Cleburne High School Head Football Coach Phil Young will do some classroom coaching the evening of August 21 in instructing “Football 101 for Women,” set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Lyceum on the CHS campus.

“I wanted to offer this course last year and just ran out of time,” Young said. “This will be a free session open to the mothers of our football players, grandmothers, Jacket fans--any women in our community who would like to know more about the game of football.”

The concept of a football class for women came about during a conversation between Young and his wife, Renee, who teaches PE at Coleman Elementary.

“Renee is pretty savvy about the game, but in talking to her about it, she said there were still some elements she didn’t understand,” Young said. “We talked about how much more you enjoy watching a game, or any sport, when you know what’s happening. You feel more plugged in—you enjoy the game more.”

With his wife’s help and encouragement, Young, who is also CISD’s athletic director, has put together a two-hour class which will offer the basics of football, the rules, the role of each position—all you wanted to know about football, but were afraid to ask.

“We’ll also talk about officiating and penalties, strategies, equipment, things like that,” Young said. “I’ve built in time for lots of questions and answers after we’ve gone over everything and we’ll have handouts. I’m excited about offering this class and having the opportunity to teach it. I’ve talked to other coaches who have done something like this and they said it’s always been a great hit.”

Jay Lynn McCoy, whose son, Micah is a starting free safety/running back for the Jackets, is planning on signing up for the class.

“I know a lot about the game, having watched my son play since his pee-wee football days,” McCoy said. “But I think I’ll sign up because I don’t know ‘everything.’ It sounds like the class will give me a better understanding of what my son is going through as a player.”

“I think that after the class, when I compliment my son on something he has done during the game, he’ll know I know what I’m talking about, rather than just bragging on him because I’m the mom,” McCoy said. “He’ll know I understand ‘what’ he did.”

“There are a lot of moms whose boys play for the Jackets who really don’t have as much knowledge as they would like about what goes on during a game,” McCoy said. “This is a great idea.”

Although there will be no pop quiz at the end of the class, participants will have a chance to test themselves on what they have learned the following morning when the Jackets host a scrimmage with Brewer, set for 10:30 a.m. August 22.