Long-time OGGOA reader Jennifer contacted us last week and offered to share with our readers her experience at the Florida Gators’ annual Women’s Football Clinic hosted this year for the first time by new head coach Will Muschamp. Below is her account from the exciting day (pictures included).

I heard about this event about a year ago and always thought it sounded interesting. After rounding up a couple of friends, we registered and were off to Gainesville. The day started in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom. After checking in, where we were given a t-shirt and small goodie bag, we were free to roam around the ballroom and meet the coaches. Even though I am a huge sports and Gators fan, with all of the new coaching changes, the only coaches I could recognize at first were Coach Muschamp, [linebackers/special teams coach] D.J. Durkin and [defensive coordinator] Dan Quinn. As we walked around we got autographs, took pictures and briefly chatted with the assistant coaches and grad assistant coaches. All were very friendly and seemed pumped up about the day’s activities.

One coach stood out among our favorites for his personality and friendliness, which only got better throughout the day. That was tight ends coach Derek Lewis. He was funny, saying a few times to the ladies throughout the morning and during some of the presentations that “tight ends” really are a football position. Another of our favorites was [wide receivers coach] Aubrey Hill, who when we took pictures with him, told us to “bring it in tight” and pulled us close for a picture with a huge smile on his face.

After mingling with the coaches in attendance, we proceeded to buy some raffle tickets and then moved over to the longest line, which was the opportunity to get a professional picture take with Coach Muschamp. We weren’t allowed to get his autograph or take our own pictures here, but many had the opportunity to do so later in the day as he was walking around. Also in attendance were Muschamp’s two boys and his wife, though they weren’t introduced to the crowd.

Everyone took their seats and the crowd got to listen to Coach Muschamp. It was similar to what you reported from the local Gator Gatherings. Then the crowd was given the opportunity to ask questions. He said why a few of the coaches couldn’t make it that day including [offensive coordinator] Charlie Weis, who he said had knee replacement surgery on Wednesday, and Mickey Marotti, who had a family obligation and “family comes first.” Coach Muschamp said he finished moving to Gainesville on Thursday and jokingly added that he still had lots of extra boxes, if anyone had extra time.

Read the rest of Jennifer’s story from the clinic including a few interesting details related to the football team…after the break!
Continue Reading » Women’s football clinic was one for the books

Tags: Aubrey Hill, Brian White, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Weis, Chris Rainey, D.J. Durkin, Dan Quinn, Derek Lewis, Florida Field, Heavener Football Complex, Jeremy Foley, Maurkice Pouncey, Mickey Marotti, Mike Pouncey, Riley Cooper, Steve Spurrier, Steven Wilks, Terry Jackson, The Swamp, Will Muschamp, Women’s Football Clinic

Portions of the following article first appeared on OGGOA on Feb. 2, 2010.

If the enshrinement of “The Promise” speech outside Heavener Football Complex was not enough for you, former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will now be immortalized in front of The Swamp as a bronze statue, too.

The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley learned back in February that Tebow – along with former QB Danny Wuerffel and former head coach and QB Steve Spurrier – will be enshrined in bronze statues on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The goal of the project is to not only honor the Gators’ three Heisman Trophy winners but also, arguably, the three most important players in program history. Dooley reported that the University Athletic Association hired sculptor W. Stanley “Sandy” Proctor out of Tallahassee, FL, to work on the three statues.

The Sun has since confirmed that the University Athletic Association board unanimously approved the project Wednesday.

Each statue will be 15 percent larger than life-sized and will feature the players in different stances. Tebow will have the ball tucked and in a running motion while Wuerffel and Spurrier will be dropping back to pass.

In all, the statues will cost $550,000 – all funded by private donations – and will be installed in front of the stadium at the beginning of 2011. Tebow, Wuerffel and Spurrier are all expected to attend the ceremony.

Tags: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Danny Wuerffel, Heavener Football Complex, Heisman Trophy, Steve Spurrier, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, University Athletic Association, University of Florida

If the enshrinement of “The Promise” speech outside Heavener Football Complex is not enough for you, former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow may be immortalized in front of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as a bronze statue, too.

The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley has learned that Tebow along with former QB Danny Wuerffel and former head coach and QB Steve Spurrier will be enshrined in statues somewhere either inside or outside of The Swamp if everything goes as planned.

The goal is to not only honor the Gators’ three Heisman Trophy winners but also, arguably, the three most important players in school history. Dooley reports that the University Athletic Association has hired sculptor Sandy Proctor out of Tallahassee, FL, to work on the three statues and the process is underway (though there are, of course, a few speed bumps).

Proctor has already spent two hours with Wuerffel, will meet with Spurrier on Tuesday in Gainesville, FL, and plans to sit down with Tebow sometime in the future.

—

Former Florida wide receiver and current NBC Sunday Night Football color commentator Cris Collinsworth will be awarded the Pat Summerall Award on Thurs., Feb. 4 at the Legends for Charity Dinner. The award is presented to an individual with a connection to the NFL who has made a significant contribution to the sports field.

Tags: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Cris Collinsworth, Danny Wuerffel, Florida Gators, Heavener Football Complex, Heisman Trophy, Legends for Charity Dinner, Pat Summerall Award, Sandy Proctor, Steve Spurrier, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, University Athletic Association