How I spent my summer vacation

At least one day of it: Playing football. (You gators just stop listening, right now!)

If you know Ann Arbor, you know that football is serious business and that Maize and Blue are not just colors. So what better way to spend the day than at the Women's Football Academy? It's a charity fund raiser for the UM cancer center and has been running for nine years.

We spent the morning at the practice field rotating among 10 groups of coaches and players, learning basic skills and going through the same drills as the players do when they are training. Of course, we got to stop after a couple of run throughs, and we skipped the part where you put on pads and try to knock each other out off the field and back to Ohio.

After lunch, we went over to the Big House and ran some plays in scrimmage. Even starting from the 20 yard line, we found touchdowns challenging but just getting out and playing was a ton of fun.

So, I had a great time, learned more about football, and helped a good cause. The event raised more than $180,000 for the cancer center patient and families fund and I have a shirt and hat autographed by every player I could get to sign it, plus Coach Carr. I now have the perfect outfit for all those upcoming football Saturdays.