Minium: Come Tackle a Dummy or Throw a Pass at ODU Football Women's Clinic

By Harry Minium

NORFOLK, Va. – So, if you’re a woman you’ve most likely never played football.

But at some point, haven’t you felt like taking a running start, putting your shoulder down and laying into a football tackling dummy?

Or trying your luck at kicking a field goal?

Or hitting a wide receiver on the fly with a downfield pass?

Or doing defensive drills on the turf at S.B. Ballard Stadium?

Or having the opportunity spend an afternoon and part of an evening hanging out with Old Dominion football players, their coaches and families?

Or, with the sun setting, running onto the turf at S.B. Ballard Stadium as music plays in the background, just like the Monarchs do on six Saturdays each fall?

Or going into L.R. Hill Sports Complex and touring the locker and workout facilities, offices, training room for the ODU football team?

Bonus: You can try on helmets, pads and a jersey for selfies.

You can do all of that and more on Friday when Head Coach Ricky Rahne hosts the ODU Football Women’s Clinic.

Rahne was for years a part of women’s clinics at Penn State, where he was the offensive coordinator. The clinics were successful there and he decided it was time to bring it to ODU.

As with many decisions Rahne makes, this one came from the urging of his wife, Jen Rahne, who has taken a hand in organizing the promoting the clinic. It begins at 3 p.m. Friday at the L.R. Hill Sports Center.

CLICK HERE TO REIGSTER FOR ODU FOOTBALL WOMEN'S CLINIC

“I took my Mom to one of these clinics and told her we were doing it here and she was like, ‘They were so much fun,”’ Jen Rahne said.

“And they are a lot of fun. But beyond having fun, I think it will be exciting for our fans to hang out with a bunch of our players and some of their moms and just get an inside look at ODU football.”

The clinic begins at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex with a presentation and tours and even a chance to do some strength and conditioning testing, followed by a short bus ride to S.B. Ballard Stadium.

There will be stadium tour and presentations from defensive coordinator Blake Seiler, offensive coordinator Kevin Decker and special teams coordinator Kevin Smith. Then comes the chance to kick, throw and catch a football.

The clinic concludes Friday night with a panel discussion on women in sports followed by a social with coaches, players and ODU officials, both in the Priority Automotive Club.

Jen Rahne said wives and girlfriends of coaches and many of their children will also participate at the clinic. In case you didn’t know, ODU footall is a family-friendly program.

Wives and children are welcome in the L.R. Hill Center and on the practice field. Coaches spend far too much time away from their families that Rahne feels like the families should become a part of ODU football.

And some of the wives were outstanding athletes in their own right.

Jen Rahne started for the Cornell women’s volleyball team.

Alex Rebstock, wife of Remington Rebstock, ODU’s assistant defensive coordinator and safeties coach, was a softball star at Kansas, where she was a four-year starter and team captain.

Inge Jorgenson Seiler, wife of Blake Seiler, was a two-time track and field All-American at the University of Virginia and won a national championship in the javelin.

Jen Rahne will be joined on the panel discussion by Sarah Walker, director of academic advising, who works closely with football players on their academics, Pam Culbreath, the mother of linebacker Jahleel Culbreath, and LuAn Gethers, the mother of former ODU players Aaron and Jordan Young.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Carolyn Crutchfield, executive senior associate athletic director for sport administration and external affairs. It will be a question-and-answer session, and Jen Rahne said she anticipates a ton of good questions.

“I’m not sure I’m allowed to say this,” Jen Rahne said, before plowing ahead, “but I think women fans are the best fans.

“They are supportive through everything. They want you to win, but when you have a hard time, they are still there to cheer for you.

“They realize that it’s someone’s son out on the field and believe me, no one wants to win as much as those kids what to win. So, they are out there giving their all, and women appreciate that and are so supportive no matter what.

“I think it’s going to be a great event and a lot of fun for everyone.”

Minium is ODU’s senior executive writer. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram