I'm going for the sweep. 7-0!
1. Marist over Corvallis. I think there's too much speed on Marist's team, thus preventing Corvallis from scoring enough to take advantage of Marist getting their new Qb in the groove.
2. Eagle Point upset over Mountain View. Eagle Point has been getting closer each year. Game is at Eagle Point. Going to be a great game, as will the Marist game.
3. Churchill over Benson. Duh.
4. Ashland over Klamath Falls. Coach Hall isn't going to try the Pistol formation this year, so the Grizzlies should get off to a good start.
5. Willamette over South Albany. This would be a bit of an upset. But Willamette seems to have a new attitude this year.
6. Marshfield over North Bend in Coos Bay. If the Pirates lose, there may not be anyone to run this website.
7. Springfield over Silverton. Springfield's line needs to come out and destroy Silverton from the get go. If they don't, then the Silver Foxes are likely to take this one.
MWL fan polls are saying Eagle Point, Willamette and Springfield will lose. All three are evenly matched in their first game. All three have new quarterbacks. Each one could go either way. Certainly, a strong showing by any of these three teams is going to show that their hard work over the summer paid off.
You can still vote in the fan polls.
Marist, Eagle Point and Churchill polls (left side)
Willamette, Marshfield, Ashland and Springfield polls
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Springfield Hopes on the line.
I almost called some of my central Oregon buddies to tell them to bring in the cattle trucks to rustle a few of the blue ribbon heads of beef on the Springfield practice field and skedaddle back to the Redmond cattle auction. Where did coach Raish get all these guys? The Millers are loaded with a lot of experience on the line and, boy, are they big. If they can move those little hooves quick enough, they just might give their backs enough time to develop into a high scoring machine.
Here’s what I gleaned from my talk with coach Raish.
GH is Gary Haliski
SR is coach Skip Raish
GH: What’s your approximate turnout?
SR: We have 124 total, that includes 44 frosh. We’re carrying 43 on our JV’s.
GH: Who do you have as returning starters or returning with significant playing time?
SR: All leaguer offensive guard Clanton Self (6’ 1”, 295), all leaguer center Isias Giron , all league kicker Ashton Summer. Summer is a junior, he plays soccer. He led the league in field goals last year and made 100% of his PAT’s. John Emerald (6’ 1”, 175) returns as an all league defensive back.
GH: On the field you mentioned you were experienced on the line, and the boys looked pretty big to me. Who is filling in the other O line spots.?
SR: Chase Towlerton (6-2, 295) will be the other guard and has college potential. Junior Bryan Stanwood (6’ 2”, 230) will be at tackle. Jordan Haas (6’ 5”, 240) , a soph, has a slight edge at the other tackle spot. He’s fighting it out with another soph, Hunter Hastings (6’ 4”, 235).
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback? All of the coaches are concerned. Have you settled on anyone yet?
SR: We haven’t settled on our starting quarterback for league. It’s a competition between Britton Auxier (6’ 2”, 220) and junior Ty Manilla (6’2 230). Manilla will play a little defensive end. Each of them is going to get two quarters in the Silverton game this Friday.
GH: That looks like a fun offense?
SR: Yes, it’s an awful lot of fun.
GH: I couldn’t keep track of all of the formations. And who were those guys in the backfield?
SR: We’re running the spread. You saw us go with an empty backfield, one back, two backs and even three backs.
GH: Who was the bowling ball back?
SR: That’s called a fullback. That’s Elijah Gelman-Price. He’s 6’ 1”, 280 pounds. He’ll also be playing defensive tackle.
GH: Did I see Price under center?
SR: You did, but we were running the scout team and our quarterbacks were doing another drill. But he could play quarterback if he had to. Another running back will be Dylan Piquette. Also, Jevon Garcia (5’ 10”. 180, a junior.
GH: Is Dylan related to Thurston’s coach Piquette?
SR: Coach Doug Piquette is Dylan’s uncle.
GH: Who are your receivers this year?
SR: We have several seniors, Austin Banks (6’ 1”, 170) and Alistar Jorkan (5’ 8”, 160), as well as Emerald.
GH: Offensively, you lost a lot, including Green, Spikes and Davidson. Fortunately, you have a lot back on the line. How do you feel that will come together?
SR: This is probably the best offensive line I have had in 25 years. They’re strong and smart. And there are a lot of them.
GH: The Millers were a high scoring team last year, but the defense had trouble. Any changes to address that area of opportunity?
SR: We have better athletes up front this year. We have four real fine athletes in Stanwood, Codie Jantze (6’2, 310), Price and Manilla. In the secondary we have Blake Taylor, a transfer from Willamette, at rover. Daysean Price-Clark well be in the secondary.
GH: Is Daysean (5’ 10”, 180) related to Elijah (6’ 1”, 280)? They’re not quite built the same.
SR: They’re cousins. Garcia and Jorkan will be at corners. Looks like Jake King and Ben Ogletree will be at linebacker.
GH: Any outstanding leaders or characteristics of the team that stand out?
SR: I think this is a very good football team. They have all phases of the game covered; we don’t fall off in any phase. I think this group has finally got the football team to turn the corner. This summer we had sixty to eighty kids in the weight room on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then conditioning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What I really love is the positive attitude. You have to have that. You can have all of the talent in the world, but you have to have a positive attitude. That’s the fun part of coaching these kids. I’m really pleased with this group of athletes. They are always on time. There’s no quarreling, no little hastles. They have a shot at doing some good things. We’ve told them they have to take ownership. We can’t be on the field showing them what to do during a game. They’ve got to do it for themselves.
GH: Anything else?
SR: I think the Midwestern League has always been a fine league. There’s a lot of parity. On any Friday night, anyone can win. The addition of Eagle Point and Ashland has made us a little stronger. The Pac 10 added two and so did we. It made us better. You just can’t overlook anyone. If I had to pick a team to win the league, it would be Marist. It’s Marist until somebody beats them.
That's the end of my discussion with coach Raish.
As I was driving home I was thinking that with all of the unknowns at quarterback throughout the league, it took me six teams to find one who hadn't settled on their starting QB. And it will be the experienced Springfield line that will be buying time for the new Miller QB and running backs to learn their game. I had the sense that the Springfield linemen knew what's on the line for the team, and that all eyes will be on the Springfield linemen. Now that's unusual, putting the pressure on linemen and not the 'skills' guys.. Coach Raish put the line through some 100 yard down and backs. That's not a drill a 300 pound kid wants to be doing. But there they were, lumbering along, like the big beef that they are. And finishing their drills, just like they're going to have to do every Friday if Springfield is going to win. Springfield hopes really are all on the Line.
I'll be tweeting from the Marist - Corvallis game. You can follow the tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/mwlnow
Here’s what I gleaned from my talk with coach Raish.
GH is Gary Haliski
SR is coach Skip Raish
GH: What’s your approximate turnout?
SR: We have 124 total, that includes 44 frosh. We’re carrying 43 on our JV’s.
GH: Who do you have as returning starters or returning with significant playing time?
SR: All leaguer offensive guard Clanton Self (6’ 1”, 295), all leaguer center Isias Giron , all league kicker Ashton Summer. Summer is a junior, he plays soccer. He led the league in field goals last year and made 100% of his PAT’s. John Emerald (6’ 1”, 175) returns as an all league defensive back.
GH: On the field you mentioned you were experienced on the line, and the boys looked pretty big to me. Who is filling in the other O line spots.?
SR: Chase Towlerton (6-2, 295) will be the other guard and has college potential. Junior Bryan Stanwood (6’ 2”, 230) will be at tackle. Jordan Haas (6’ 5”, 240) , a soph, has a slight edge at the other tackle spot. He’s fighting it out with another soph, Hunter Hastings (6’ 4”, 235).
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback? All of the coaches are concerned. Have you settled on anyone yet?
SR: We haven’t settled on our starting quarterback for league. It’s a competition between Britton Auxier (6’ 2”, 220) and junior Ty Manilla (6’2 230). Manilla will play a little defensive end. Each of them is going to get two quarters in the Silverton game this Friday.
GH: That looks like a fun offense?
SR: Yes, it’s an awful lot of fun.
GH: I couldn’t keep track of all of the formations. And who were those guys in the backfield?
SR: We’re running the spread. You saw us go with an empty backfield, one back, two backs and even three backs.
GH: Who was the bowling ball back?
SR: That’s called a fullback. That’s Elijah Gelman-Price. He’s 6’ 1”, 280 pounds. He’ll also be playing defensive tackle.
GH: Did I see Price under center?
SR: You did, but we were running the scout team and our quarterbacks were doing another drill. But he could play quarterback if he had to. Another running back will be Dylan Piquette. Also, Jevon Garcia (5’ 10”. 180, a junior.
GH: Is Dylan related to Thurston’s coach Piquette?
SR: Coach Doug Piquette is Dylan’s uncle.
GH: Who are your receivers this year?
SR: We have several seniors, Austin Banks (6’ 1”, 170) and Alistar Jorkan (5’ 8”, 160), as well as Emerald.
GH: Offensively, you lost a lot, including Green, Spikes and Davidson. Fortunately, you have a lot back on the line. How do you feel that will come together?
SR: This is probably the best offensive line I have had in 25 years. They’re strong and smart. And there are a lot of them.
GH: The Millers were a high scoring team last year, but the defense had trouble. Any changes to address that area of opportunity?
SR: We have better athletes up front this year. We have four real fine athletes in Stanwood, Codie Jantze (6’2, 310), Price and Manilla. In the secondary we have Blake Taylor, a transfer from Willamette, at rover. Daysean Price-Clark well be in the secondary.
GH: Is Daysean (5’ 10”, 180) related to Elijah (6’ 1”, 280)? They’re not quite built the same.
SR: They’re cousins. Garcia and Jorkan will be at corners. Looks like Jake King and Ben Ogletree will be at linebacker.
GH: Any outstanding leaders or characteristics of the team that stand out?
SR: I think this is a very good football team. They have all phases of the game covered; we don’t fall off in any phase. I think this group has finally got the football team to turn the corner. This summer we had sixty to eighty kids in the weight room on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then conditioning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What I really love is the positive attitude. You have to have that. You can have all of the talent in the world, but you have to have a positive attitude. That’s the fun part of coaching these kids. I’m really pleased with this group of athletes. They are always on time. There’s no quarreling, no little hastles. They have a shot at doing some good things. We’ve told them they have to take ownership. We can’t be on the field showing them what to do during a game. They’ve got to do it for themselves.
GH: Anything else?
SR: I think the Midwestern League has always been a fine league. There’s a lot of parity. On any Friday night, anyone can win. The addition of Eagle Point and Ashland has made us a little stronger. The Pac 10 added two and so did we. It made us better. You just can’t overlook anyone. If I had to pick a team to win the league, it would be Marist. It’s Marist until somebody beats them.
That's the end of my discussion with coach Raish.
As I was driving home I was thinking that with all of the unknowns at quarterback throughout the league, it took me six teams to find one who hadn't settled on their starting QB. And it will be the experienced Springfield line that will be buying time for the new Miller QB and running backs to learn their game. I had the sense that the Springfield linemen knew what's on the line for the team, and that all eyes will be on the Springfield linemen. Now that's unusual, putting the pressure on linemen and not the 'skills' guys.. Coach Raish put the line through some 100 yard down and backs. That's not a drill a 300 pound kid wants to be doing. But there they were, lumbering along, like the big beef that they are. And finishing their drills, just like they're going to have to do every Friday if Springfield is going to win. Springfield hopes really are all on the Line.
I'll be tweeting from the Marist - Corvallis game. You can follow the tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/mwlnow
Monday, August 29, 2011
Pop Quiz at Willamette
Pop Quiz with the Wolverines. I started the quiz with Zach Hatefi, but his X-men teammates soon took over.
GH is Gary Haliski
ZH is Zach Hatefi
X-Men are Hatefi's teammates
Zach Hatefi, back row-far right, and his interrupting pest X-men friends.
GH: What have you worked on over the summer to make yourself a better player?
ZH: Tempo, getting the play calls faster.
GH: Who on the team has impressed you most over the summer?
ZH: Austin Black. This is his first year on varsity. He's working hard as a receiver.
GH: Who do you want to beat the most?
ZH Springfield. Blake Taylor transferred from here to Springfield.
[X-men are screaming Marist]
GH: What's your pregame meal?
ZH: Pasta.
X-men: Whatever they serve in the cafeteria.
GH: What music do you have an your Ipod?
ZH: I don't have one.
GH: MP3 player.
ZH: Nope, but I listen to Credence Clearwater.
GH: Anthing else?
ZH: Nope, just Credence:
X-men in total bewilderment: Nothing else?
ZH: Nothing.
GH: Who are your favorite college and/or pro teams?
ZH: Vanderbuilt.
GH AND X-men: VANDERBUILT?
ZH: Yeah, Vanderbuilt
GH: Pro team?
ZH: Seattle
X-men: That's better.
GH: Who is the toughest, meanest football coach at Willamette?
ZH: Chad Carpenter, I think he graduated from Willamette in 2002.
GH: Does he let you date?
ZH: Yeah.
GH: What do you consider a proper first date?
ZH: That's too personal.
X-men to a man: They pay.
GH: Where would you take a date for a formal dinner?
X-men: Taco Bell
GH: Oh, come on.
X-men: Oregon Electric Station.
GH: What meal would you order?
X-men: Filet Mignon.
GH: What's your favorite restaurant to go to when you're not on a date?
X-men: Roaring Rapids.
GH: What is the best thing to do for fun in Eugene in the summer?
X-men: Go to Fern Ridge Lake with the defensive linemen and the ladies.
GH: I think we better be done.
X-men: Don't you want to know about the X-factor?
GH: Nope, we're done.
GH is Gary Haliski
ZH is Zach Hatefi
X-Men are Hatefi's teammates
GH: What have you worked on over the summer to make yourself a better player?
ZH: Tempo, getting the play calls faster.
GH: Who on the team has impressed you most over the summer?
ZH: Austin Black. This is his first year on varsity. He's working hard as a receiver.
GH: Who do you want to beat the most?
ZH Springfield. Blake Taylor transferred from here to Springfield.
[X-men are screaming Marist]
GH: What's your pregame meal?
ZH: Pasta.
X-men: Whatever they serve in the cafeteria.
GH: What music do you have an your Ipod?
ZH: I don't have one.
GH: MP3 player.
ZH: Nope, but I listen to Credence Clearwater.
GH: Anthing else?
ZH: Nope, just Credence:
X-men in total bewilderment: Nothing else?
ZH: Nothing.
GH: Who are your favorite college and/or pro teams?
ZH: Vanderbuilt.
GH AND X-men: VANDERBUILT?
ZH: Yeah, Vanderbuilt
GH: Pro team?
ZH: Seattle
X-men: That's better.
GH: Who is the toughest, meanest football coach at Willamette?
ZH: Chad Carpenter, I think he graduated from Willamette in 2002.
GH: Does he let you date?
ZH: Yeah.
GH: What do you consider a proper first date?
ZH: That's too personal.
X-men to a man: They pay.
GH: Where would you take a date for a formal dinner?
X-men: Taco Bell
GH: Oh, come on.
X-men: Oregon Electric Station.
GH: What meal would you order?
X-men: Filet Mignon.
GH: What's your favorite restaurant to go to when you're not on a date?
X-men: Roaring Rapids.
GH: What is the best thing to do for fun in Eugene in the summer?
X-men: Go to Fern Ridge Lake with the defensive linemen and the ladies.
GH: I think we better be done.
X-men: Don't you want to know about the X-factor?
GH: Nope, we're done.
Will Big Line and New O Translate to Wolverines Wins?
I wasn’t sure what to expect as I walked towards the Willamette weight room. Last season got off to a horrible start when two way first team all leaguer Danny Granillo, a real beast, tore his ACL early in the first league game. What followed was a disappointing Wolverine season record and then their quarterback transferred to Marist. So when I walked through the door, I was surprised when I immediately felt positive excitement in the air. I was also surprised that Willamette had picked up North Eugene’s head coach as offensive coordinator and a Marist assistant coach. On top of that, Jordan Holmes, a two year starter at center for Oregon ran the Willamette weight program over the summer and talked to the players a lot about what it takes to win. I immediately knew something positive was brewing at Willamette.
Here are some questions I threw at Head Coach Dan Fritz and the offensive coordinator, Eric Johannsen.
How many players have turned out?
About 48 in the sophomore through senior level, but we have 36 freshmen.
Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
Junior Tyler Johnson returns and was a two way all league tackle and linebacker. He was voted team season captain.
What’s a team season captain and isn’t it unusual for a junior to be selected?
We have a captain for the team and we have captains for each position, and yes, it’s unusual for a junior to be selected. Zach Hatefi and Mitch Crownover return as wide receivers. Austin Black will join them and brings some speed to our receiving group. Another junior, Jordan Edres, will also get time at receiver. Sophomore Cam Ferguson, is very elusive and will be returning kicks. Jordan Visarraga will be our tailback with Dante Giles getting playing time.
Everyone in the league lost their quarterback. All of the coaches are concerned about that position. Have you decided on your QB?
Dustin Leber is our quarterback. He was back up quarterback last year and got some playing time in during our playoff game against South Albany. He came in for a series when our starter got hurt.
Willamette got off to a nice start last year offensively, scoring 34 points in the first two games. Then the production fell off until the playoff game. Any changes in store in the scheme or areas of emphasis to address the issue?
Ball security killed us last year. We couldn’t get into any tempo on offense. We’re putting in a new offense, similar to what coach Johannsen ran at North Eugene last year. A spread offense with the inside zone and zone read option. Leber is a good fit at quarterback for this offense. It’s a lot like what the Ducks use. So far, the kids have been really good with the installation of the new offense.
Also, we have good size on the line. Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Drew Clements and Mitch Wilkens at left guard. Lance Henderson is center. Trent Waggoner [baseball player] at right guard and Sam Duncan at right tackle. Bryce York is at tight end and can run out of a fullback position.
Defense has to be a concern this year. You lost Grannillo right off the bat last year, and it seemed like the defense never came together. Plus, the D was on the field a lot because of the turnovers on offense.
Yes, it was a little bit of both. We have a new defensive back coach. Nick McCarthy moved over from Marist to work with our DB’s. I’m [head coach Fritz] stepping back in as defensive coordinator.
Any players close to D-1 or small college ball?
Bryce York, Mitch Crownover and Jordan Visarraga have shots. They’re probably a little undersized or not quite big enough for D-1, but could do well at a smaller college. Watch junior Tyler Johnson. He’s not far away from Granillo (Granillo was a 2 way 1st team all league as a junior) Tyler’s an animal in the weight room. Time will tell.
It seems like Willamette has developed more than your fair share of great receivers, like Michael Calef, Taylor Woodke and Cam Koehler and you’ve got a couple of potentially really good ones this year. Have you just been fortunate that these kids have shown up or does Willamette work a lot at developing wide receivers?
Our wide open offensive tradition goes back many years, long before even Calef. We adjust to our personnel, and the new offensive scheme this year is better suited for Leber, our qb. Also, we do work the receivers a lot after weight workouts.
That was the end of the formal interview. The energy and spirit in the weight room and on the field was really good. The big linemen that coach Fritz talked about were definitely big and looked like they had been hitting the weights. The Willamette visit was a good way to end the week. The Wolverines certainly have the potential to do well in league. Like every other team, they better get their new qb up to speed fast and that will depend an awful lot on the O line. With all the up beat attitudes and the usual football camaraderie on a beautiful day I couldn’t help but think that for a lot of players, they were near the end of their football careers. Coach Fritz hit it on the head when he said, “We’re trying to build good memories. For 45 of these 48 players, they are probably in their last years of football. We want these years to be a good experience.”
I’m going to hit Springfield’s practice Wednesday and that is probably it for practice visits for the year unless I get another invite. Friday, I’ll be off to Corvallis for the Marist game. League games start the next week when I'll be watching my alma matre, Marshfeild, plat at North Eugene.
You might want to sign up for the MWL tweets. I don't tweet a lot, so you won't get bugged too much. I usually post when new blogs go up; and on game nights, I tweet the scores of the game I attend and scores from other games if they are texted to me. Sign up for MWL tweets here Or maybe you're a Facebooker. There is a MWL Facebook page where you can get updates. MWL Facebook page
If you want to text me scores on game nights, my text number is 541-337-1311. If you plan to text, it would be great if you would send me a text sometime during the week. Then I can add you to my contact list, so I know the score is legit.
Here are some questions I threw at Head Coach Dan Fritz and the offensive coordinator, Eric Johannsen.
How many players have turned out?
About 48 in the sophomore through senior level, but we have 36 freshmen.
Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
Junior Tyler Johnson returns and was a two way all league tackle and linebacker. He was voted team season captain.
What’s a team season captain and isn’t it unusual for a junior to be selected?
We have a captain for the team and we have captains for each position, and yes, it’s unusual for a junior to be selected. Zach Hatefi and Mitch Crownover return as wide receivers. Austin Black will join them and brings some speed to our receiving group. Another junior, Jordan Edres, will also get time at receiver. Sophomore Cam Ferguson, is very elusive and will be returning kicks. Jordan Visarraga will be our tailback with Dante Giles getting playing time.
Everyone in the league lost their quarterback. All of the coaches are concerned about that position. Have you decided on your QB?
Dustin Leber is our quarterback. He was back up quarterback last year and got some playing time in during our playoff game against South Albany. He came in for a series when our starter got hurt.
Ball security killed us last year. We couldn’t get into any tempo on offense. We’re putting in a new offense, similar to what coach Johannsen ran at North Eugene last year. A spread offense with the inside zone and zone read option. Leber is a good fit at quarterback for this offense. It’s a lot like what the Ducks use. So far, the kids have been really good with the installation of the new offense.
Also, we have good size on the line. Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Drew Clements and Mitch Wilkens at left guard. Lance Henderson is center. Trent Waggoner [baseball player] at right guard and Sam Duncan at right tackle. Bryce York is at tight end and can run out of a fullback position.
Defense has to be a concern this year. You lost Grannillo right off the bat last year, and it seemed like the defense never came together. Plus, the D was on the field a lot because of the turnovers on offense.
Yes, it was a little bit of both. We have a new defensive back coach. Nick McCarthy moved over from Marist to work with our DB’s. I’m [head coach Fritz] stepping back in as defensive coordinator.
Any players close to D-1 or small college ball?
Bryce York, Mitch Crownover and Jordan Visarraga have shots. They’re probably a little undersized or not quite big enough for D-1, but could do well at a smaller college. Watch junior Tyler Johnson. He’s not far away from Granillo (Granillo was a 2 way 1st team all league as a junior) Tyler’s an animal in the weight room. Time will tell.
It seems like Willamette has developed more than your fair share of great receivers, like Michael Calef, Taylor Woodke and Cam Koehler and you’ve got a couple of potentially really good ones this year. Have you just been fortunate that these kids have shown up or does Willamette work a lot at developing wide receivers?
Our wide open offensive tradition goes back many years, long before even Calef. We adjust to our personnel, and the new offensive scheme this year is better suited for Leber, our qb. Also, we do work the receivers a lot after weight workouts.
That was the end of the formal interview. The energy and spirit in the weight room and on the field was really good. The big linemen that coach Fritz talked about were definitely big and looked like they had been hitting the weights. The Willamette visit was a good way to end the week. The Wolverines certainly have the potential to do well in league. Like every other team, they better get their new qb up to speed fast and that will depend an awful lot on the O line. With all the up beat attitudes and the usual football camaraderie on a beautiful day I couldn’t help but think that for a lot of players, they were near the end of their football careers. Coach Fritz hit it on the head when he said, “We’re trying to build good memories. For 45 of these 48 players, they are probably in their last years of football. We want these years to be a good experience.”
I’m going to hit Springfield’s practice Wednesday and that is probably it for practice visits for the year unless I get another invite. Friday, I’ll be off to Corvallis for the Marist game. League games start the next week when I'll be watching my alma matre, Marshfeild, plat at North Eugene.
You might want to sign up for the MWL tweets. I don't tweet a lot, so you won't get bugged too much. I usually post when new blogs go up; and on game nights, I tweet the scores of the game I attend and scores from other games if they are texted to me. Sign up for MWL tweets here Or maybe you're a Facebooker. There is a MWL Facebook page where you can get updates. MWL Facebook page
If you want to text me scores on game nights, my text number is 541-337-1311. If you plan to text, it would be great if you would send me a text sometime during the week. Then I can add you to my contact list, so I know the score is legit.
Is it the Season of the Eagles - or is it Eagle season?
My first visit ever to Eagle Point for football was a great one. The temperature was 96 degrees when practice started at 4 PM. It was great baseball weather.
I'm assuming that a lot of the players are outdoorsman and do a little hunting. On the very first exercise, a short warm up jog, one of the assistant coaches yelled out "It's a GRRRRREAT day to be an Eagle!" One of the players yelled out in response, "Not if it's Eagle season." By the time I left at 7:30, I was thinking it just might be a great season to be an Eagle and it'll take a good team to be bag an Eagle.
GH is Gary Haliski
JS is coach Schauffler
GH: How many players have turned out?
JS: About 60 in the sophomore through senior level. About 30 frosh.
GH: Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
JS: Tyrone Holmes, a two way all leaguer. He has an offer from Washington State. He’s friends with Marist’s Logan Mayes, who went to Washington State. Tyrone has the same physique as Mayes, which makes for a great high school defensive end. Garrett Snow returns as running back and will play linebacker. He’s not going to run away from people, but he’s really tough to bring down. Garrett is also a back up quarterback and one of our linebackers.
GH: Does he play baseball? You know, I"m a baseball guy.
JS: He used to play baseball, but he's been a top 6 javelin thrower in state.
GH: You're killing me. Sounds like a pitcher to me.
JS: Garrett didn't miss any summer workouts and has an offer from Southern Oregon. Zach Reed is a 6' 9" defensive back and will see time as a receiver. A really exciting sophomore is Jorge Quintero. He's really high in football smarts. Brian Strong is at guard. Strong is an interesting story. He was all league last year. He is in an early entry program for the military and won’t be able to join us for the first game. We have eight senior linemen who can play anywhere, and will. Each of them knows two positions. The guys will be fresh and having so many lineman who can play mulitiplie positions helps cover us in case of injuries. Senior Lorne Nesberg is leader of our wide receivers and should have a good year. Junior Kyle Zerger is a really good player. He’ll be playing free safety and wide receiver. It’s his first year starting. A few of other juniors who are looking good are - Johnny Wilkerson, he’s got the potential to start as a receiver - Brandon Wilson is another really good athlete at the defensive back and wide receiver positions - Jakob Combs is backing up Snow at running back.
GH: Who are your linebackers this year?
JS: Snow, Daniel Morgan and Caleb Ash. Ash is more of a strong safegy.
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback. Have you settled on one yet?
JS : Daniel Morgan is our quarterback. He's been our backup for two years. Daniel is a great leader. He gets the linemen set up quickly. He’s got a lot of football smarts.
GH: Defense has to be an area of opportunity after last season. The Eagles were able to put up a lot of points on the board, but so were your opponents. Any personnel changes or changes in scheme that should help improve the team?
JS: Our scheme is the same. We were terrible tacklers last year. So we're doing tackling circuits every day. Concentrating on the form of a tackle. And tackling was what we worked on in the off season.
GH: You have a huge home opener with Mountain View. You follow that with home game against the always tough Lancers. Have the players been focusing on those games?
JS: Getting up for Mountain View is easy. They are right up there with Marist and Sherwood as one of the top programs in the state. Two years ago Mountain View scored on the first play of each half and they beat us by two touchdowns. Last year, we lost by two. We're getting closer. Getting up for Churchill is much the same. We know Churchill has good players, a good team, and a good scheme.
GH: How do you like being in the Midwestern League?
JS: We really like it. The down side last year was that seven of our ten games were three or more hours away. But we probably have the toughest league in the state from top to bottom, and that's good. Ashland ended up losing to eventual state champions Sherwood. We lost to state runner-up Marist, who was in our own league, and Churchill made it to the quarterfinals.
That ended the sit down portion of my interview. But as I wandered around the facilities I noticed some great enhancements to practice. The Eagles were videotaping practice, which they share with their players. Plus they had a giant electronic clock which counted down the seconds for each drill and then blasted a big horn for the next drill. I thought I was back in Coos Bay in the 1950’s when there were a million ships and tugs blasting their horns all day long. The ‘Segment Timer’ kept the practice hopping, and I’m sure glad my high school coach didn’t video tape practice – game replays could be quite brutal. Coach Schauffler was proud to point out that Eagle Point has one of the best real grass surfaces of any high school in the state, and it sure looked like it. The boosters were active as could be seen by the parents providing healthy snacks (including a big bowl of fruit!) during the break. Add in TV on Channel 12 for their first game, and a full season on ESPN radio, the first time the Eagles have been on radio for a full season since 1996, and I felt that this program was really reaching for the stars. Here’s what coach Schauffler had to say about his goals for the program:
JS: We play Mountain View right out of the blocks. We really respect their program and think they are in an elite classification of teams with Marist and Sherwood. Our goal is to join that group. They have reached a superior level and they are superior year in and year out. Consistency doesn’t just happen overnight. Everything you’re seeing is to reach our goal.
We have a special senior class. They’re not only good in football, but in all sports. I really feel if this group of seniors is successful throughout the year, they will have a positive impact on all sports at Eagle Point for several years. Their leadership and effort has really helped the younger players. We have a lot of good senior leaders, Garrett Snow, Tyrone Holmes and Zach Reed quickly come to mind. It’s good to have strong leadership in the senior class. Hopefully, they have modeled leadership enough that it won’t fall off.
GH: Tell me about the clock and horn on the practice field.
JS: We call that the segment timer.
GH: The what?
JS: The segment timer.
GH: You’ve got to come up with a better name than that. That’s not too flashy.
JS: I actually got that for myself. I just didn’t feel that I was being efficient with my time. The clock is tied into the schedule I gave you. The software lets you program segments for any amount of time. The system gives you an audible warning as it counts down to zero for a segment and then the horn blows and we’re off to the next drill.
Towards the end of my visit, I followed the varsity over to the game field and went into the home stands to take a final photo. What a site. Mt. McLoughin was in the background and as far as you could see – across the game field, across the huge practice field and onto the baseball field - there were Eagles and Eaglets (midget Eagles dressed in Eagle blue)
It really was a GRRRREAT day to be an Eagle.
PS: It was a long day that started in Ashland at 8:30 and the Eagles still had a lot of practice to go. I headed back to Eugene forgetting to do a pop quiz with any of the Eagles.
I'm assuming that a lot of the players are outdoorsman and do a little hunting. On the very first exercise, a short warm up jog, one of the assistant coaches yelled out "It's a GRRRRREAT day to be an Eagle!" One of the players yelled out in response, "Not if it's Eagle season." By the time I left at 7:30, I was thinking it just might be a great season to be an Eagle and it'll take a good team to be bag an Eagle.
GH is Gary Haliski
JS is coach Schauffler
GH: How many players have turned out?
JS: About 60 in the sophomore through senior level. About 30 frosh.
GH: Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
JS: Tyrone Holmes, a two way all leaguer. He has an offer from Washington State. He’s friends with Marist’s Logan Mayes, who went to Washington State. Tyrone has the same physique as Mayes, which makes for a great high school defensive end. Garrett Snow returns as running back and will play linebacker. He’s not going to run away from people, but he’s really tough to bring down. Garrett is also a back up quarterback and one of our linebackers.
GH: Does he play baseball? You know, I"m a baseball guy.
JS: He used to play baseball, but he's been a top 6 javelin thrower in state.
GH: You're killing me. Sounds like a pitcher to me.
JS: Garrett didn't miss any summer workouts and has an offer from Southern Oregon. Zach Reed is a 6' 9" defensive back and will see time as a receiver. A really exciting sophomore is Jorge Quintero. He's really high in football smarts. Brian Strong is at guard. Strong is an interesting story. He was all league last year. He is in an early entry program for the military and won’t be able to join us for the first game. We have eight senior linemen who can play anywhere, and will. Each of them knows two positions. The guys will be fresh and having so many lineman who can play mulitiplie positions helps cover us in case of injuries. Senior Lorne Nesberg is leader of our wide receivers and should have a good year. Junior Kyle Zerger is a really good player. He’ll be playing free safety and wide receiver. It’s his first year starting. A few of other juniors who are looking good are - Johnny Wilkerson, he’s got the potential to start as a receiver - Brandon Wilson is another really good athlete at the defensive back and wide receiver positions - Jakob Combs is backing up Snow at running back.
GH: Who are your linebackers this year?
JS: Snow, Daniel Morgan and Caleb Ash. Ash is more of a strong safegy.
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback. Have you settled on one yet?
JS : Daniel Morgan is our quarterback. He's been our backup for two years. Daniel is a great leader. He gets the linemen set up quickly. He’s got a lot of football smarts.
GH: Defense has to be an area of opportunity after last season. The Eagles were able to put up a lot of points on the board, but so were your opponents. Any personnel changes or changes in scheme that should help improve the team?
JS: Our scheme is the same. We were terrible tacklers last year. So we're doing tackling circuits every day. Concentrating on the form of a tackle. And tackling was what we worked on in the off season.
GH: You have a huge home opener with Mountain View. You follow that with home game against the always tough Lancers. Have the players been focusing on those games?
JS: Getting up for Mountain View is easy. They are right up there with Marist and Sherwood as one of the top programs in the state. Two years ago Mountain View scored on the first play of each half and they beat us by two touchdowns. Last year, we lost by two. We're getting closer. Getting up for Churchill is much the same. We know Churchill has good players, a good team, and a good scheme.
GH: How do you like being in the Midwestern League?
JS: We really like it. The down side last year was that seven of our ten games were three or more hours away. But we probably have the toughest league in the state from top to bottom, and that's good. Ashland ended up losing to eventual state champions Sherwood. We lost to state runner-up Marist, who was in our own league, and Churchill made it to the quarterfinals.
That ended the sit down portion of my interview. But as I wandered around the facilities I noticed some great enhancements to practice. The Eagles were videotaping practice, which they share with their players. Plus they had a giant electronic clock which counted down the seconds for each drill and then blasted a big horn for the next drill. I thought I was back in Coos Bay in the 1950’s when there were a million ships and tugs blasting their horns all day long. The ‘Segment Timer’ kept the practice hopping, and I’m sure glad my high school coach didn’t video tape practice – game replays could be quite brutal. Coach Schauffler was proud to point out that Eagle Point has one of the best real grass surfaces of any high school in the state, and it sure looked like it. The boosters were active as could be seen by the parents providing healthy snacks (including a big bowl of fruit!) during the break. Add in TV on Channel 12 for their first game, and a full season on ESPN radio, the first time the Eagles have been on radio for a full season since 1996, and I felt that this program was really reaching for the stars. Here’s what coach Schauffler had to say about his goals for the program:
JS: We play Mountain View right out of the blocks. We really respect their program and think they are in an elite classification of teams with Marist and Sherwood. Our goal is to join that group. They have reached a superior level and they are superior year in and year out. Consistency doesn’t just happen overnight. Everything you’re seeing is to reach our goal.
We have a special senior class. They’re not only good in football, but in all sports. I really feel if this group of seniors is successful throughout the year, they will have a positive impact on all sports at Eagle Point for several years. Their leadership and effort has really helped the younger players. We have a lot of good senior leaders, Garrett Snow, Tyrone Holmes and Zach Reed quickly come to mind. It’s good to have strong leadership in the senior class. Hopefully, they have modeled leadership enough that it won’t fall off.
GH: Tell me about the clock and horn on the practice field.
JS: We call that the segment timer.
GH: The what?
JS: The segment timer.
GH: You’ve got to come up with a better name than that. That’s not too flashy.
JS: I actually got that for myself. I just didn’t feel that I was being efficient with my time. The clock is tied into the schedule I gave you. The software lets you program segments for any amount of time. The system gives you an audible warning as it counts down to zero for a segment and then the horn blows and we’re off to the next drill.
Towards the end of my visit, I followed the varsity over to the game field and went into the home stands to take a final photo. What a site. Mt. McLoughin was in the background and as far as you could see – across the game field, across the huge practice field and onto the baseball field - there were Eagles and Eaglets (midget Eagles dressed in Eagle blue)
It really was a GRRRREAT day to be an Eagle.
PS: It was a long day that started in Ashland at 8:30 and the Eagles still had a lot of practice to go. I headed back to Eugene forgetting to do a pop quiz with any of the Eagles.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Pop Quiz for Ashland's Taylor Humphrey
Humphrey is a wide receiver and defensive back for the Grizzlies. He was surrounded by a few of his fellow players while taking the quiz and assistant coach Soriano was present to tell Humphrey when to 'zip it'.
TH is Taylor Humphrey
GH is Gary Haliski
GH: What did you work on the hardest through the summer to get better in football?
TH: I worked on speed and strength so I could be the best I could be.
GH: What did you do to improve your strength and speed?
TH: I hired a personal trainer and he had me run in sand and things like that.
Teammates: You're kidding. You hired a personal trainer. We didn't know about that.
GH: What school do you want to beat most this year?
TH: Marist. They are ranked number #1.
GH: What is your pregame meal?
TH: SMURF's eat at Mihama's Teriaki Grill?
GH: Are SMURF's a cult thing?
TH: It's our receiving group.
GH: What do you listen to on your Ipod?
TH: Rock, Hip Hop, Blink-182
GH: No Rap?
TH: I lump Rap into Hip Hop?
GH: You know Rap isn't music?
TH makes a quizzical look.
GH: Who on the team impressed you most this year?
TH: Danial White, our quarterback. Didn't expect him to be where he is at this point. He's really confident and we can trust in him.
GH: What is your favorite college and pro team?
TH: Eagles and Ducks.
GH: Who is your favorite player?
TH: DeSean Jackson. He is the king!
GH: What is the best thing to do in Ashland in the summer?
TH: Go to Emigrant Lake, wakeboard, inntertube and jump off the big rocks.
GH: I think that one ups Josh Paiement of Marist. Josh said he likes to go to Fern Ridge Lake, wakeboard and innertube, but no rock jumping.
TH: Gotta jump off of rocks.
GH: What's your favorite subject?
TH: Psychology. It's interesting and my favorite teacher teaches it.
GH: Do you think you'll pursue it as a career?
TH: Possibly
GH: Where's your favorite place to eat?
TH: Thai Pepper. I like their Pad Tai with chicken.
GH: Who is meaner? Head coach Hall or coach Beau Lehnerz.
TH and all the players present laugh and say without hesitation: Coach Hall!
GH: Does coach Hall have to approve your dates?
TH: No. I am The Man.
GH: What do you consider a proper date?
TH: Dinner and a movie. The best dates are when we have a hot summer night. After a movie you can go to Emigrant Lake, have an iced tea, dangle your feet in the water while listening to a little classical music, and watch the sun set as the moon rises. It's very romantic.
GH: Where would you take a date for a casual dinner?
TH: Great American Pizza.
GH: What kind of pizza?
TH: Cheese:
GH: That's it? Just cheese? That's lame.
TH: Yup. that's it.
GH: Where would you take a date for a formal dinner?
TH (after hints by coach Soriano) : Jacksonville Inn. Thanks coach! That's awesome.
GH: Thanks for your time.
TH: Aren't you going to ask me who my favorite superhero is?
GH: Who is your favorite superhero?
TH: Batman.
GH: Why?
TH: He strikes fear into those who prey on the fearful. Do you want to know who the director is?
GH: Who?
TH: Christopher Nolan.
GH: I gotta go.
TH is Taylor Humphrey
GH is Gary Haliski
GH: What did you work on the hardest through the summer to get better in football?
TH: I worked on speed and strength so I could be the best I could be.
GH: What did you do to improve your strength and speed?
TH: I hired a personal trainer and he had me run in sand and things like that.
Teammates: You're kidding. You hired a personal trainer. We didn't know about that.
GH: What school do you want to beat most this year?
TH: Marist. They are ranked number #1.
GH: What is your pregame meal?
TH: SMURF's eat at Mihama's Teriaki Grill?
GH: Are SMURF's a cult thing?
TH: It's our receiving group.
GH: What do you listen to on your Ipod?
TH: Rock, Hip Hop, Blink-182
GH: No Rap?
TH: I lump Rap into Hip Hop?
GH: You know Rap isn't music?
TH makes a quizzical look.
GH: Who on the team impressed you most this year?
TH: Danial White, our quarterback. Didn't expect him to be where he is at this point. He's really confident and we can trust in him.
GH: What is your favorite college and pro team?
TH: Eagles and Ducks.
GH: Who is your favorite player?
TH: DeSean Jackson. He is the king!
GH: What is the best thing to do in Ashland in the summer?
TH: Go to Emigrant Lake, wakeboard, inntertube and jump off the big rocks.
GH: I think that one ups Josh Paiement of Marist. Josh said he likes to go to Fern Ridge Lake, wakeboard and innertube, but no rock jumping.
TH: Gotta jump off of rocks.
GH: What's your favorite subject?
TH: Psychology. It's interesting and my favorite teacher teaches it.
GH: Do you think you'll pursue it as a career?
TH: Possibly
GH: Where's your favorite place to eat?
TH: Thai Pepper. I like their Pad Tai with chicken.
GH: Who is meaner? Head coach Hall or coach Beau Lehnerz.
TH and all the players present laugh and say without hesitation: Coach Hall!
GH: Does coach Hall have to approve your dates?
TH: No. I am The Man.
GH: What do you consider a proper date?
TH: Dinner and a movie. The best dates are when we have a hot summer night. After a movie you can go to Emigrant Lake, have an iced tea, dangle your feet in the water while listening to a little classical music, and watch the sun set as the moon rises. It's very romantic.
GH: Where would you take a date for a casual dinner?
TH: Great American Pizza.
GH: What kind of pizza?
TH: Cheese:
GH: That's it? Just cheese? That's lame.
TH: Yup. that's it.
GH: Where would you take a date for a formal dinner?
TH (after hints by coach Soriano) : Jacksonville Inn. Thanks coach! That's awesome.
GH: Thanks for your time.
TH: Aren't you going to ask me who my favorite superhero is?
GH: Who is your favorite superhero?
TH: Batman.
GH: Why?
TH: He strikes fear into those who prey on the fearful. Do you want to know who the director is?
GH: Who?
TH: Christopher Nolan.
GH: I gotta go.
Ashland - Hey, they've already made Sports Illustrated!
Thursday was my first ever behind-the-scenes look at Ashland's football program. Coach Hall let me observe a weight training/conditioning session followed by an on the field practice session. The weight training room and adjoining gym were booster funded and might provide one of the best gym/weight room combinations in the state. In my interview with coach Hall, he talks about the tradition and pride associated with the Grizzlie football program and how this year's team will try and maintain that tradition.
GH is Gary Haliski
CH is Head Coach Charlie Hall
GH: How many kids are out for football?
CH: We have about 50 sophomores, juniors and seniors and about 20 freshmen.
GH: Who are some of your returning key players?
CH: Our receiving group is solid. Sam Geisslinger and junior Quaid Walters are the wide outs. Taylor Humphrey will be in the slot. Franklin Lime Ma will be in the mix, but watch him at defensive end. Juniors Jon Volz and Austin Chandler are looking good at running back. Volz had a strong summer camp. He'll be our starting running back with Chandler seeing quite a bit of time. Our only starting returning offensive lineman is Andres Guteirrez, an all league guard last year. Alec Ralston will be left tackle and will be back on the D line, where he was all league last year. We graduated a lot of linemen last year, so we've got some new starters - Logan Hartick will be our right guard and Conor Morrison will be on our D line.. Mason Montgomery, a soph, will move to center.
GH: That leaves us with the one big question every team in the league has, because no one has their own quarterback coming back. Have you settled on your QB?
CH: Oh, yes. Danial White. He was a frosh last year. He's a lefty. He's really picked up his game and the players respond well to him. He's put a bit of pressure on me because he was in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd after going 19 for 23 against the Japanese in our annual Pacific Rim Bowl game. If I don't start him and we lose, everyone's going to say, "How could you not start a kid who was in SI?" We've got a good back up at QB, RJ Attebury.
GH: Last year you got off to a slow start with Klamath Union and Marist last year, had a close win over Churchill and then finished strong until meeting eventual state champ Sherwood. How do you think you'll start this year and will your offense be as explosive as last year?
CH: There's an explanation for our slow start last year, and it has to do with me. Last year, we committed ourselves to the running game and went to the Pistol offense to start the season. Well, the pistol just didn't fire. The pistol was a dud! So we went back to the spread and we're going to stay with the spread this year.
GH: You open league with two tough games against Marist and Churchill. How are you going to get the kids, and especially the new QB, ready for those high stakes games?
CH: The Pacific Rim Bowl game against the Japanese should be a big confidence builder. It's hard to tell just how good the Japanese were, but they were bigger and stronger than us and we had lost to them five straight years. So we were underdogs, and the kids rose to the occasion. We'll be underdogs against Marist, so it's good that our kids know they can win even though they are the underdogs. A little fun sidenote is that our QB, Danial White, and Marist's QB, Kamerun Smith, played each other in a Pop Warner state championship game. White's team won.
GH: How do you like being in the Midwestern league - the competition and the travel?
CH: The kids love it. They get out of school to go on the road on Friday's. It's fun. We've got a place in Eugene we always eat. We always try to do a walk thru at the University of Oregon, which is nice exposure to a college atmosphere for the kids. Even before last year, we were playing the Midwestern schools quite often. Springfield and Willamette, and we had a bit of a rivalry with Marshfield. I love the conference, because it's good and there's lots of parity.
GH: Thanks Coach.
Interesting trivia: Sophomore quarterback Danial White's dad, Greg, was a member of the 1985 Ashland football team. That team was notable for going to the state playoffs after a 33 year playoff drought
Here's a link to one of many Coach Kitchell's tributes
Growing up in a sports family, I've still got my ears open to good coaching. During the weight lifting, one of the Ashland players was by himself in a squat station. A coach said, "Are you by yourself?" The player said, "Yes". The coach said, "No, you're not. Go join those guys." Weight lifting definitely improves an athlete, but improper technique or solo lifting can create a lifetime injury. My hat is off to the coach for tactfully getting the player to follow proper weight room regimen.
GH is Gary Haliski
CH is Head Coach Charlie Hall
GH: How many kids are out for football?
CH: We have about 50 sophomores, juniors and seniors and about 20 freshmen.
GH: Who are some of your returning key players?
CH: Our receiving group is solid. Sam Geisslinger and junior Quaid Walters are the wide outs. Taylor Humphrey will be in the slot. Franklin Lime Ma will be in the mix, but watch him at defensive end. Juniors Jon Volz and Austin Chandler are looking good at running back. Volz had a strong summer camp. He'll be our starting running back with Chandler seeing quite a bit of time. Our only starting returning offensive lineman is Andres Guteirrez, an all league guard last year. Alec Ralston will be left tackle and will be back on the D line, where he was all league last year. We graduated a lot of linemen last year, so we've got some new starters - Logan Hartick will be our right guard and Conor Morrison will be on our D line.. Mason Montgomery, a soph, will move to center.
GH: That leaves us with the one big question every team in the league has, because no one has their own quarterback coming back. Have you settled on your QB?
CH: Oh, yes. Danial White. He was a frosh last year. He's a lefty. He's really picked up his game and the players respond well to him. He's put a bit of pressure on me because he was in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd after going 19 for 23 against the Japanese in our annual Pacific Rim Bowl game. If I don't start him and we lose, everyone's going to say, "How could you not start a kid who was in SI?" We've got a good back up at QB, RJ Attebury.
GH: Last year you got off to a slow start with Klamath Union and Marist last year, had a close win over Churchill and then finished strong until meeting eventual state champ Sherwood. How do you think you'll start this year and will your offense be as explosive as last year?
CH: There's an explanation for our slow start last year, and it has to do with me. Last year, we committed ourselves to the running game and went to the Pistol offense to start the season. Well, the pistol just didn't fire. The pistol was a dud! So we went back to the spread and we're going to stay with the spread this year.
GH: You open league with two tough games against Marist and Churchill. How are you going to get the kids, and especially the new QB, ready for those high stakes games?
CH: The Pacific Rim Bowl game against the Japanese should be a big confidence builder. It's hard to tell just how good the Japanese were, but they were bigger and stronger than us and we had lost to them five straight years. So we were underdogs, and the kids rose to the occasion. We'll be underdogs against Marist, so it's good that our kids know they can win even though they are the underdogs. A little fun sidenote is that our QB, Danial White, and Marist's QB, Kamerun Smith, played each other in a Pop Warner state championship game. White's team won.
GH: How do you like being in the Midwestern league - the competition and the travel?
CH: The kids love it. They get out of school to go on the road on Friday's. It's fun. We've got a place in Eugene we always eat. We always try to do a walk thru at the University of Oregon, which is nice exposure to a college atmosphere for the kids. Even before last year, we were playing the Midwestern schools quite often. Springfield and Willamette, and we had a bit of a rivalry with Marshfield. I love the conference, because it's good and there's lots of parity.
GH: I really felt a strong sense of tradition as I toured your facilities. The Jim Nagle Strength and Conditioning Center, references to Coach K (Kitchell), the recent booster funded upgrade of the Fitness center and the accompanying gym. How do you try and continue all of that with the changing dynamics of the community? (Photo below of Nagle Center - a huge weightroom with adjoining conditioning gym.)
CH: The players definitely feel it. Nagel was head coach for 20 years through 2002, won three state titles and won the SOC title six times. Nagel instituted a successful model which I try and follow. There was a lot of emphasis on the little things. Plus a lot of the current coaches were assistants to Nagel. That's provided a lot of continuity which helps sustain the tradition.
Coach Kitchell was an assistant to Nagel for almost all of Nagel's career. Kitchell really connected with kids and was highly motivational. He continued on with the football program as an assistant after NagelKitch was highly respected all throughout the community for all of the things he taught us. His legacy lives on. A lot of today's players were in grade school and followed football when Nagel and Kitchell were coaches so those names mean something to the players.
The continued tremendous booster support as seen in the remodeled weight room lets the players know we expect the tradition to continue. There are a lot of alternative activities that steal kids away from traditional sports programs such as football. There are some kids who would be great football players who are playing water polo or snow boarding. That translates into not having as many players as we used to. So we focus on quality, not quantity. We challenge the players to improve to give themselves a chance at competing at the highest level. It's our job as staff to give them to tools that will give them the chance to succeed. GH: Thanks Coach.
Interesting trivia: Sophomore quarterback Danial White's dad, Greg, was a member of the 1985 Ashland football team. That team was notable for going to the state playoffs after a 33 year playoff drought
Here's a link to one of many Coach Kitchell's tributes
Growing up in a sports family, I've still got my ears open to good coaching. During the weight lifting, one of the Ashland players was by himself in a squat station. A coach said, "Are you by yourself?" The player said, "Yes". The coach said, "No, you're not. Go join those guys." Weight lifting definitely improves an athlete, but improper technique or solo lifting can create a lifetime injury. My hat is off to the coach for tactfully getting the player to follow proper weight room regimen.
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