Football 101 for Women

by Terry Trahan, Jr.

The Nicholls State University Colonels football season gets underway in just over a month, but before the first play is called, the coaching staff plans to open their playbook to ladies interested in learning football basics.

On Aug. 2, the coaching staff will host the first-annual Football 101 for Women in Gouaux Hall on the university’s campus. The clinic begins at 6 p.m. and requires a $20 registration fee that covers the clinic, a T-shirt, snacks, drinks and a playbook packed with surprises.

The Colonels coaching staff hopes to educate the ladies on the sport and make them part of the action on the field.

“We’re trying to reach a group of people that sometimes don’t get reached in the sport of football,” says Chuck Hepola, a recruiting coordinator for the team.

It’s all about promoting the team’s product in a ladies’ night atmosphere and getting fans to support the team by attending games throughout the season.

Along with the coaching staff, speakers will be on hand at the clinic to discuss the game’s phases, rules and techniques, like how to properly tackle and throw a football. An official will review the game’s rules.

Chuck says knowing what’s going on before and after each play adds to the excitement that comes with watching football.

“It’s a lot more fun to watch,” he says, noting that a lack of awareness often equates to a lack of interest. “We cling to those things we have an interest in.”

Early indicators reveal that ladies in the area are interested in football and want to know more about it. The Colonels coaching staff welcomes ladies of all ages to attend the clinic and hopes to get them pumped for the upcoming season.

Like a freshman college course introduces a new study, Chuck expects the football night to do the same for the sport’s students.

“It’s a way for us to give back,” he says. “We need to be progressive in what we’re doing.”