Spotlight on: Alissa Imbragulio
By Jasmine Rogers
This profile was written in 2012.
Today the spotlight is on linebacker Alissa Imbragulio. An eight-year veteran, Imbragulio brings a passion to the game that is unrivaled. Whether she’s on the field for defense, special teams, or stretching, she is always pumped up and ready to go. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Imbragulio is no stranger to excelling in athletic competition. As a high school senior, she was named the Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Year for the United States!
Spotlight on: Alissa Imbragulio
How did you get started playing football?
I wanted a challenge. I watched the Divas play one night and said, “I can do that!”
What is your biggest athletic accomplishment?
My biggest sports achievement was earning recognition as the United States Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Year.
What was your biggest adjustment to football?
My biggest adjustment to football was learning to do my job and only my job. In many other sports, you can single-handedly win a game for your team. In football, you will not.
What is your favorite football moment?
Walking out onto the field in Texas just before playing for the Divas in the 2009 National Championship game.
What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
My biggest challenge is myself. I want to be perfect every play. Sometimes I let myself down. I also find it hard to control my emotions on the field. For me, football is five percent emotion, five percent physical, and 90 percent mental.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
The best advice I was ever given was from former teammate and linebacker Ivy Tillman. She said, “Go out there, go 100 percent, play football, then we have an understanding.” She was speaking about the other team, but it stayed with me. That’s how I approach every game…100 percent.
What is your favorite quote?
“Aspire to inspire before you expire.”
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from within. One of my first coaches told me to be the best linebacker I could be, and I haven’t gotten there yet. I’m also inspired and motivated by this team. My teammates are amazing and I love playing alongside each of them.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you about football?
Looking back, I wish someone would have just warned me how addictive this sport is and how it becomes a part of you.
What advice do you want to share with your rookie teammates?
The advice I would give to rookies is to slow down. Remember what it feels like the first time you put your pads on, the first time you hit, your first game, and your first tackle or catch. Whatever you do, remember it…because you won’t be a rookie next year. It’s special, so go slow and take it all in.
What does it mean to you to be a Diva?
Being a Diva is special. It means that 20 years from now, I will tell stories about what we have done. It means that I was a part of something special that changed women’s sports forever. It means that I gave little girls the ability to turn their dreams of playing football into a reality. It means that I have made lifelong friends and had some of the greatest experiences ever! To me, being a Diva is something that doesn’t fit into words…it is beyond them.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I used to figure skate competitively…with a tutu and everything!
About Alissa Imbragulio
Name: Alissa Imbragulio
Age: 31
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Educational Background: Ohio State University
Profession: Quality Control Manager
Years playing football: 8 years
Sports Participated in: Field hockey, Basketball, Lacrosse, Track and Field
Total Years in Sports: Since I was able to walk!
