HUDSONVILLE, Mich. -- Football was already in the air on Tuesday night at Hudsonville High School, but instead of the players, it was their mothers taking part.
"This was the second time we've done this," Hudsonville head coach Brent Sandee said, "'Gals on the Gridiron' is what we call it. It's just a way for us to reach out to the moms, the unsung heroes of these kids, give them an opportunity to see what their sons are doing and what we do on a daily basis. We had a lot of fun tonight."
The moms took part in several drills, including throwing, tackling, and even hitting.
"We got to experience our sons' positions," Melanie Kavaluskis said. "We got to learn what they do both on offense and defense and got to play a Powerpuff game with freshman and sophomores against juniors and seniors, got to know the coaches and have a lot of fun."
"This was super fun," Mendy Hoekstra added. "We got to learn the position our sons play then play it a little bit, so it was very good."
"It was amazing to have all of the moms come together to support our boys," said Cary Hayes, the mother of an Eagles junior. "We learned their positions and met the coaches and got a little taste of what our boys and coaches go through."
And the moms are walking away with a new appreciation for what their sons go through during the fall.
"I learned my sons position is not very easy," Kavaluskis laughed.
"I learned my son's position is tough," Hoekstra mentioned. "There's a lot you have to remember and learn. I don't think I could do it."
"It's just a great way to reach out to the community to give back a bit to the moms for investing so much to us, the program and their sons," Coach Sandee added.
