Blondes are Bleaches.

Benjamin Click Photography

IF BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER, WHAT’S THICKER THAN HAIR COLOR?

Pretend it’s a bouquet, I screamed from the sidelines of practice. Most of the girls I hang around with on a daily basis are born and bred athletes. They’ve watched football, played in co-ed leagues, participated in some sort of collegiate sport – it’s ingrained in their everyday nature.

I’ve had to remind myself each week at practice that not all girls have this same athletic or sports-minded mentality. Many of my teammates have never touched a football, much less tried to snag a pick 6 from one of the fastest route-runners in all of Houston (whose name starts with Elizabeth and ends with Rhoden).

So I decided to stop yelling play back like Asante Samuel and watch the QB’s eyes and instead opted for the bouquet parallel. Half the girls are familiar Samuel as the DB for the Philadelphia Eagles and the other half relate to the played out chick flick scenes fighting and diving for the coveted bouquet – either way by the end of practice everyone knows to go to the ball (or bouquet) instead of waiting for it to land in their arms.

This Saturday our seven weeks of practice will finally be played out on the field. Skip Lee Field to be exact. This season marks the sixth straight year more than a hundred seemingly professional women of all hair colors come together clad in cleats and jerseys for the annual Powderpuff football game supporting The Alzheimer’s Association.

Benjamin Click Photography (Kim Orr)

Blondes and brunettes who might have been friends off the field will stash their friendship in the locker-room. Players are sworn enemies come game day, and rightly so. The Brunettes lead the series 3-2 and after being shutout last year, the Blondes are out for blood. Or hair.

The only thing pretty on game day will be the teams in matching jerseys and the ubiquitous knee-high American Apparel socks that boys everywhere dream about. Girls will come donned in a moderate amount of makeup (if any), hair pulled up (and matching their team of choice as the rules clearly state), but once the whistle blows, the smiles fade away and it’s game on. Bragging rights for the winning hair color are at stake.

But it’s important to note what goes on off the field: heaping efforts of fundraising, friendships (both old and new) and heartfelt stories about why girls are playing for such a memorable cause. In just six years, the Houston BVB team has raised over $500,000 for The Alzheimer’s Association – it’s become almost as big a battle, if not more, on which team raises more money – Blondes or Brunettes?

Writing a sport’s column cleverly titled The Blonde Side, one would reasonably think I would be lending my defensive skills to Team Blonde – but when does logic and reason make sense? As I mentioned last year, I’m playing on Team Brunette in celebration of my beautiful grandma Edna who we lost a few years ago to Alzheimer’s.

The vision of every blonde and brunette playing and volunteering is simple: A world without Alzheimer’s disease.

Benjamin Click Photography

BVB only takes place in Columbus, Buffalo, Chicago, NYC, DC, Kansas City, Austin and Houston. So consider this your lucky day Houstonians.

Get your tickets for Saturday now – and if you’re a fan of this article, be sure to purchase under TEAM BRUNETTE so we can beat them on the field and fundraising!

Can’t make the game, but want to donate?

WHEN: June 11, 2011 – Noon
WHERE: Skip Lee Field, St. Johns School | 2501 Claremont Ln — Houston, Texas 77019

This game was made possible thanks to many generous sponsors, a few of which include: Gainer Donnelly & Desroches, Vintage Lounge, Antique Bar, 2125 Yale, Budweiser/Silvereagle

Photo Credit: Benjamin Click Photography, Makeup by FaceFoward Weddings and Craft Salon for location.

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

Photos by Benjamin Click Photography, Makeup by FaceForward Weddings