2011 Women's Football Academy *recent video of players*
Reasons you should click this link: http://www.mgoblue.com/allaccess/?media=247054
- I don't know how to embed
- Hoke pointing (:11)
- Omameh letting us know how to say his name (O-mah-'may'), and being huge (:42)
- Molk being a stocky boulder right behind him (:42)
- Dong Forest!! (:47)
- Funk teaching base/drive blocking (they're zone women, coach!) (:55)
- Coach Jackson lacking in superlatives (1:07)
- Denard smiles and your mom says "Awwww..." (1:10)
- T. Gordon now wearing #30, or they ordered his t-shirt wrong (1:39)
- BWC knows the rules (2:15)
- Your grandma gets a sack (2:30)
- Roh indeed looks a bit bigger... hasn't helped his dance moves (2:38)
- Coming out of the Tunnel at the Big House, always a sight (2:56)
- Bottle up that determination (3:42)
- Koger needs some TE love (3:51)
- $100,000+ raised this year, $1,300,000 since 1998
- An incredible cause, and a great group of players. Send your girls next year if you can
It's great to know that at 46, I can still be called a girl!
I did this last year and it was so great! But I'm bummed I missed it this year because of all the player involvement. Last year, we had lunch with the players and I sat with Patrick Omameh and Taylor Lewan, who both ate an ungodly amount of food. Watching those two eat was worth the price of admission.
I'll be going back next year, and I encourage all you girls out there to do the same.
This, right? http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/ot-womens-football-academy-was-awesome
Was going to note the greater player involvement I'd been told about this year, but didn't want to get into the RR stuff. And actually from the photos someone posted in that link, looked the players were involved last year as well - but perhaps not as much as it seemed. Great that mgobloggers are involved in this event. Represent, Yo
That is amazing. I loved watching the coaches in action. Fred Jackson "The first thing we're going to do is teach you how to carry this [football]!"
Oh yeah, and it's for a good cause :-)
...read the letter to Dave Brandon from an alumnus who volunteered at the event contained in the latest iteration of Brandon's Blog. Nice kudos for the players and for Hoke for having the players participate at this level.
Voluntarily of course
18 to particpate. My 13-year-old niece wanted to go with me this year but she'll have to wait. I know there were some women there over 70. I'm not sure if they played in the scrimmage, though.
It was MUCH better this year than the last three (although I didn't participate last year, as I was 6 months pregnant). No offense to Rich Rod, but they really put way too much emphasis on their wives and the players were really only there for lunch. The first year I did it was Carr's last year and this academy was much more like that.
We also got to do punting and kicking, which is new - and the throwing drills were way better. And...it doesn't hurt that we actually got to go in the Big House this time!
can go on the field after the scrimmage, get autographs and pictures from coaches and players.
Do they still give out an award to the person who collects the most money for the cause? (I think I asked this before, and not sure if it changed due to staff format, and was back, or if they changed it permanently).
Hoke says "tremendous." All is well in the world.
I dunno how that was missed in the OP
for the comments
Can't wait for a summer where I'm not stuck in NY!
Also note to anyone who participates next year, make a thread if you're raising money for Mott's so we can sponsor you. I donated last year but I didn't see anyone mention it this summer.
My wife has done this for the last 6 years and said this was by far the best one. Based on her pictures and the fact that even I was allowed in the locker room afterward, I would have to agree. Player participation has always been voluntary but under RR they were only allowed to come to lunch which was a bummer.
That's a great cause. My favorite is the mom saying how she didn't understand football and was sick of asking questions, so instead of reading Football for Dummies, she went to the football academy. Thanks for sharing this.
Needs Moar Denard
Could someone embed for those of us (probably just me) whose only internet connection is a non-flash compatible iPhone. We need off-season football fixes too.
He's way bigger than last time I saw him in person. He was just a skinny freshman turning from TE to OG, now he looks the part of a OG. Can't wait to see him get better as a OG because he still has't reached his potential. He's dominant in space and if he gets bigger and stronger which he should, he should be able to handle inline blocking against DT much better than last year in which he struggles at times.
Great cause, and looked like a great day for everyone.
It was also nice that apparently Nick Sheridan was able to come back and meticulously instruct the women on proper "wobbly shot put" throwing technique!
The top four fundraisers got either a grill, a flat-screen TV, a Nintendo Wii or a Pandora bracelet.
This year they also did raffle prizes - another cool addition.