CANTON, OH-December 5th, 2021
Patrice Bowman, from the DC Divas, became the 6th coach selected from the WFA to attend the prestigious NFL Alumni Academy as a coaching intern.
Bowman suited up for five seasons with the Divas from 2002-2006 and was the oldest member of the Divas’ 2006 national championship team. In her five seasons in uniform, she established herself as a natural leader and an on-field extension of the Divas coaching staff.
In 2008, Coach Ezra Cooper hired Bowman as his assistant offensive line coach. Coach Bowman became the first female position coach in the history of the D.C. Divas. Bowman would return to the Divas sidelines two years later, when new head coach Tim Smart invited her to be an assistant coach on his staff. Coach Alison Fischer was hired as the Divas’ head coach in 2012, and she retained Coach Bowman as her assistant offensive line coach.
Other selected coaches include Kathryn Tylander (Boston Renegades), Reese Greene (Arlington Impact), Monique Boone (Cali War), Lois Cook (DC Divas), and Marlene Davis (Richmond Black Widows). Interns work side by side with the best coaches and player performance trainers in the world as they prepare the top free agent football players for an NFL team.
The Academy trains and prepares on the campus of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio. The Academy will train the top free agent football players in preparation to sign an in-season contract with NFL teams looking to replace 500+ active roster players lost during each season due to injury.
About the WFA
The Women’s Football Alliance is the largest women’s football league in the world. With 62 teams and 2,100 players, the WFA has created opportunities for women to compete and learn the game at the highest level. The professionalism and success of the WFA has been recognized by major corporate sponsors including Secret, KT Tape, Xenith, Wilson, AdeNation and Glazier. Its recent television network agreement with Eleven Sports will expand its audience reach across the country. Over 25 WFA alumni have accepted NFL coaching and scouting positions, including WFA Advisory Board members and current NFL full time coaches, Jennifer King, (Washington Football Team), Callie Brownson (Cleveland Browns) and Lori Locust (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). www.wfaprofootball.com
About the NFL Alumni Association
The NFL Alumni Association is oldest and most recognizable national organization of retired former athletes. The NFL Alumni Association serves former National Football League players, coaches and other employees whose “Caring for our Own” mission is to serve, assist and inform former players and their families. NFL Alumni Health is an entity focused on health and wellness initiatives to improve the quality of life for NFL Alumni membership and their families. The association offers a variety of medical, financial and social programs to help members lead healthy, productive and connected lives, as well as philanthropic and community initiatives under the NFL Alumni’s “Caring for Kids” programs. The NFL Alumni Association hosts the NFL Alumni Academy player development program each football season at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio. www.NFLalumni.org
About the NFL Alumni Academy
The NFL Alumni Academy provides a pathway for the top-graded free agent players that were released from NFL training camps to return to the NFL by giving them the opportunity to further develop their skills and realize their potential by training under the tutelage of elite former NFL coaches, players and performance coaches. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls will initially serve as the NFL Alumni Academy’s headquarters and training facility. The Academy will then move to the Center for Performance, which will be located on the Village’s campus and is anticipated to be completed in 2022. The Center for Performance will feature an 80,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art indoor field house and training facility, among other amenities. www.NFLalumniacademy.com
