When it comes to sports, Slippery Rock University graduate Teresa Conn has been there, done that.

She played rugby at The Rock. She was an Eastern Region champion and national runner-up in judo there.

She's coached high school softball, tennis and volleyball. She played wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Passion football team before moving to defensive back.

Now she owns the team.

A health and physical education teacher at General McLane High School for 15 years, Conn recently bought the National Women's Football Association franchise from Debbie Ziegler and Linda Cole of Fombell.

"We sold the team because of health reasons," Ziegler said. "We didn't want to do it, but we love the organization and this was the best thing.

"We never had to advertise it. We were talking about the option of selling the team, Teresa called about something else, we got to talking and it just worked out," she added.

Ziegler and Cole's T-shirt business will continue to handle the Passion's merchandise and fan apparel. They will have no other connection to the team.

The Passion enter their third NWFA season next spring. They were 6-2 last season, reversing the 2-6 record from their initial campaign.

"I feel very positive about this," Ziegler said. "Teresa is a very positive person and she'll keep the team moving in the right direction."

Conn has been named Erie County High School Volleyball Coach of the Year four of the past five seasons. She lives in Edinboro, but commutes to Passion team practices and games four days a week during the season.

Even when Erie joined the NWFA last year, Conn remained with the Passion.

"The long drives are worth it because this team is so together," she said. "Everybody pushes everybody else to get better.

"We've stuck together through three ownership changes, coaching changes, nobody ever got discouraged. We're going to keep moving forward. My first love is still playing," she said.

Conn, 40, continues to compete - she led the Passion with seven interceptions last year - despite suffering a severe injury to a vertebrae while playing rugby at SRU.

"I lost two years of activity because of that," Conn said. "Doctors said I was done with contact sports for life. Twenty years later, I'm playing football."

While playing receiver for the Passion on May 17, 2003, Conn broke her ankle so badly the bone was sticking out of her foot.

The following September, she reported for fall practice.

"A lot of working and a lot of praying, that's what brought me back," Conn said.

Conn played rugby for 17 years. She played Class A modified slow-pitch softball for a team in Erie that was national runner-up in 2002.

Passion quarterback Lisa Horton, a close friend of Conn's, is happy about the new boss.

"There's no limit to where we can go," Horton said. "Teresa has vision and she'll put the team first. She's been through it all, the ups and downs of sports, and she appreciates what it takes to succeed.

"We've had a good start. Teresa is the perfect choice to take us the next step."

The Passion's team office was moved from Fombell to Bellevue. The team will continue to play its home games at Ambridge High School's field.