An inspiring documentary about a relatively unknown football team, Olivia Kuan’s “The Herricanes” pushes audiences to consider the gender-based barriers that have shaped the sport’s cultural legacy.
The film primarily focuses on the Houston Herricanes, one of several teams to play in the first women’s professional football league that kicked-off in the 1970s. Kuan tells their story through game footage and interviews with several of the women who played for the team (including her own mother, Basia Haszlakiewicz) as well as a few of those that rostered opposing teams.
Coming from all walks of life, these women recall the excitement of being given the opportunity to play football, the sincere passion they acquired for the game, and the sense of belonging they found amongst each other.
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for this motley crew of athletes.
From the time the Herricanes entered the league in 1976, they faced significant challenges on and off the field. Given that women had not had a place in professional or recreational football, many of them had never had the opportunity to play the game before. As a team, they had to learn the intricacies – the literal rules – of football and physically condition themselves to withstand the brutality of the game.
Additionally, the Herricanes were up against some fierce competition. Having joined the league later than other teams, they were initially out-matched by the experience, physical preparation, and resources of their opponents. But by their third season, the Herricanes found their footing, winning a game against “the team to beat” and their personal rivals, the Oklahoma City Dolls, in 1978.
There were some barriers, however, that neither the Herricanes nor their opposition could overcome.
Faced with biases about women’s capability to play a legitimate game of football, these teams struggled immensely to secure the interest, funding, and resources they needed to survive. As a result, the women’s league disappeared by the end of the decade.
Nevertheless, there is some hope on the horizon. While women’s professional football disappeared for quite some time, new leagues and teams have emerged with women who, despite not knowing of the 1970s league, are reminiscent of the Houston Herricanes’ determination to change the rules of the game.
Ultimately, “The Herricanes” is an impressive and important documentary that exposes the barriers that have limited the opportunities afforded to female athletes. For sports fans, parents, and aspiring professional athletes this film is a must watch.Tyler Blackerby is an M.A. student in the FSU Department of English whose work focuses on historical symbolism, diverse representation, and socio-political discourse in literature and media.
If you go
What: “The Herricanes” presented by the Tallahassee Film Society in partnership with the IMAX Challenger Learning Center
When: 1 p.m. Saturday, March 29; 5 p.m. Sunday, March 30
Where: IMAX Challenger Learning Center, 200 South Duval St.
Cost: $11 general admission, $9 for TFS members and students; tallahasseefilms.com
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