On Saturday, July 29th, at 7:05 p.m., the new WPFL season kicks off, as the Albany Ambush host the Empire State Roar in the Capital Bowl Classic at Frank Bailey Field at Union College, Schenectady.

Supremacy and bragging rights in New York are at stake, and the tone for the entire season can be set with a victory in both clubs' opening game. With an eight game regular season, every week is key and what better way to begin than giving your home crowd a big win and capturing the Capital Bowl trophy?

Both the Ambush and the Roar look to improve on their 2005 seasons. The Ambush finished 4-6 and the Roar 2-3 in a shortened season for them. Head to head, they split the series one game a piece. In week three, Albany ambushed the Roar, 14-13, while in week five, the Roar pitched a 21-0 shutout.

Against the New York Dazzles (one of the league’s stronger teams in 2005), the Ambush were 0-2. Playing in back-to-back games in weeks 9 and 10, the Dazzles defeated Albany by scores of 33-10 and 20-6.

The Roar faired better, going 1-2 against the Dazzles. In week one, they played a close contest but lost 6-0. Week four was another tight game that New York came out on top by a score of 12-8. And in week six, Empire State handed the Dazzles a 30-13 loss.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Ambush have 2005 WPFL All-Pro RB Talisha Hargis and OL Cynthia Suggs returning. On defense, returning All-Pro DL Meghan Ireland and DB’s Sheila Cintron and Melissa Cruz look to pick up where they left off.

Never heard of the WPFL? What rock have you been hiding under? The league is starting its eighth season and has 17 teams placed throughout the nation in two conferences (four divisions).

The Dallas Diamonds are the reigning two-time champions of the league and have gone 12-0 in both 2004 and 2005. The king of the mountain? A dynasty? Well, that remains to be seen.

There are 16 teams waiting for the opportunity to knock them off. Last season’s runner up, the New York Dazzles, are taking the 2006 season off to regroup their management, leaving the National Conference wide open.

Other changes in the WPFL this season are the addition of two more teams qualifying for the post season. The top three teams in the National and American Conference will shoot it out for the honor of joining the WPFL Championship Club.

Also, what I mentioned previously about each week being important was not just a saying. The last five champions have gone undefeated, proving the theory that every football game must be played as if it were the last.

The playoffs begin on October 7th, when the number three seed visits the number two seed in each conference. On October 21st, the survivors of the first round will go to the home field of the number one seeds in the Conference Championships. The two remaining teams will meet in the WPFL Championship game on November 4th, location to be determined.

Full contact. The same rules as the National Football League. Who said that acting ‘un-lady-like’ was wrong?

For more information, please visit www.albanyambush.com and www.womensprofootball.com .