Jena Heddings didn’t set out to build a movement. She just enjoyed playing arcade games (particularly Pac-Man) with her partner during the pandemic.
But then he convinced her to try pinball, “And, I ended up loving it,” she says.
The two began attending local co-ed tournaments, sometimes traveling to DC or Richmond to play, but Heddings began to wonder what a women’s-only league might be like.
“I just felt like it would be really cool for us to have our own community,” she says, “and for us to have a space where we didn’t have to worry about anything other than just having a good time.”
So three years ago, Heddings put up flyers around downtown Fredericksburg, hoping to find a few women who might show up for a women’s-only tournament at Reclaim Arcade. Instead, 20 came — and they kept on coming.
What began as a “let’s just see what happens” experiment has grown into Women Flipping Out, an inclusive community of women who love pinball, and who range in age from 6 to over 70.
Fredericksburg retro-gaming hotspot Reclaim Arcade supported the idea from the start, even opening on a normally closed night just to host the group’s first event.
“Pinball has definitely become a thing again,” says Reclaim owner Tim Owens. “Reclaim started doing monthly tournaments, and then I was approached by Jena who said she wanted to build a women’s pinball tournament. And I was like, I love that, that sounds like a lot of fun.”
Heddings promoted the league with handmade flyers she passed around.
“I would stop people on the street,” she recalls with a laugh. “Every Saturday, I would go downtown and walk into every single business and say, ‘Hi, would you put up our flyer? We’re a women’s pinball league.’ And I got the weirdest looks. They were like, ‘You’re a what?’”
She even approached people standing around in the arcade. From there, the momentum grew.
These days, Heddings no longer has to do it all herself. The group has become a true community, with members pitching in wherever they can.
“Every single person in the community contributes in some way,” she says. “We’ve got folks who will help me with marketing, others have a background in computers. Everybody plays such a huge part.”
While the community formed over pinball, members now also get together for other activities such as the occasional craft night, where they come to knit, crochet, color or just hang out and talk. They’ve also hosted fundraisers, raising money for local charities and sports teams.
“Women Flipping Out started doing their tournaments and that turned into them having their own Discord (server) where they were talking about what books they’re reading, you know, or getting together for like stitch-and-bitch sessions,” Owens adds.
The group continues to hold monthly tournaments at Reclaim Arcade and is gearing up to host a monthly tournament at Maltese Brewing Company. There are also league nights at Maltese, where players sign up for eight sessions of play every other week. Both businesses have been generous supporters of the group, only charging for the actual gameplay.
Tournaments are casual, one-night events that anyone can drop in for — no sign-ups or experience necessary. Leagues offer a bit more structure, with players signing up for eight sessions spread over two months. Both have minimal costs to join, and all entry fees go back to the top players as prizes. There are no membership dues, and the only real requirement is a willingness to have fun.
Today, the club includes grandmother and granddaughter tandems, a young girl who uses a step stool to reach the machine and a mix of seasoned veterans and players who are completely new to the game.
“It’s kind of more fun if you’re coming in cold,” Heddings says. “You don’t know what to expect and are just there to meet people and have fun. The coolest thing about our community is that we really do value friendships over scores.”
While the focus is on fun, that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of skill. Four members of Women Flipping Out made the Virginia Women’s Pinball State Competition, joining the top 16 female players in the state to vie for the Women’s Pinball VA Championship title.
They’ve also worked hard to make the league inclusive. From the start, Women Flipping Out has welcomed nonbinary, transwomen and femme-identifying players.
For new players, she makes a point of greeting them at the door and connecting them with more experienced members. Players are randomly assigned to four-person groups, but Heddings keeps an eye on the pairings and often encourages veterans to take newcomers under their wing.
“I want this to be a safe space where people can come and play pinball, have a good time, and meet friends,” Heddings says.
Interested in joining? Check out https://wfopinball.com connect with them on their social media pages or email [email protected]. Their next tournament is Aug. 14 at Reclaim Arcade.
Free Press editor Kathy Knotts contributed to this article.
