STANFORD, Calif. – What started as a conversation has become a hit.
In 2013, Callie Seidman Dale did extensive research to explore better ways of helping Stanford football connect with women. As the assistant to David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, she had many ideas and a direct pipeline to the head coach, so she reached out.
"We sat down and talked about our goals and what we wanted to accomplish," said Dale, assistant director of football operations. "He was on board with everything."
In 2014, the first Stanford Women's Football Clinic was held. The one-day session attracted 100 participants and included chalk talks from the Cardinal coaching staff, on-field drills and instruction, and guest speakers. The event was something the program had wanted to do for many years, and when Dale joined the staff, she was able to take off and run with it.
Dale initially dreaded the idea of asking the coaching staff to add a Saturday to their schedules.
"Now it's one of the highlights of their year," she said. "They call me from the road with ideas and are very into it. It all goes back to Coach Shaw. He is so open to any new idea or concept."
Attendance increased to 150 in 2015, and all 200 spots sold out in 2016 and 2017. The modest cost of $125 also included four tickets to the Arizona State game on Sept. 30 (Sexual and Domestic Violence Awareness Day), backpack, officiating cheat sheets, lunch and a post-clinic reception.
During a recent Saturday, women flew in from Chicago, Oregon and San Diego for the well-organized one-day clinic. As was the case in 2016, attendees had the option of signing up for Football 101 or an advanced session.
Each year, Dale has refined the clinic and added a new feature. After watching a Cardinal highlight video in Stanford Stadium, the group moved to the field house, where it was welcomed by Shaw and his coaching staff.
That was followed by a panel discussion called "Women & Inclusion in Football," featuring Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State, former member of the College Football Selection Committee and current Stanford professor; Samantha Rapoport, Director of Football Development for the NFL; and Scott Pioli, assistant general manager of the Atlanta Falcons.
The audience listened intently as they shared stories and fielded questions for nearly an hour about how they got involved in football, and why it is important for women to be proactive, become mentors, and follow your dreams.
As a professor, Rice intentionally makes her students uncomfortable at times because she wants them to stretch themselves.
"Don't be a unicorn," she said.
Rice also helps with recruiting and is nicknamed "the closer" for her ability to convince student-athletes that Stanford is the right fit.
"I like recruiting," said Rice. "I find college athletes are much more disciplined. They work harder than any other student on campus."
Rapoport said it was first time she had spoken to a group at a university that focuses on women and football.
"I've done a few talks on diversity and the benefits of bringing diverse candidates into your operation," said Rapoport. "Having hundreds of women in the room was really special."
Currently, 45 women are employed in football operations positions among NFL teams, and many opportunities exist, including coaching, scouting, officiating, athletic training, equipment, video and administration.
"What we're trying to accomplish is normalizing women on the sidelines," she said. "We don't want it to be a story anymore when you hear about the first woman coach or scout. We're trying to inspire women to apply for positions, even at the entry level with internships, because a lot of them don't think they are qualified and they are."
Pioli pointed out that three current NFL head coaches never played football.
"Our league office is full of people who never played the game," he said. "You can learn things by being around it."
The majority of attendees simply wanted to expand their football knowledge. The group included 65 Stanford alums, 40 staff and faculty -- including Stanford provost Persis Drell -- parents of current Cardinal players, and all of the coach's wives. About 60 percent of attendees were season ticket holders.
"This is something that has always been intriguing to a lot of different women," said Shaw. "We just wanted to crack open the door and say, 'Hey come learn some things and make Saturday's a little more exciting.' You don't have to ask your husband or boyfriend or brother questions. Come ask us."
After the panel discussion, the contingent split up for offensive X's and O's and film study. The advanced group met in the Stanford Stadium locker room, while the Football 101 group got a private tour of the locker room at the Arrillaga Family Sports Center. Several assistant coaches provided insight about game week preparation.
Inside linebackers coach Peter Hansen showed a clip he called "Lawn Mower Monday" that praised his top performers from the previous game. Three players were pictured riding a power mower for creating a turnover.
"Take it away!" yelled Hansen, the mantra of Monday meetings. He encouraged the women to repeat the cry throughout the presentation, and they responded enthusiastically.
Duane Akina, one of the most respected defensive back coaches in the country, explained how he watches tape to spot a weakness or tendency in an upcoming opponent and tries to exploit it.
"Every offense will talk to you," he said. "I try to give our guys a nugget."
Next was an on-field tutorial with Shaw, and a talk by Matt Doyle, senior associate athletic director for football operations, on how Stanford incorporates technology with its program. That was followed by lunch with a discussion about how Stanford recruits.
Dale added a new wrinkle with a player panel featuring junior running back Bryce Love, senior quarterback Keller Chyrst and former All-America defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Anchor and studio host Ashley Adamson of Pac-12 Networks served as moderator.
Shaw wrapped up the clinic with closing remarks.
"What I love as much as anything is the appreciation the women feel toward us for taking the time to teach them something," he said. "For many of them, for most of their lives, this is a door that has been closed."
Stanford isn't the only university or college to offer football clinics for women, but might provide the most educational and interactive program in the country.
"Most of the other women's clinics focus heavily on doing on-field drills," said Dale. "When I started it, I thought about our demographics -- Stanford graduates, intellectuals, and people wanting to learn -- and I thought X's and O's would be more appealing. It has been a huge hit. We want to teach and empower our fans."
All agreed it was the best clinic to date. A big reason was the inclusiveness and transparency provided by Shaw and his staff.
"From the very beginning, we didn't want this to be a watered down version of football," Shaw said. "We wanted this to be for women who wanted to learn the real deal. When you combine the passion of the coaches -- they love to teach football -- being almost exceeded by the people who come, you get an environment that is very conducive to learning and further enjoyment of football. It's been more fun every year."
