Tim Thompson Tackles Women’s Football

by Dr. Jesse F. McClure Special to the Tri-State Defender With his passion for football, Tim Thompson, who won two state high school championships as the head coach at Melrose High School in Memphis, started a company – V.I.P Sports Training. His goal was to help local high school football players improve their skills and get college scholarships. Tim Thompson delivers words of instruction as coach to his newest team – the Memphis Belles. Paula Anderson-Estep’s passion for football led her to start a women’s tackle football team, the Memphis Belles. The team is in its third year and in good hands with new coach Tim Thompson, said Anderson-Estep. (Photos courtesy of Memphis Belles) Paula Anderson-Estep’s passion for football led her to start a women’s tackle football team, the Memphis Belles. Anderson-Estep’s team is in its third year and she says, “It is one of more than 80 women’s tackle football teams in the United States.” The Belles compete in the International Women’s Football League and play an eight-game schedule April through June, with championship playoffs in July and August. The worlds of Thompson and Anderson-Estep aligned when two of the women who play for the Memphis Belles asked Thompson if he would help them with their training for the upcoming season. “I was not familiar with women playing tackle football,” said Thompson. “To me, football is football and I agreed to train several women on the team.” So Thompson added the Memphis Belles players to a group of elite, male high school players that he was helping. As word spread among the Belles, more women asked Thompson to help them get ready for the season. Anderson-Estep heard about Thompson’s work and went to watch some of the training sessions. “Tim Thompson has gift as a coach and teacher,” she said. Anderson-Estep asked Thompson to take on an official role helping to train the Memphis Belles. “I liked the fact that Tim treated the Belles as football players in the same way he worked with his male players,” she said. Thompson later took on some offensive coaching responsibilities in addition to the physical training he was providing to the Belles. When it became clear that the coach of last year’s team was unable to coach this year’s Belles, Anderson-Estep asked Thompson if he would take over. With some hesitation, Thompson decided to accept the challenge. “As a (whole) the Belles are good athletes,” said Thompson. “Many have played sports in high school, college or the military, but few have had experience playing organized football before joining the team.” Thompson is impressed by how hard the players are willing to work to improve their skills. There are, however, some challenges coaching the Belles that are different from his experiences as a high school coach. For instance, many of the Belles have jobs, families and other obligations that can conflict with the team’s practice schedule. “The Memphis Belles, like all my teams, will play exciting football and be fun to watch,” said Thompson, who also talked about the reward of watching players improve and gain confidence. In the team’s first game of the season, the Belles beat the Tennessee Valley Tigers 28-0. On Saturday (April 17) at Halle Stadium, Memphis plays its first home game of the year. The kickoff against the Chattanooga Locomotive is set for 7:05 p.m. Anderson-Estep said she was proud of the total team effort in the opening game. winning the Belles’  first game of the season. She noted that when Thompson recognized that the Belles were the better team and destined to win the game, he chose not to run up the score. ”I am really fortunate to have Tim coaching my team,” she said.