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Guest blogger Caryn Clark tackles the UF Women's Football Clinic and leaves smelly -- and thrilled
Sunday, June 5, 2011 | Men's Basketball, Football, Scott Carter
It's 4 p.m. on a hot summer day in June, and I just walked off Florida Field. I'm hot, sweaty, and the Secret deodorant I applied this morning has reached its limit: I smell.
We all smell.
But I promise you, we, the Ladies of Gator Nation, LOVED it. Every stinkin' minute of it.
What is “it?”
Once a year, about 500 Lady Gators from all over the country flock to Gainesville for the UF Women's Football Clinic. It's a chance for women of all ages -- teens, moms, grandmoms and even great-grandmoms -- to get a taste of what Gator football players experience.
A different coach plans the clinic each year, so you never know what's in store. And let me tell you, there were some GREAT surprises (keep reading!).
Running backs coach Brian White was in charge of this year's clinic, and I think most of the attendees would agree, it was well-organized, informative, fun, and a decent workout in The Swamp! (Last year's, while a blast, was a wee bit too easy!!)
The day started in the Reitz Union Ballroom. We immediately lined up to have our picture taken with our new head football coach, Will Muschamp. Coach was all smiles and is as sweet and personable as can be.
He later talked to the group about the upcoming season. You can tell he's amped up to be part of the Gator Nation and make this program the best it can be. One woman asked him, “What makes you most excited about being at UF?”
Muschamp's reply: “The passion of the fans and being able to come back to Gainesville and have my two sons grow up where I did.”
He reminisced about walking to Gator games and selling soft drinks at games. It's clear he has fond memories of his childhood here and wants his family to have a similar experience.
It made me think about Coach Meyer – not only how important family is to him, but also how he created and fostered a “family” within the football team. I always loved that about him, and I feel really good because I know Coach Muschamp is going to do the very same thing with his teams.
Coach Muschamp took time to introduce the coaching staff, and told us about their experience. A majority of them are new to the staff, and there's a lot of talent, with most of them having played in college and some in the NFL. Several have previously coached in the NFL. THAT'S impressive!!
Not to mention, there are a few former Gator football players on the football staff. ALWAYS a good thing!!!
I don't want to bore you with all the fun stuff we did in the morning, like have a chance at winning really awesome raffle prizes and learn about how the coaches interact with each other and the players during the game, what the lineups mean on offense and defense, how to set up and kick a ball, about heart disease, breast cancer awareness, and nutrition (did you know Gator athletes consume 1,000 cartons of chocolate milk a WEEK??!!). An SEC official even came and talked to us about what it's like to officiate a game.
The highlight of the morning was most likely the “hands-on” (and shirts off!) tutorial of how a player gets dressed in pads and uniform for the game. The Pouncey twins were our models, and they even dressed one of the women from the audience in full uniform.
Sooo … yes, I did just mention the Pouncey twins!! They were at the clinic and on the field with us later in the day, as were Carlos Dunlap, Joe Haden, and Riley Cooper, among a few other former players.
Cooper and Steve Wilks were filming “Swamp Studs” for the website CoachWillMuschamp.com, and I was fortunate enough to be part of a bench press “documentary,” which hopefully won't make it to the cutting room floor! Ha!
Being in the presence of all those former players, part of a GREAT Gator football team, was really very cool. And, well, if Riley Cooper, who rocks those dimples like a champ, is looking for a girlfriend, I'm single and would be happy to visit him in Philadelphia.
After lunch, we headed out to the field for the football pad relay. Great fun to put pads on and run this race!! The girls on my team were very serious and strategizing the best way to put the pads on our teammates.
They wanted to win.
Sadly, we didn't, but we had a great time racing; I love the camaraderie and the way we all support and cheer each other on when we race.
Then we took a tour of the locker rooms, the Heavener Football Complex, and the weight room. After that, we were back out in The Swamp for drills and the 40-yard dash race – the moment we've all be waiting for!!
There were 10 drill stations, and each one was manned by at least one coach. It's pretty darn cool to learn a drill from Frank Verducci, whose vast experience includes coaching Emmitt Smith with the Dallas Cowboys.
The drills are, to say the least, challenging. I follow Trey Burton on Twitter, and just about every morning he tweets, “Time to make the donuts!”
Ummm, now I know what donuts are, and lemme tell you, they ain't easy.
But a challenge is what we want!!! Just because we're women doesn't mean we want the easy workout. We want to be pushed during those drills!!
Last, but not least in our workout was the 40-yard dash. I'm happy to say, I wasn't last! I'm also happy to say, a woman in the 40-49 age group won the OVERALL race.
That's truly so inspiring!!
Finally, our day ended with a run through the Gator Tunnel. There is nothing more thrilling to those of us who bleed orange and blue than to have a chance to run through the very same tunnel our players do before every game, with the same video and music playing as we run out, and our new friends cheering us on, throwing us high fives, and giving us the Gator Chomp as we run our way down the field into The Swamp.
From the minute the clinic ended, the first words out of the mouths of me and my friends were: “I can't wait 'till next year!!”
We're giddy with adrenaline about how we want to win that relay race, improve our performance in the drills, and win the 40-yard dash in our age group!!
We've already marked our calendars – June 2, 2012.
Go Lady Gators!!!!
