quebec, Canada, but has helped to expand and offer competition to our other teams around the world as the tournament in Quebec has opened competition in Canada to our players. The teams Stephanie supports, have participated in the more IWFFA tournaments in year 2000, than any other team, bringing Canadian competition to many states of the US and allowing the Americans and other international teams to experience their style of playing. Stephanie supports and promotes a girls division, planting the seed and ensuring the health of our sport. She runs and operates our first sanctioned IWFFA tournament in Canada, which in 2000, brought in for the first time an American team, indicating that the players from the US are opening the doors for travel to competition.
2000
Rodney Johnson, Florida, USA
Rodney Johnson, affectionately known as Mr. J. or Coach J to his players and colleagues in the youth development circuit has a passion for girls flag football. A determined little nine-year-old girl who wanted to play football, not become a cheerleader spawned this deep-rooted love. That was the beginning of the legacy Coach J. has left in Jacksonville, Florida. The IWFFA received a phone call back in 1997, while producing the San Franciso Women’s Flag Football Tournament. It was a man (Rodney Johnson) who had a group of girls, which he had been coaching flag football. This group of girls were ready to compete, but had no competition. For the first time, the IWFFA was asked to offer competition for girls. We then contacted the local youth organization, Oakland Parks & Rec to see if they could pull a group of girls together to compete against Ronn’s flag football team. Thanks to Melvin Landry, they were, and we had our first girls flag football competition whose ages ranged from 9 yrs to 17 yrs old. It was the two teams of girls playing their first game on Saturday, and championship on Sunday. The Florida Lady Jaguars (Rodney’s team) won the championship game (in overtime) 19 – 18 over the Oakland Lady Raiders. This was the beginning of our girl’s division. What was interesting in the girl’s games, was the response of the women also playing in the tournament. To watch the smallest half back we had ever seen, run hard and fast with the ball, then get up as quickly as she fell to continue her run, was very motivational. The adults were certainly inspired by the drive, enthusiasm, and new energy from this new group of young players. After the San Francisco tournament, the IWFFA understood the importance of “planting the seed ” for women’s flag football and to offer every female the opportunity to play flag football. The IWFFA then made a decision to conduct a tour in the U.S. to help start new teams and leagues for women, but also focusing on girl’s flag football. So, in 1999, the IWFFA drove in their 33 foot RV, all across America for 8 months visiting as many as 33 cities and working with new groups such as: Boys & Girls Club, Girl Scouts, YWCA, Public schools and church organizations. It was a very successful tour and would not have been thought of if not for this person: Rodney Johnson. Rodney continues to coach the girls and brings them all across the U.S. and Canada to compete. He does all the fundraising, coaching, managing and offers the girls in Jacksonville, Florida flag football. Because he focuses on the girls, many over the years, have had to leave their age bracket and Rodney starts with a fresh group of young new athletes. He is an inspiration to all coaches in his pursuit of the game for his players.