CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Family is at the forefront of the values instilled in the Illinois football program. Few experiences showcase its importance than Bret Bielema's annual spring practice where mothers of Illini players are invited to take the field with their sons.

"[It's] fun for our kids, but the byproduct is, I think that moms are able to connect in a way that they've never been able to do with their sons," Coach Bielema says. "I think the world of that moment and what it creates."

More than 100 family members of different players on the Illini spring roster showed up to Gies Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning to take the field and go through various drills not unlike that of the typical Illinois football practice.

Partnered up with their sons, moms hit the pads, took handoffs, threw and caught passes, and attempted to kick footballs during the session.

"It's like an overwhelming sense of joy here," said Courtney Shaw, mother of Kingston Shaw, a freshman edge rusher. "It's something you can watch from the outside but it's something to truly experience on the inside."

Few families understand the Illini bond quite like the Trimble family from Mt. Zion. Brayden was a standout wide receiver who committed to Illinois and graduated high school early to be able to begin workouts with the team ahead of his freshmen season. Now a sophomore, he's very appreciative of the chances to still have his parents and friends so close.

"I loved it last year," Brayden said. "To do it again this year is just awesome."

Brayden's mother, Brittanie, said she couldn't wait for the opportunity to come back and participate. Though she admits she previously had limited knowledge of football, having the chance to spend more time with her son doing what he loves is something she can't pass up.

"I didn't catch the ball, so I got cut from the team according to Brayden," Brittanie joked. "But I'm gonna do better next year." Brayden playfully added that he and his mother may be doing some drills ahead of time for next year's session.

The Illini wideout is eager to make an impression in his second year wearing the uniform. Brayden admitted the transition from high school to Division 1 was a bit of a culture shock. He had hoped to find himself in a position to play as a freshman, but quickly realized the power and strength it takes to see the field in the Big Ten.

"The first guy I really got popped by was Grayson Griffin," he recalled. "I went to try and crack block him and he just hit me in the mouth and i was just like, 'Ugh, here we go'. Then I hit a wall and I had to learn how to get through it."

Brayden shared that at the end of last season he faced a series of injuries, including a sprained foot, that kept him inactive through much of the winter. Since then, however, he's attacked the spring workouts with a new-found appreciation for taking the field.

"He's kind of come back with a different attitude - more chippiness," said Bielema. "Getting after some of those DBs. He's playing scrappy. I think about the difference between him this spring versus last spring where he was coming in big-eyed, really didn't know what was coming at him. Now, he's kind of a guy who's shown a little bit of initiative out there."

As Spring camp winds down for the Illini, the team hopes they will be set up for success when they regroup in the Fall. Fun, family, and football, all go hand-in-hand when you play in Coach B's system.

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