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"Here is a photo of Jason and me. As is obvious by the photo, I am the lobster and he is the one with the great smile and biceps like tree trunks. Not that you could confuse us anyway!"
- Johna Klym
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Woman of Steel!
An entertaining first-hand account of Women's training camp in Latrobe
Article by guest writer Johna Klym
("Hootie" from the message board)
There's nothing like August in Latrobe. The temperatures hover around the 90s. The humidity is just as high. And the air is as still as a hunter in the woods of western Pennsylvania on the opening day of deer season.
It's also the season for Pittsburgh Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent's College.
On Sunday, August 11th, a typical warm and breezeless summer day, the Steelers held their second annual Women's Training Camp at the college. But the scorching sun that turned any unexposed skin a bright lobster red in mere moments did nothing to deter the training camp participants on our mission of learning more about football from former and current members of what is arguably the greatest team in the National Football League.
The day started with registration, where the 220 participating women checked in and picked up our assigned wristbands that determined which group we were in. In one potentially scary moment, we were all required to sign a waiver that would not hold the team responsible for any injuries we may sustain. In other words, they made sure we knew what we were getting into when we signed up.
After registration, all the women mingled in an area of the practice field that had bleachers as we waited for the activities to begin. Wandering around the area were some of the former team members who were to be our coaches. They were talking to each other and to the participants who approached them.
Click on image to enlarge.
  
  
  
  
  
Above Photos courtesy of Steelers.com
A special thanks to guest writer Johna Klym (aka, Hootie from the message board & pictured at right with Jason Gildon) for sending us this GREAT article!
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Then a member of the Steelers marketing department, Mike, who helped to coordinate the event stood to explain how the day would go. But before he could speak to the assembled participants, he was greeted with a rousing rendition of the great Steelers cheer you can hear during every game: "Here we go Steelers, here we go!"
After he was able to calm down the enthused throng, he explained that our wristband colors were indications of where we would be on the quadrants of the field and what training we would start out with. Then he introduced the coaches for the day: Dwayne Woodruff, Robin Cole, Craig Wolfley, Edmund Nelson, Louie Lipps, and Mike Tomczak, plus two current team members who were joining us after their team meeting. They turned out to be punter Josh Miller and long snapper Mike Schneck. Each player was greeted appreciatively by the crowd as the women all cheered, hooted, and hollered as each player was introduced.
Special participants were also introduced to us, such as Val, a disc jockey from popular Pittsburgh radio station WDVE, and another woman who was a journalist, there to write about her experiences for an upcoming issue of Glamour magazine.
Then we went out onto the field to get warmed up with calisthenics. That in itself scared me since I have not participated in any form of regimented exercise since I graduated high school in 1988. But they turned out to be not too bad. Tomczak lead us in specially counted, NFL-style jumping jacks (and made sure we all counted them correctly), then lead us through some arm stretches.
Then we were taken through some stretching exercises for our legs. I don't remember which player lead them because all I remember at this point was being on the ground, stretching out our hamstrings by being on our knees and bending our bodies backward, with the very solid Dwayne Woodruff looking down at me saying, "This girl is good, getting' all the way to the ground like that", while I was praying to myself, hoping I would be able to stand upright again.
After all the stretching, it was time to take our places on the field.
I started at the station with Dwayne Woodruff and Robin Coles, where half of our large group went with Dwayne and the other half went with Robin. This is also the station where I got what I consider to be my greatest compliment. In a drill where Dwayne was teaching us about cornerbacking, I was a receiver who came back and caught two underthrown passes. He told me I have "hands like glue." I think that's a pretty cool thing when a great player like Dwayne Woodruff tells you that!
Then our group moved on to the kicking and punting station. There, current Steelers players Josh Miller and Mike Schneck taught us about kicking and long snapping. Both guys were very nice. I even told Josh that I thought he should have made at least one Pro Bowl and he was very sweet and kind of taken aback by what I said when he accepted the compliment.
Then it was on to offensive and defensive lines. Those were taught by Craig Wolfley (offense) and Edmund Nelson (defense). I was with the defense where we learned the most important thing a defender can know: when the ball moves, you move. First we practiced with punching bag style tackling dummies and then the offense came over and we did 11-on-11 drills. It wasn't full contact. It was also at this station that I had my picture taken for the Latrobe Bulletin. What can I say… I was a star.
Our group's last station was passing and receiving with Mike Tomzcak and Louie Lipps. Because my throwing ability ranks right up there with Ryan Leaf, I chose to concentrate on receiving. The receivers were given three patterns that the quarterback could call. The quarterbacks made the calls and we ran the pattern, the idea being to catch the ball in motion, just like all those great athletes on Sundays. Of course, it didn't always work out that way. I think the majority of the receivers dropped the ball. Fortunately, I wasn't one of them.
That ended our physical training for the day.
Next we trudged up the hillside and went to a classroom where we were served snacks (Steelers tortilla chips and pretzels) and drinks. As we entered the room, we were given our Steelers Training Camp baseball caps. Plus, we were treated to a showing of the 2001 highlight film and the former players who were our coaches for the day signed autographs for everyone. They were really great. They posed for pictures, signed t-shirts and photos, and were very friendly to everyone.
After that, we headed back down to field level for an up close look at the afternoon practice. It's one thing to sit on the hill at St. Vincent's or be behind the plastic fence barricade, but we were right down there with the players. Of course, there were still boundaries that we couldn't cross, but it was great to be on the field with them.
We watched practice for a while and then we had our barbeque in the VIP tent down on the field. They had a pretty nice spread set out for us. And after toiling away on the field in the hot sun, we deserved it.
The best part, though, was when the organizers announced that two players would be joining us to sign autographs. They were kind of strict - only one autograph per person, per player. Everyone gave up on eating and started lining up at the table where the players would be sitting.
As the practice field started to clear, one of the marketing staff started walking toward our tent with two players in tow. Everyone started cheering as the players approached and then began to chant "Here we go, Steelers, here we go…" To which approaching linebacker Jason Gildon added the requisite hand claps. Jason and newly acquired Steeler Terance Mathis obligingly sat and signed autographs until everyone who attended camp had theirs. And even though we were told the players couldn't stop and pose for pictures but we could take photos as they kept signing, both players were extremely generous with their time and did pause for a moment or two while women snapped a few pictures.
I was especially lucky - Jason Gildon let me have my picture taken with him as I gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck this season. Those of you who know me and have seen it do not need to be told that this amazing Kodak moment will become a prominent addition to the shrine this season, as will the t-shirt I wore which was signed by Gildon, Mathis, Nelson, Woodruff, Wolfley, Coles, and Lipps.
After the players left (to shower and attend classes we were told), we were given our Steelers Training Camp Veteran t-shirts and our day came to an end.
In all, it was a lot less physical than I thought it would be. Which was a very good thing for me since I am so out of shape and a large part of the attendees were members of the new women's professional football team, the Pittsburgh Passion. There was only one casualty I was aware of and it wasn't because of the sauna-like weather. The staff was very conscious of making sure everyone was properly hydrated by having water carts all over the field. However, one participant stoved her finger on a ball she was attempting to receive.
I also feel that I learned quite a bit about the mechanics behind the game. Even though it was always fun, playing two-hand tab on the streets in front of my house or in the yards between two of my neighbor's houses isn't quite an "organized" sport. Plus came away with an even better appreciation of what it is the guys do out there on the gridiron every Sunday.
More than anything, it was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.
I hope I am able to attend again next year. And I hope that other teams around the NFL open their practice fields to the legions of female fans who would love the chance to learn a lot more about the game from the best teachers there are: professional athletes from their favorite team.
Written by Johna Klym
Mac & Wife is Hosted and Sponsored by Pittsburgh's Finest!
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Fan Smak & Analysis
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The following articles are listed in the order they were received (with the most recent entries at the BOTTOM). This isn't a "guestbook" format... I read and manually insert every message, so you may not see your submission show up immediately. Thanks a million for your comments, people!
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Author: Tony Dig
Comment: Re: Woman of Steel
Hey Hootie,
Very nice article on your Steeler instructional camp. Well done comprehensive describing your day and the Steelers that instructed you and the rest of the women of Steel!! Sounds like the former and current Steelers were super teachers and ambassadors of the sport.
I had occasion to meet and speak with Robin Cole one time and he was a SUPER NICE guy to talk to. No surprise here that the Steelers hosted such a classy well done camp for the ladies.
Very cool Hootie, thanks for the article.
Nice pic btw, Hootie is definitely a Cutie!!!
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Author: McSteelerfan
Comment: Re: Woman of Steel
I'm impressed . Brains and beauty. That's quite a combination.
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Author: tommy g
Comment: your right and the girl aint that bad looking
your right and the girl aint that bad looking either :-)! jk i don't want lou to crap his pants waiting to get a cheap shot in.seriously she is fine,and if she thinks she looks like a lobster there,that is my favorite food ,i love to eat
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Author: McSteelerfan
Comment: Re: your right and the girl aint that bad looking
Easy , there , Big Fella...
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Author: tommy g
Comment: you know i am just playing mcsteelerfan
just wanted to have a good laugh :-) oh i think i know what you meant,sorry that came out wrong .i think or did i say something wrong?
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Author: McSteelerfan
Comment: Re: you know i am just playing mcsteelerfan
I knew that... :-)
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Author: Masta P 16
Comment: Re: Woman of Steel
hell of an article...
i wish i had those kinda connections
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Author: Bill from Hanover
Comment: Awesome Article
Hey Hootie,
Very nice article that captures the camp ..... Maybe you can replace Washington this season ?
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Author: The Ghost
Comment: Hooters?
What the heck is a "hootie" or is that "hooter". ( Rmember I died in 1967!)
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Author: Your name here
Comment: Coming soon
Send us your comments!
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