Learning to juggle is one of the key concepts of any college education. Athena “A.T.” McCowan, a 29-year-old student athlete, has mastered this and so much more. As a full time student working two jobs, she still finds time to play women’s professional tackle football for the Central California War Angels.
Majoring in foreign languages with an emphasis on Biblical Studies, McCowan is a full time student.  She is enrolled in two classes here at Fresno City College while taking 16 units at Fresno Pacific University. While engaging in her studies, McCowan works 19 hours a week in the Fresno City College library.
“It’s hard,” she says, “but it’s very doable if you have the right type of discipline. It’s pretty much ultimately where you want to be and if you really want to get there or not”.
Alongside her foreign languages major, McCowan can read, write and speak Armenian fluently. Furthermore, she hopes to enhance her studies by learning Hebrew, Greek and possibly Arabic. These, she says, will help her interpret and transcribe the bible.
“To be honest, I wanted to go where God wanted me to be. I feel that he has given me the natural ability to learn language. For me, it’s very exciting to read and understand ancient text”, she says.
Sara Lickk, a friend of McCowan’s and a fan of the War Angels says that A.T. is a very driven and sincere person. Lickk also says that McCowan stands up for her beliefs but remains grounded.
“She stands up for what she believes in. She doesn’t force her beliefs on other people and she practices what she preaches”, says Lickk.
Even though she studies the bible, McCowan embraces the rough sport of football with open arms. As the center for the War Angels, she works hard to maintain her fitness and aptitude for the game. McCowan calls herself a physical person and describes how football helps her relieve stress. “I’m more of a physical person. It just allows for me to get my aggression out,” McCowan says.
Football also helps balance out her personality. It allows her to separate her talents and stimulate them both. Her hunger for knowledge is met with her academic work while her physical side is able to appear on the field.
Since women’s professional football is not widely known, it is a wonder how she got interested in the sport and how she came to play. According to McCowan, she has always wanted to play football and a news ad gave her the chance.
“I’ve wanted to play for a woman’s tackle league for I don’t know how long. And, all of a sudden it just showed up so I said ‘I’m there. I’m going to do whatever I have to in order to play,” McCowan said.
After seeing the ad and vowing to find out how to play, McCowan contacted Lisa King, the president of the War Angels and the wide receiver.
King spoke highly of McCowan and emphasized all of the work that she puts in to being the best player that she can be. She also describes McCowan as a fearless team leader.
“A.T. is hard working and shows no fear on the football field. She is small for a lineman, but is strong enough to compete against players who are much bigger. To be a center and have to snap the ball to the quarterback when larger players are trying to knock you over is not an easy job and takes a fearless attitude,” King says.
According to King, McCowan goes above and beyond for her teammates. She says that she [McCowan] is always positive and will do anything to help out a fellow player. In this, she agrees with Lickk who also goes on to talk of McCowan’s humor.
“She’s really funny,” Lickk says, “Always making jokes. She’s like Joe Pesci in pads”.
It’s not all fun and games for McCowan though. She takes the sport seriously and studies it on her own outside practice. Working out on her own serves as a way for McCowan to focus on her responsibilities to her team while she nurtures her academic responsibilities.
This is where the time management matters the most, McCowan says. She constantly has to manage her time and make sure that she keeps up with both her school work and the demands of her practice schedule.
Somehow though, she finds the time to complete her homework and continue on towards her degree. With all of the time and effort it takes for McCowan to succeed, she will accept none of the credit. She says her strength comes from her faith.
“If I wasn’t serving God, I couldn’t do it,” she says. “When I’m weak, He’s my strength.”
McCowan will be playing in the upcoming season with the War Angels as they strive to make the playoffs. Look for number 54 on the offensive line during any War Angels game and you will see Athena McCowan ready to snap the ball and help her team to victory.