Cal's female fans bear their teeth

Tedford's second annual 'Football Huddle' will educate women on sport's nuances at Memorial Stadium
By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER
BERKELEY — It's not enough for some women to shout "Go Bears" and be Cal football fans. They want to know more about the game itself, and how coach Jeff Tedford transformed those onetime teddy bears into grizzlies.
And so the second annual Cal Women's Football Huddle is set for Aug. 5 at Memorial Stadium. Last year, 300 women signed up. Tedford wants to double that number this year.
Two women who can't wait to go back are Laurie Holland and Ellen Abbatecola.
"I thought it would be a kick," Holland said. "I knew a great deal about baseball, but I needed to learn more about football. I learned a lot about defense. You have the front guys, the middle guys, and the guys behind them who run around a lot. And I learned that the 50-yard line is a mark-off on the sideline, with the defense on one side and the offense on the other.
"The coaches make it fun. You get to kick a football, pass a football, learn how to hand it off. I can talk football a little better with my two sons. This year, I'm looking to understand the plays more."
Holland and Abbatecola attend Cal games, Abbatecola for 42 years.
"I never got to see Cal football like this before," she said. "Running out of the team tunnel like the team does on game days was such a thrill. The Cal band's music was pumped in, and coach Tedford led the charge to the field. That was an experience I will never forget.
"We got to see many parts of Memorial Stadium that I had never seen before — the weight room, the locker room, the training room, the coaches offices — it seemed like the coaches had as much fun as the participants."
Register by calling (800) GO-BEARS or go to http://www.calmarketplace.org. Early registration before July 29 is $25 for one person, $40 for two, $65 for three and $80 for four. After July 29, the cost is $35 per person.