Pro football's lesbian heroes.

We aspire to be the NFL," says Meghan Ireland, general manager of the Albany [N.Y.] Ambush, one of the 15 teams and counting of the Women's Professional Football League. "We've modeled ourselves after them. The NFL is ahead of us by 30 years, but we're already ahead of where they were in year 8."

Founded in 1999, the WPFL is the oldest of the three women's football leagues (the others being the National Women's Football Association and the Independent Women's Football League) and claims to be the only one to play primarily by NFL rules. The only differences are a smaller ball and kickoff at the 40-yard line rather than the 30.

"Remember, women give birth, so football is no problem," laughs the league's media director, Jody Taylor. who also plays defensive tackle for the San Diego-based Southern California Scorpions. "The women in this league are so committed, because they want to prove themselves as professional athletes. I've known some of these women who get injured to just tape it up and go back in, when some men would've gone to the locker room and called it a day."

In a season that generally runs from late July to late October, the WPFL's teams play eight games, followed by two rounds of play offs and a championship game in November. Since the other women's leagues have spring schedules, some WPFL members who simply can't get enough football play in those leagues as well. "I've played a few other sports," says Ireland. "I've played softball and I've played soccer, but they're just not football. I don't know how to explain it. It's just completely different when we're out there on the field together."

Ireland estimates that 85% of the Ambush are lesbians--including her girlfriend, quarterback Danielle Wroblewski--while Taylor offers a more conservative guess of about 50% for the entire WPFL. "I think we attract so many lesbian players because of the teamwork that's involved," says Taylor. "In football you need your teammate to 'cover your ass,' so to speak. You're not worried about sexual orientation, because the big 250-pound woman coming at you full steam ahead is not worried about it. She wants to kick your ass whether you're straight, gay, or bi."

While both Taylor and Ireland dream of a day when the WPFL will be on par with the NFL in size and mainstream popularity, Ireland says that it's enough for now that women who want to play the game have a place to do that. "For us, it's empowering enough just to be out there playing a male-dominated sport. And to have the chance to be an inspiration to other young females, well, that's even more empowering."