BROWNSTOWN

Brownstown Central’s football team is always looking to expand its love and knowledge of the game.

The Braves hosted a women’s football clinic Wednesday at Blevins Memorial Stadium, geared toward the moms of the team.

Braves head coach Reed May and parent Misty Brewer headed the event aimed at giving women more information on the team and sport.

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May said the program had run the clinic in the past but hadn’t hosted the event in a few years.

“It’s just something we haven’t done in quite a while,” May said. “We used to do it every year. I think it’s nice to be able to teach some of the moms and answer questions about positions and the weight room. It was time to do it again.”

About 30 women attended the clinic.

“For some of us moms, grandmas and aunts, we look at other people and stand up and cheer when they don’t,” Brewer said. “We don’t always know what’s really going on. Someone will say, ‘The middle linebacker just got hurt’ and we’re trying to figure out where that is. We’re hoping to get more interest in the football games.”

May also was assisted by 11 of his players, and assistant coaches Clark Smith, Cam Cockerham and Shane Fallis.

To begin, the group congregated to the equipment room to go over the gear.

The Braves use Riddell brand helmets to help prevent head injuries.

May put the helmet on senior John McKinney and explained how air is pumped to help fit the headgear to each specific player for optimum safety.

The coaches explained how players are taught to tackle with their head up to avoid injury, and that there is minimal full-on tackling in practices to prevent concussions.

Shoulder pads also were displayed along with protective equipment for the knees, glutes and thighs.

Following the segment, the group went to the weight room.

In the dimly lit gym, players went through a series of weightlifting exercises.

May said the weight room is what can make all the difference between success and failure, and pointed out the records of each of his teams and how much weight they combined to lift prior to the season.

On the charts, attached to the whitewashed walls, the teams that lifted the most weight finished with the most wins over the years.

A pass, punt and kick competition for those who wished to participate was conducted on the football field following the weights.

To conclude the clinic, May and his assistant coaches had the players line up in formations.

The coaches explained each individual position, in detail, and their importance to the team.

One of the highlights was the offensive and defensive lines, the less flashy positions, battling in the trenches.

“I learned just how much hard work our lineman do,” Brewer said. “You see the players all the time who pass, catch, receive and run the ball all the time, but our lineman are just as important. It’s cool that they got recognized.”

This season, the Braves will mostly run a shotgun offense for the first time.

For Braves cheer coach Charity Clodfelder, the camp offered more insight on the game.

“I thought it would be good to get some of the details,” said Clodfelder, who has a seventh-grader in the program. “We kind of just know the simple things. I didn’t know certain positions and it helped me understand it a little more.”

May said they plan to run the clinic again in the future.

“I think, in football, moms are left out a little bit and the dads always know,” Clodfelder said. “For us moms, we come to the games and cheer when there’s a touchdown. I think it’s good to include the moms so we know what’s going on and the right times to cheer.”