Meet Utah’s Professional Female Quarterback

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah has a full contact, professional, women’s football team, and they’re good. The Utah Falconz enjoy a 48-2 lifetime record and two championship rings.

The host of Helmets Off podcast and former NFL quarterback, Scott Mitchell, sat down for an in-depth conversation with their 5’2” quarterback, Sara Galica.

The Utah Falconz are in the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC). The WNFC is a pay-to-play league.

“It’s worth every penny. Eventually I hope the sport gets to the point where we are able to gain more sponsorship… and eventually get paid to play, but honestly, football is football. It’s just the passion,” said Galica when asked about having to pay to play.  

Mitchell agreed that if he could go back and play football again, he would pay for it.

What a pleasure this quarterback to quarterback conversation was! @UtahFalconz #wpfc #femalefootball #girlpower https://t.co/hvzVU0uxUL pic.twitter.com/qk68z7q0hd

— Helmets Off Podcast (@helmetsoffshow) January 29, 2019

Galica said the pay-to-play format brings out the best in people. She said everyone who is there is there for the pure passion of playing football and wants to learn everything they can from the volunteer-based coaches and staff.

The Utah Falconz

The Utah Falconz team is made up of regular people like moms, students and full-time workers, according to their website.

Galica told Mitchell they practice three or four days a week during the season and hold monthly camps during the off-season.

The team always anticipates going to the playoffs and progressing through them so this makes the season usually last from  March to June, according to Galica.

Getting To Know Sara Galica

Galica never played football until she was 19 and met someone at a local gym who invited her to play women’s tackle football.

She enjoyed watching football from a young age but never played because her parents didn’t want her to and there were no girls’ leagues. She grew up a New England Patriots fan after spending Monday nights watching football with her dad and sister.

Galica started out as a defensive back, but thanks in part to YouTube, she now takes snaps as the quarterback.

“We kind of had a void at the quarterback spot so I worked really hard at focusing on my throwing, accuracy and technique and watching YouTube Videos,” said Galica.

Mitchell was stunned that YouTube taught her to play quarterback.

“Maybe I should have gone on YouTube,” laughed Mitchell. Although he played from 1990-2001 and YouTube was established in 2005.

Galica plans to keep playing football until her body won’t allow it.

Mitchell asked her about the safety concerns that come with playing tackle football. Galica said she is definitely concerned about head injury but credits her coaches with prioritizing the safety of the team with proper equipment and rugby-style tackling. Rugby style tackling focuses on getting your head out of the way and going for the legs.

Women’s National Football Conference

The Falconz face teams across the nation. This season they will play teams in Texas, New Orleans, Denver and more. They get to all these games on a bus.

Mitchell was shocked by the news of them taking a bus to every game.

“You must really love what you’re doing,” he joked, “I wouldn’t do it.”

The Utah Falconz play at Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City. You can find their 2019 schedule and tickets on the website.

You can the full interview on Helmets Off wherever you get your podcasts or below.