New Airport High School head football coach Shane Fidler is bringing one of his favorite traditions to West Columbia next week. It’s something he’s done at every coaching stop of his career, most recently at Ashley Ridge.

On Tuesday, July 18, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Airport football team will be hosting a “Moms’ Clinic.” It’s an event for mothers of players to come by and see the facilities and experience what their sons get to participate in during their time in the program.

“It usually starts out real reluctant,” Fidler said. “The first year, a lot of parents were reluctant to do it because they don’t know what it is and then by the second year, every mom does it.”

Fidler also presents this event as a way for all the football moms to get a chance to meet each other as well as interact with the coaches that their children will play for in the upcoming year.

The event will start inside as the moms get a tour of the facilities like the locker room and weight room as well as get to see the safety precautions that the coaching staff takes for their players regarding equipment like guardian caps that are placed on their helmets during practice.

The event ends outside for a short 15-20-minute game of two-hand touch football on the same field their sons will play on in the fall. And like the staff does with the players during the season, the game will be filmed and put on Hudl, the video scouting service used by most high school sports teams.
“It’s just fun, and we want to share what our program’s about and let them experience some of the things that their kids experience every day when they’re at practice,” Fidler said.

Airport will also be holding a free youth football camp on Friday, July 14, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. As of now, there are more than 200 kids signed up to participate.