Augustana hosts annual women's football clinic

Dakota Digest - 09/03/2010

by Gary Ellenbolt

Several college football teams from the area begin their seasons this weekend-one of the squads in action, the Augustana College Vikings, has already made good use of its home field, teaching the game to people who may never suit up for the team.

Saturday, September Fourth is going to be a big day for Mike Aldrich. The new head football coach at Augustana College leads his Vikings into battle for the opening game, against the St. Cloud State Huskies at Augustana's Kirkeby-Over Stadium.

But last Saturday, within the shadows of the school's new field-a different aspect of football was on his mind.

Aldrich says, "If you think about the stigma, it's guys watching football on Saturdays and Sundays and wives are trying to get their husbands off the couch and stuff like that."

"Let's educate some of these ladies about football, so they can know what their husbands are watching, or what they want to watch-and understand some of the terminology of an offense and a defense and get ‘em out on the field."

Aldrich and his assistant coaches are spending time at the first stop for the Augustana Women's football clinic. The Vikings have hosted the clinic for five years, as a fund-raiser for breast cancer prevention and research.

So, instead of Augustana's traditional Navy Blue and Yellow, the theme for the evening, is pink-along with the pink shirts for the coaches, the president's house is decorated with pink balloons, pink centerpieces, and pink punch to drink.

It's also the only time of year a practice session starts with a jewelry sale. Mindi Soukup is showing her wares to the 40 women attending the clinic.

"The contrast between football and jewelry," Soukup remarks, "speaks to all women. Women are about supporting their families and their sons and their husbands on the field of football, and yet we want to look good doing it."

Coach Aldrich shows his support for his new team, as they finish their wine and snacks under a large tent. One of the veterans of the event is Arlene Esselink, who's son plays on the Vikings' offensive line. She's here to support her son, and the team, and to have some fun as well.

Esselink says, "Well, I've watched football since I was a teenager. My husband played when he was in high school, and later on. We're pretty acclimated with the sports culture, and loving sports."

Esselink and the other players have split into three groups-this one is learning about the positions that make up the offense. Another is learning about the defense, and a third section is in the training room, getting ready to hit the field. A student trainer is taping the ankle of Dian McIver, whose son, Brady, plays defense for Augustana. Her dark polished toenails are contrasting not only with the flesh-colored pre-wrap and white athletic tape. Even with the preparations, this does not look like the foot of someone who is going to go out on a football field and knock someone else on her keister.

But McIver can't wait.

"It's interesting," she says--"It's interesting. I've never kind of seen the back end of things, so it's kind of fun to see what goes on on the back scenes, and kind of fun to do it with all the other ladies."

It's time for the players to get serious. The ladies walk onto the artificial surface, known as "Field Turf" of Kirkeby-Over Stadium. They soon join in the clapping and get their minds ready for the drills. They'll separate again to visit various stations to simulate an actual Viking practice.

A Viking player, in his navy blue game jersey kneels at the five-yard-line. This group of women will run to the ball and try to kick it through the uprights.

The first player advances and kicks, and the ball sails through the uprights-she didn't make it by much, but the kick is good.

Augie linebacker Anthony Keel is helping out with the session. The senior from Orlando, Florida, is having a lot of fun.

Keel says, "I love to get out here and get all the ladies laughing, going through the drills and so forth-everyone loves to have a great time."

At various times on the playing surface, ladies are running through pads, catching passes, showing off their touchdown dances--all part of a complete practice, and game, for the Vikings. But they learn to make tackles, too.

The object is to high-step through several barriers on the field, run toward a tackling dummy, and bring it down onto a mat similar to one used in a pole vault competition. Some hit it harder than others, but all of them have fun with the effort.

The practice ends with the annual mid-field photo. Players and coaches cluster around the Viking logo at mid-field and smile for the camera. Head Coach Mike Aldrich calls the evening a success.

"Yeah, we had a little smaller group this year," Aldrich says, "because we held it on a Saturday-that's just the way our schedule kinda lined up, but we got to give a little more personal attention.

"We did a lot of things they'd never done before, and it seems like everybody had a lot of fun."

After the photo, the newly-formed team heads back to the president's house for dessert and conversation, satisfied with their taste of football until the real Augustana Vikings battle St. Cloud State in the season opener.

 

 

 

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