Team's moms take the field

Friday nights will soon be filled again with the hard-hitting action of high school football. And because of a brand new football clinic at Augusta Christian, the mothers in the stands won't be confused this season when the pigskin lands in the trenches.

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That type of jargon, and much more, was explained to about 40 women who attended the inaugural Moms Football Academy at Augusta Christian Schools last Friday. A $20 ticket took care of all the activities throughout the night and proceeds benefited breast cancer awareness.

The women, most of whom were mothers of Lions football players, were treated to a meal, a talk from three high school football referees, a tour of the Lions' new fieldhouse and an on-field demonstration of practice and game-day drills.

"It was great. It gave us a snapshot of what our boys do," said Lauren Banks, whose son is Lions receiver William Banks. "I think the part on the field helped the most."

On the football field, the mothers were assigned to groups based on what positions their sons played.

That put 5'3" Teri Perry at center, where her son, Clayton Perry, plays for the Lions.

"I never understood all the plays and the numbers," she said. "I never knew they had to remember all that stuff with all that screaming going on. I was impressed."

Despite many questions and confused looks, the Augusta Christian coaching staff assembled the women into offensive and defensive formations long enough to run two plays from scrimmage.

The first play produced a strong defensive stop on a run to the right.

The second play surprised everyone with a completed pass.

"That was my wife who caught the two-yard screen," Augusta Christian head football coach Bruce Lane said. "That one must have been an audible because I don't think that's what we called in the huddle."

In the end, Lane said he and his staff accomplished the main goal of the clinic.

"What we're really trying to promote in our program is the family," Lane said. "America has so many dysfunctional families today that we wanted to do something where mom and son could have something in common."