Althea McNichol is a seasoned athlete and professional who has played across many formats of women’s football like tackle football, arena football, and various national flag football styles. She began playing intramural flag football in college at Old Dominion University in 1999. After graduating with her Sports Management degree, she moved to Georgia and joined the IWFL’s Atlanta Xplosion women’s tackle team in 2004 where she honed her skills as a player. In 2006, she helped lead her team to victory in the IWFL’s World Championship. After a decade of playing tackle football, she completed her tackle career by joining the Legend’s League (X League) with the Atlanta Steam in 2016. Today, she continues to compete competitively across various flag football formats, both nationally and internationally.
Althea McNichol is not only a versatile player, but also a career professional. Off the field, she’s worked in the IT/Communications industry for over 18 years. Currently, she’s a Business Intelligence Sr Analyst for Cox Communications with a passion for turning data into actionable information. She also serves as an Assistant Coach for Pace Academy girl’s high school team in Atlanta.
As a player, her dedication to the sport is evident by her many years and in her performance on the field. Althea has collected many honors and awards along the way from Most Improved Player to Most Outstanding Player in a league, with several local league and national champion teams. Most recently in 2023, she was awarded the UFFL’s 8V8 Women’s National Flag Championship D2 Defensive MVP award.
Overall, Althea McNichol’s history and commitment to this sport has given her not only a well-rounded understanding of the game, but also the understanding of what’s necessary to be a successful football player and how to cultivate a winning organization. Her passion for the sport is evident both on and off the field, and she is sure to continue making an impact for the future generation of girls and women who want to play football.