This summer the Pro Football Hall of Fame created a "Women's Impact on Football" exhibit. The Icon asked Russ Crawford, Professor of History at Ohio Northern University and womens' football expert, for some context. On August 27 Ada will host the Made in Ada Wilson Football Festival including a traveling exhibit by the Hall of Fame.
By Russ Crawford
One usually thinks of men playing NFL or college football as the carriers of footballs made in Ada. However, this summer women played using Wilson footballs across the country and internationally.
Domestic Leagues
In late June, both the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA), and the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) held their regular seasons from April to July. The WFA had 61 teams playing this year, spread from Miami to Portland, and included the Columbus Chaos and the Cincinnati Sizzle from Ohio. The WNFC had sixteen teams, mostly in the western and southwest. Both leagues use the Wilson ball.
Bluffton Family Recreation, 215 Snider Rd., has announced the following basketball classes for fall 2022. For more information, phone (419) 358-4150
Lil Dribblers 1
Mondays, 4:15-4:45 p.m. for ages 3-4. An introduction to basketball fundamentals. Players will learn to dribble and pass through fun games in a parent and child class.
Lil Dribblers 2
Mondays, 4:45-5:15 p.m. for Grades K-1. Dribbling, passing and basketball fundamentals.
The Bluffton High School golf team won a three-school Northwest Conference golf match Thursday, August 11 at the Bluffton Golf Course.
The Pirates easily finished first with 178 strokes, followed by a pair of Bulldog squads. Columbus Grove took second with a 193 total, while Ada came in a distant third (238).
Jaden Coonfare of Bluffton was match medalist with a nine-hole total of 41.
Aiden Sponsler posted a round of 45 to finish second for the Pirates.
Stadium lights have been installed at Bluffton University’s Salzman Stadium, and the university has set new outdoor lighting and noise guidelines for the facility as its usage increases.
“The University wants to maintain a safe environment for our students and a positive relationship with all neighbors adjacent to the Salzman Stadium athletics complex,” said Robin Bowlus, vice president for advancement and enrollment management. “The stadium lights will not be turned on before 5:30 a.m. and are to be turned off no later than 10 p.m. unless the contest for which they are in use has yet to conclude. The sound system will not turn on until 8 a.m. and is to be turned off no later than 9 p.m. unless the contest for which it is in use has yet to be decided.”
The Bluffton University women's soccer team is excited to kick off the Zach Hammon era when the Beavers hit the pitch this fall. Kevin Gregory led the women for four years before heading home to Texas when he was named the head coach at Austin College. Bluffton returns all of its goal scoring and it will look to take advantage of improved depth and experience in 2022.
By Ibrahim Khansa, MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
*Through a collaboration between Blanchard Valley Health System and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the content of this article was provided courtesy of Nationwide’s 700 Children’s® blog by pediatric experts.
