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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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Ladies prep for pigskin
season
By
Brian Bailey
©2008 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
There is certainly
something to be said for
a lady who loves
football.
I had the opportunity to
see some 175 football-lovin’
women this past Saturday
morning. The 4th annual
East Carolina football
women’s clinic was
another big success.
The theme for the event
was “Real Women Love
Football.” The logo
included flowers on the
back of the shirt, with
footballs for the buds.
One of the ladies asked
strength coach Mike
Golden if the ladies
could have the ECU
strength logo on their
shirt next year. That
logo is featured in the
weight room and has the
likeness of a strong,
ferocious Pirate.
These ladies were tough!
The group was divided
into two groups, one for
beginners and one for
the more advanced
football follower.
I took in a little of
both. The beginners were
taught basic formations
and terminology. The
advanced class featured
more on strategy and
more complex x’s and o’s.
I wasn’t there at the
time, but several of the
ladies told me
afterwards that the
highlight of the event
was when former Pirate
Jay Sonnhalter modeled
the equipment that the
Pirates wear for games.
Speaking of Sonnhalter,
he still hopes to hook
on as a free agent with
an NFL team as training
camps open. Sonnhalter
hopes to end up with the
New York Jets, and his
agents is working
diligently to get him a
shot at the NFL.
Sonnhalter enjoyed his
role in the women’s
clinic, as did the ECU
head coach Skip Holtz.
“It was a lot of fun,”
said Holtz. “I think our
staff enjoys this day. I
feel that the ladies do
as well. To get this
many people out on a
Saturday morning is
really something.”
Another of the
highlights for the
ladies was running out
of the Pirate ship, just
like the team does on
Saturdays in the fall at
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The ladies all walked
out, with the smoke
billowing and with the
music blasting, and
gathered to get final
instructions from the
Pirate coach.
When the entire group
had assembled, Coach
Holtz gave a brief pep
talk, and led the ladies
out on the turf.
If I hadn’t known any
better, I’d have sworn
there were 42,000 fans
screaming to support the
ladies as they ran out.
For many, I’m sure the
morning will turn out to
be one of the highlights
of the season. I came
away impressed that so
many women thought so
much about the game of
football that they
wanted to learn from the
experts.
Perhaps we should change
media day to a similar
type of format. I’m sure
there’s plenty we all
could learn from the
staff.
The Pirate squad reports
to camp on Friday. The
team will practice for
the first time that
night. High school
football practice opens
that night as well.
The anticipation is
ratcheting up as we
enter the best time of
the year!
BB
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07/29/2008 02:14:39 AM |
