For the past two springs, the St. Louis SLAM women’s professional tackle football franchise has seen their projected “#DriveFor5” missive stalled prior to the first snap of each preceding campaign.
Photo Credit: St. Louis SLAM Instagram
The SLAM, a four-time national titleholder in the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA), was the defending Division II champs heading into an April 2020 home launcher but the pandemic swallowed the governing body’s season before the team had taken to the turf.
The WFA’s ensuing 2021 restart saw the SLAM unfortunately elect to bypass the season, resulting in a drive that, again, was not alive.
After 32 months of patient waiting, the locals are ready for a full-time return with the shoulder pads next month.
The SLAM released their six-game 2022 regular season schedule Monday. Three home games, highlighted by an April 30 local opener against a defending national champion, take place at the SLAM’s recurring venue, St. Mary’s High School in St. Louis.
St. Louis, who claimed their fourth national title in July 2019 in the WFA Tier II finale, jumps up to the 13-squad WFA Pro Division and three of their interdivisional games this season involves teams that competed in last year’s trophy game.
The SLAM launches their season on the road April 9 against newly-minted Columbus Chaos, an addition to the WFA Tier II mix.
Another bus trip follows the next Saturday (April 16) as St. Louis faces last season’s WFA Pro national runner-up, Minnesota Vixen.
Photo Credit: St. Louis SLAM Instagram
SLAM football then hosts three in a row at St. Mary’s after a week off. The April 30 home opener finds the locals battling last season’s WFA Tier III champ, Kentucky’s Derby City Dynamite, whose franchise has now advanced to Tier II.
St. Louis clashes its toughest opponent of the regular season May 14 as defending WFA Pro champions Boston Renegades, who finished 2021 undefeated (7-0), roll into town.
A May 21 return grudge with Minnesota concludes the home schedule and a Memorial Day weekend road trip to Derby City rounds out the SLAM’s regular season line-up.
Even with extended time off, this year’s SLAM roster contains plenty of veterans with championship rings in personal possession as well as talented newcomers champing at the bit for their first official reps on the field.
The WFA post-season begins in June and the SLAM aims to be in the mix.
After all, they’re more than salivating to be in that drive for five.
Season ticket packages, which start at $40, are available here.
For more information on the SLAM, go to their official website.
ST. LOUIS SLAM 2022 SCHEDULE
(All home games at St. Mary High School – St. Louis)
SAT 4/9 @ COLUMBUS CHAOS
SAT 4/16 @ MINNESOTA VIXEN
SAT 4/30 VS. DERBY CITY DYNAMITE (HOME)
SAT 5/14 VS. BOSTON RENEGADES (HOME)
SAT 5/21 VS. MINNESOTA VIXEN (HOME)
SAT 5/28 @ DERBY CITY DYNAMITE
Arch City Media will be covering the SLAM during the 2022 season. Be sure to follow us for game exclusive game previews and recaps.
