Inaugural Football 101 A Huge Success

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas football staff hosted 125 women at the Anderson Family Football Complex and Memorial Stadium Monday evening for “Football 101”, sponsored by Lawrence Memorial Hospital, to create awareness for breast cancer and also add a touch of football knowledge to their repertoire.
 
The event benefitted Jayhawks for a Cure and all proceeds were donated to Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH) and the KU Cancer Center in an effort to fund cancer research.
 
“What an amazing night we had,” said Kansas head coach David Beaty. “We were definitely here to have fun and I know that was accomplished. However, at the end of the day this event was truly about raising money for breast cancer research and I am proud that we were able to contribute to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Jayhawks for a Cure.”
 
The women in attendance were treated to introductions by head coach David Beaty, who had a bit of fun at the assistant coaches’ expense. All nine of the assistants were also shown on a screen with a playful version of who they were prior to joining the Jayhawk staff.
 
Next up, offensive coordinator Rob Likens, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Clint Bowen and special teams coordinator Gary Hyman each gave a brief summary of the principals of each phase of the game they instruct.
 
From there the ladies moved out to the stadium where they took part in six different stations of drills on the field. Among the drills were ball security, blocking, tackling, footwork and pass catching.
 
After a ‘team’ photo with Beaty, the women moved into the weight room where they had the opportunity to go through an abbreviation workout led by assistant strength and conditioning coach Justin Springer.
 
An equipment demonstration in the locker room was next on the schedule as five Jayhawk players modeled they different uniforms KU football team members wear for different practice days of the week, weight room workouts and game day attire. Additionally, the women at Football 101 were allowed to try on some helmets and get their photos taken in the locker room.
 
The final portion of the event was a Q&A with Beaty and the assistant coaches. Following the informative sit-down, the ladies were treated to a surprise karaoke session by the KU staff to end a fun-filled evening of football and celebrating breast cancer survivors.
 
“These ladies asked some tough questions,” said Beaty. “It was fun to interact with them and be able to shed some light on the game of football, and also show them our passion for this program.”
 
According to Anita Rogier of Lawrence, the women in attendance had an unforgettable experience.
 
“The Football 101 event was amazing,” said Rogier. “The best part of the night was the chance to meet, interact and participate with the KU Football staff. It was fun, informative, and entertaining. The evening was a great success from my point of view and I am ready for the start of this year’s KU football season with a little more understanding of the game and a greater appreciation for the coaches.”
 
Football 101 is one of several Jayhawks for the Cure events that takes place throughout the 2015-16 athletic year as part of a campus-wide initiative to bring awareness to cancer research. Student-athletes, coaches and staff work together with the university and the community of Lawrence to raise funds for cancer research at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the KU Cancer Center.
 
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