LSU Athletics/Andrew Wevers
By Rivers Hughey
The Golden Cleats Combine is back for its fourth year, bringing a unique blend of community, wellness, fashion, and football to LSU’s Football Operations Building on June 10.
Paqui Kelly, who leads the event through the Kelly Cares Foundation, joined Jacob Hester and Matt Flynn on 104.5 ESPN’s Off the Bench this week to preview what’s become one of the most popular summer events on campus.
“This gives players an opportunity to just be regular college kids and to help these women have a lot of fun,” Kelly said. “Both sides love it, and it’s really fun to see.”
The event began as an educational opportunity after Kelly noticed many parents, particularly mothers, weren’t always familiar with the positions their children played.
“I’d ask them, ‘What position does your son play?’ And they’d say, ‘I don’t know, quarterback?’” Kelly said. “That’s how this whole thing originated. We thought we could do better than that.”
What began as simple football education has since evolved into a full-blown combine experience. Participants (women ages 21 and up) will take part in drills like tackling, agility, passing, and even kicking, all coached by LSU football players and coaches.
“It’s really a girls’ night out in a venue they normally wouldn’t get a chance to experience,” Kelly said. “You’re on the field, in the middle of the football ops building. It’s a backstage pass to LSU Football.”
More than 400 women participated last year, and Kelly expects another sold-out crowd.
The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m., with the early hours focused on wellness activities provided by local vendors, including B-12 shots, stretching and yoga. Participants are encouraged to arrive early to take advantage of these offerings before the football portion begins.
In addition to fun and education, Golden Cleats supports the Kelly Cares Foundation’s mission of promoting health, education, and community service.
“Anywhere we’ve lived, there are always people in need,” Kelly said. “This is a way we can help and bring people together.”
And in Louisiana, the football knowledge and passion run deep.
“The passion level here is really high, they know their football,” Kelly said. “There are some places we’ve lived where we had to pull it back a little bit, but not here.”
Online registration closes Sunday, June 8, at 8 p.m. Interested participants can sign up at kellycaresfoundation.org.
