Big game tonight. At Fishers, 7pm. We're ready to make the play. We yearn to take our place at the table. We're hungry for a win.
I've been told there's going to be a blackout at the game tonight. Dress accordingly. Bring hungry hands and voices. We'll need every one of them.
Go rocks!
PS - If you're wondering how to get to Fishers, we've got you covered. See you there!
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Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Leadership is... Character
Never do anything to compromise your integrity. Anything worth achieving is worth an honorable and honest effort. There are no short cuts to becoming a champion. You will never take any trophies or medals with you when you leave this life, but your character will be with you always. Be true to yourself, and keep in perspective the fact that even if you can’t be the world’s best athlete in your chosen sport every day … you can be your best person every day.
“Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece by piece, by thought, choice, courage and determination.”
“The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.”
“You identify yourself by what you do when no one is watching. The supervised athlete may be the hardest worker, the most selfless and responsible competitor. But how he practices when no one sees him, how he interacts with teammates when the coach is not within listening distance—that’s when he defines himself—his character.”
“Everyone has the opportunity to make choices based on truth, integrity, responsibility, and loyalty—all of which are necessary to develop and maintain character.”
“Character is always lost when ideals are sacrificed for conformity and popularity.”
“Swearing is a device for making ignorance audible.”
“If you can’t explain it to your mother or your grandmother, don’t do it.”
“By constant self-discipline and self-control you can develop greatness of character.”
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Character is what you really are. Reputation is just what people say you are.” -John Wooden
Character is the real foundation of all worthwhile success. A good question to ask yourself is, “What kind of world would this world be if everybody were just like me?”
“Athletic competition will reveal character.”
“Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece by piece, by thought, choice, courage and determination.”
“The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.”
“You identify yourself by what you do when no one is watching. The supervised athlete may be the hardest worker, the most selfless and responsible competitor. But how he practices when no one sees him, how he interacts with teammates when the coach is not within listening distance—that’s when he defines himself—his character.”
“Everyone has the opportunity to make choices based on truth, integrity, responsibility, and loyalty—all of which are necessary to develop and maintain character.”
“Character is always lost when ideals are sacrificed for conformity and popularity.”
“Swearing is a device for making ignorance audible.”
“If you can’t explain it to your mother or your grandmother, don’t do it.”
“By constant self-discipline and self-control you can develop greatness of character.”
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Character is what you really are. Reputation is just what people say you are.” -John Wooden
Character is the real foundation of all worthwhile success. A good question to ask yourself is, “What kind of world would this world be if everybody were just like me?”
“Athletic competition will reveal character.”
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Some Fun Links
Quick post today. I have a couple links to share.
First, we have two plays on the Indy Star top plays poll again. Click here to vote! Need some more clicks if we're going to win this week.
Second, I was recently directed to the cheerleaders' home page. I thought it was pretty neat, but what was particularly interesting to me was the sideline cheer page. Maybe I'm just a dork with bad hearing, but sometimes I've found myself wondering what they're saying. Usually, it's pretty obvious, but Friday nights can get loud, and words can blend together when you're in a crowd. (Also, I'm usually focused on the game.) Thus, I thought it was completely cool and useful that they list the cheers on their page. No more guessing!
We've got a big practice today. Wednesdays are typically the last real "work days" of the week. (Thursday tends to be more of the final tune up.) A good practice today can really set the tone rolling into Friday. We don't ever want to lose. But if we do lose, we certainly don't want to lose twice in a row. Some habits are best broken by refusing to allow them to form in the first place.
First, we have two plays on the Indy Star top plays poll again. Click here to vote! Need some more clicks if we're going to win this week.
Second, I was recently directed to the cheerleaders' home page. I thought it was pretty neat, but what was particularly interesting to me was the sideline cheer page. Maybe I'm just a dork with bad hearing, but sometimes I've found myself wondering what they're saying. Usually, it's pretty obvious, but Friday nights can get loud, and words can blend together when you're in a crowd. (Also, I'm usually focused on the game.) Thus, I thought it was completely cool and useful that they list the cheers on their page. No more guessing!
We've got a big practice today. Wednesdays are typically the last real "work days" of the week. (Thursday tends to be more of the final tune up.) A good practice today can really set the tone rolling into Friday. We don't ever want to lose. But if we do lose, we certainly don't want to lose twice in a row. Some habits are best broken by refusing to allow them to form in the first place.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshman Results
JV (1-1)
The JV Football Team suffered a tough loss Monday night, falling to the Avon Orioles on the road, 0-34.
Offensively, the rocks did not get on the scoreboard but saw another outstanding rushing night from Elvin Caldwell. He rushed for over 100 yards for the Rocks. Bailey Partlow completed passes at quarterback and also ran the football.
Defensively, the Rocks had a very good performance at linebacker from Ryan Wonderlin who played multiple spots on the field. Matt Crupi also had a good night in the middle at linebacker, while Josh Hayward made multiple tackles outside. Cam Shaw, Keyonte Crawford, and Joey Freeze played well at D line up front. In the secondary, the Rocks had one interception by Gavin Cross in the first half.
In the special teams phase, Bailey Partlow was chosen as ST player of the game with multiple punts over 30 yards. Also, Ryan Wonderlin had a big tackle for the punt team.
The JV Rocks host Fishers next Monday at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (1-1)
Offensively, the rocks did not get on the scoreboard but saw another outstanding rushing night from Elvin Caldwell. He rushed for over 100 yards for the Rocks. Bailey Partlow completed passes at quarterback and also ran the football.
Defensively, the Rocks had a very good performance at linebacker from Ryan Wonderlin who played multiple spots on the field. Matt Crupi also had a good night in the middle at linebacker, while Josh Hayward made multiple tackles outside. Cam Shaw, Keyonte Crawford, and Joey Freeze played well at D line up front. In the secondary, the Rocks had one interception by Gavin Cross in the first half.
In the special teams phase, Bailey Partlow was chosen as ST player of the game with multiple punts over 30 yards. Also, Ryan Wonderlin had a big tackle for the punt team.
The JV Rocks host Fishers next Monday at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (1-1)
The freshman team will travel to Fishers next Tuesday September 4th. Kickoff is at 6pm.
Special Needs Football Clinic
This weekend, the Westfield High School Football Team will be hosting a special football skills training clinic at the WHS practice fields. The clinic will go from 10-11:30AM, and be run by Rocks players. This is a great opportunity for our team to reach out a special segment of the community, and another unique event that we're hungrily looking forward to.
I'll be trying to live tweet again at the event, snapping pictures and sending them out. I'll also try to snag the Leadership Council for a word. This should be a great morning.
On a personal note, one of our managers, Grant Lusk, has been competing in other Special Olympics events. The team has been quite proud of his competitive drive and obvious love for sport. Grant has been a great help as a manager, and is perhaps one of the most enthusiastic members of our football family. We're lucky to have him.
Special Olympics is a great program, and the Rocks are extremely thankful for the opportunity to offer this clinic. We hope to see you there. Here's the flyer in case you'd like to print it off and spread the word:
(Edit: The clinic should wrap up by 11:30. I didn't have a new edition of the flyer available, and didn't want to wait to get the word out. Anyone giving rides to attendees should plan on 11:30.)
I'll be trying to live tweet again at the event, snapping pictures and sending them out. I'll also try to snag the Leadership Council for a word. This should be a great morning.
On a personal note, one of our managers, Grant Lusk, has been competing in other Special Olympics events. The team has been quite proud of his competitive drive and obvious love for sport. Grant has been a great help as a manager, and is perhaps one of the most enthusiastic members of our football family. We're lucky to have him.
Special Olympics is a great program, and the Rocks are extremely thankful for the opportunity to offer this clinic. We hope to see you there. Here's the flyer in case you'd like to print it off and spread the word:
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Monday, August 27, 2012
Kids Against Hunger Follow-Up
We took a whole bunch of pictures (many of which I tweeted out during the event) and I've placed them in a separate album online. If you'd like to have a closer look at the album, follow this link.
Afterward, I asked the leadership council to get back to me with a quotation about the experience, and was also given a few from the cheerleaders. What follows is directly from the mouth of Rocks...
"Kids Against Hunger gave our team a great opportunity. We made thousands of meals for people that really need it. It was a quick and easy, yet very efficient way to make a difference on a bigger scale." - Football Leadership Council
“It’s the little things we do and great experiences that we have that allows us to extend our Rocks family, even to those children overseas.” - Stephanie Chinn, Varsity senior
“The opportunity that we got to share with the football team to make a difference in the world will not only impact the individuals that these meals will be sent to but it’s also made an impact on me and those around me today. It was a great learning experience and a hands on one, too! Couldn’t be more proud to be a Shamrock!” - Maddie Hutson, Varsity sophomore
“It is so inspiring how much of an impact a group of people coming together, forgetting about their own problems, and helping the ones who are really in need can make.” - Kylene Dolen, JV sophomore
"By taking on hour out of our day, we were able to help hundreds of others live another hour, another day, another year. We came together with the football team, we made 12,000 meals for starving kids all over, we helped stop starvation. It feels good that we were able to make a difference in the world.” - Abby Bogdajewicz, JV freshman
“One hand makes an impact, but one big family that’s hungry makes a difference.” - Emily Lawhorn, JV junior
Thanks to the Cheerleaders for joining us! It was a great event and we were definitely hungry to serve. Go Rocks!
#RockReport - Avon
Offensively, the Shamrock’s were led by the outstanding play of Kory Kostecka. He and Ferrer connected again this week for an 80 yard TD strike. The consistent play of Normando Gonzalez provided a solid baseline as the Rocks put up another solid aerial attack, securing a lead for most of the game.
The Rock D had a difficult night, surrendering 24 points. This isn’t to say the side was without highlights, though. Logan Floor recovered a ball that dribbled out of a clump of players, returning it 20 yards for an exciting defensive TD. Nick Woerner anchored a Rock defense that, despite the rough ending, rolled with Avon’s punches all night. The consistent play of Jacob Robinson on the D line was also essential to a defensive effort that forced the Orioles to earn every inch on the field.
Nick Dowd put two field goals through the uprights on special teams, and Matt Crupi’s consistent play helped make that happen. The entire FG team should be congratulated on an outstanding night. A solid team effort is required anytime you put 6 points on the board (3 of those points from quite a distance, too).
Special mention should be given to Nick Henderson, Adrien Hobleman, and Josh Hayward. These three Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. The fact that the team came just short of claiming a seat at the table was due in no small part to hard work on the practice field
The Rocks will look to avenge their loss this Friday as they travel to Fishers to take on the Tigers. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Highlights: WHS vs Avon
I'll publish the Rock Report on Monday with a better summary of Friday's game. For the weekend highlights, I just wanted to share the results and link to our video area. We played Avon well last night, but came up on the short end of a 20-24 score. Avon punched in the go-ahead touchdown with less than a minute on the clock. A Shamrock heart-breaker to be sure.
Still, the night was not without Shamrock highlights. You can find the team clips selected each week by the coaches here.
Fair warning, some are selected for learning purposes, but we tag the exciting plays, too. So if you see a clip that makes you scratch your head, likely we were speaking to it at film review this morning. Just enjoy the good ones. :-)
We've forwarded two clips to the Indy Star for consideration in their weekly top ten poll (Gilly's play finished 3rd last week, I believe). I'll post a link once the poll goes live, probably early in the week. The plays are:
As much as I hate losing on Friday, packing 12,000 hunger relief packets this morning felt like a victory of a different sort. Hungry to win. Hungry to serve. They go hand-in-hand.
Still, the night was not without Shamrock highlights. You can find the team clips selected each week by the coaches here.
Fair warning, some are selected for learning purposes, but we tag the exciting plays, too. So if you see a clip that makes you scratch your head, likely we were speaking to it at film review this morning. Just enjoy the good ones. :-)
We've forwarded two clips to the Indy Star for consideration in their weekly top ten poll (Gilly's play finished 3rd last week, I believe). I'll post a link once the poll goes live, probably early in the week. The plays are:
- QB Nick Ferrer's 80 TD pass to WR Kory Kostecka.
- LB Logan Floor's fumble recovery and 20 yard return for a defensive touchdown.
As much as I hate losing on Friday, packing 12,000 hunger relief packets this morning felt like a victory of a different sort. Hungry to win. Hungry to serve. They go hand-in-hand.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Gameday: Avon
Home opener tonight! Your Westfield Shamrocks will play host to the Avon Orioles, looking to extend our record to 2-0. Avon has been a particularly tough opponent for us, but this year we're looking to claim our seat at the table. We've prepared hard for this game.
I'm told the theme tonight is "Beach Party." Kickoff is at 7pm. No directions this week, just look for the bright lights in your backyard. Listen for the cheering.
Something new for this week, to remind us of our all the work we've put in (and to give credit where credit is due), I'm going to share the list of PRIDE Pin nominees. A bit of an explanation: PRIDE stands for "Personal Responsibility In Daily Effort." Each week, the coaches select the Rocks in their position group that have shown a high level of personal responsibility, and put forth exemplary effort in all areas expected of them by the coaching staff. This is not just practice effort. This includes efforts in lifting, classwork, self-review of film on Hudl... everything. If any coach can find even one place where a player is deficient in effort, they do not receive a nomination. Three nominations grant that player a PRIDE pin. In our program, this is a very prestigious award.
For week 2, the following Rocks earned a PRIDE Pin nomination:
Renzo Alvarex, Josh Blanton, Jalon Burns, Zane Burtron, Emmanual Calhoun, Sam Coe, Johnny Crawford, Anthony Daugherty, Will Davis, Turner Edwards, Nick Ferrer, Logan Floor, Ethan Goins, Normando Gonzalez, Caleb Graff, Conner Harrison, Josh Hayward, Nick Henderson, Jack Hiatt, Adam Horkay, Ben Huntley, Austin Jordan, Daniel Kainrath, Kory Kostecka, Nick Krieg, Zack Krieg, Luke Lammers, Dan Liebbe, Carson Lorts, Austin Mazura, Eric Miner, Ryan Pape, Ryan Pepiot, Devin Reece, Jacob Robinson, Jay Simons, Evan Slagle, Deryion Sturdivant, Cory Sucese, Jacob Tebbe, Kelly Tompson, Sam Trompen, Mitch Turley, Paul Wait, Ben Wainscott, Sam Walden, Nick Woerner, Grady Young, Dani Hartnett, Patrick Wood, Peyton Lorts, Carlie Crain, Andy Aiken.
I'm told the theme tonight is "Beach Party." Kickoff is at 7pm. No directions this week, just look for the bright lights in your backyard. Listen for the cheering.
Something new for this week, to remind us of our all the work we've put in (and to give credit where credit is due), I'm going to share the list of PRIDE Pin nominees. A bit of an explanation: PRIDE stands for "Personal Responsibility In Daily Effort." Each week, the coaches select the Rocks in their position group that have shown a high level of personal responsibility, and put forth exemplary effort in all areas expected of them by the coaching staff. This is not just practice effort. This includes efforts in lifting, classwork, self-review of film on Hudl... everything. If any coach can find even one place where a player is deficient in effort, they do not receive a nomination. Three nominations grant that player a PRIDE pin. In our program, this is a very prestigious award.
For week 2, the following Rocks earned a PRIDE Pin nomination:
Renzo Alvarex, Josh Blanton, Jalon Burns, Zane Burtron, Emmanual Calhoun, Sam Coe, Johnny Crawford, Anthony Daugherty, Will Davis, Turner Edwards, Nick Ferrer, Logan Floor, Ethan Goins, Normando Gonzalez, Caleb Graff, Conner Harrison, Josh Hayward, Nick Henderson, Jack Hiatt, Adam Horkay, Ben Huntley, Austin Jordan, Daniel Kainrath, Kory Kostecka, Nick Krieg, Zack Krieg, Luke Lammers, Dan Liebbe, Carson Lorts, Austin Mazura, Eric Miner, Ryan Pape, Ryan Pepiot, Devin Reece, Jacob Robinson, Jay Simons, Evan Slagle, Deryion Sturdivant, Cory Sucese, Jacob Tebbe, Kelly Tompson, Sam Trompen, Mitch Turley, Paul Wait, Ben Wainscott, Sam Walden, Nick Woerner, Grady Young, Dani Hartnett, Patrick Wood, Peyton Lorts, Carlie Crain, Andy Aiken.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Leadership is... Toughness
The game of football requires physical and mental toughness.
Physical toughness means:
Physical toughness means:
- Enjoying the contact that is a part of football.
- Making it a goal to hit your opponent harder than he hits you.
- Being willing to play through the minor bumps and bruises that are a part of the game.
- Ignoring fatigue.
- Practicing with an all out effort, all the time.
- Playing every play as if it were the only one that counts.
- Winning games in the fourth quarter.
- Being self-motivated and self-directed.
- Choosing to be positive and confident at all times.
- Not being afraid to make a mistake.
- Learning from mistakes and letting them go.
- Keeping emotions under control.
- Enjoying the challenge of pressure situations.
- Having the ability to get pumped up for all types of competition.
- Being relentless in pursuit of goals.
- Developing a long concentration span.
- Never being intimidated.
- Standing tall in the face of adversity.
- Being able to focus on those things that are within your control.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Kids Against Hunger
The season theme for this year is "hungry." You've probably seen it around. We want to be hungry for victory, hungry to compete, hungry to preform our best. We also want to be hungry to serve. We talk a lot about how our football program is about more than Friday nights. Our goal, every year, is to make WHS Shamrock Football the most memorable and rewarding experience of a family member's high school career. That doesn't happen through just practicing and playing games.
Our program is hungry to serve. We have a unique opportunity that being a large family grants us. We have the strength of numbers and the power to effect change, improving lives in our community and world at large. Even in season, we are committed to service.
With this in mind, it's pretty easy to see how we came up with the Kids Against Hunger service opportunity. We choose to be hungry. There are plenty of folks out there who don't have that choice.
We're putting our muscle where our mouth is (or something like that). This Saturday, in the WHS LGI room, the Westfield High School Shamrock Football team, with the help of the WHS Cheerleaders, will be packaging 12,000 hunger relief boxes. That's right: Twelve Thousand. Cans will be flying.
In addition, we're aiming to raise $3,000 for the relief efforts. That shakes out to around $20/player. Larger donations are certainly welcome. We're hoping to hit that mark, because any shortfall will be put up by Coach Gilbert out of his wallet. He committed the amount, and believes in our team to have his back. Let's not leave him hanging.
I'm hoping to post some pictures of the event, and maybe convince one of our leadership council members to relate what the experience was like from the perspective of a player. Here is a picture of the flier if you'd like to print it and pass it around. Please consider making a donation.
Our program is hungry to serve. We have a unique opportunity that being a large family grants us. We have the strength of numbers and the power to effect change, improving lives in our community and world at large. Even in season, we are committed to service.
With this in mind, it's pretty easy to see how we came up with the Kids Against Hunger service opportunity. We choose to be hungry. There are plenty of folks out there who don't have that choice.
We're putting our muscle where our mouth is (or something like that). This Saturday, in the WHS LGI room, the Westfield High School Shamrock Football team, with the help of the WHS Cheerleaders, will be packaging 12,000 hunger relief boxes. That's right: Twelve Thousand. Cans will be flying.
In addition, we're aiming to raise $3,000 for the relief efforts. That shakes out to around $20/player. Larger donations are certainly welcome. We're hoping to hit that mark, because any shortfall will be put up by Coach Gilbert out of his wallet. He committed the amount, and believes in our team to have his back. Let's not leave him hanging.
I'm hoping to post some pictures of the event, and maybe convince one of our leadership council members to relate what the experience was like from the perspective of a player. Here is a picture of the flier if you'd like to print it and pass it around. Please consider making a donation.
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Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Vote For Your Rocks!
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
I was able to chase down a summary from both the JV and Freshmen coaches. Here's what they had to say about their games...
Freshmen (1-0)
The freshman football rocks started off their season with a victory. The game was delayed an hour and a half because of lightning, but that didn’t stop the rocks. Brandon Karsnick scored three touchdowns and all of them came on run plays. Jordan Grimes scored a touchdown after a 10 yard run up the middle. Sam Trompen threw 2 two-point conversions. The defense forced 4 turnovers. The defense was lead by Sam Trompen and Colton Murphy in tackles. The rocks played an excellent game and won 28-12.
Come out and support the Freshman team at their next game when they host Avon on Monday, August 27th at 6:00 PM.
Great job, Rocks! Wins all around!
JV (1-0)
The JV Football Team started the season with a big victory over Harrison, 49-6. They were hungry, and they ate.
Offensively, the rocks scored all of their touchdowns on the ground. Elvin Caldwell had three touchdowns and was selected as offensive player of the game. Luke Peters, Trey Stewart, Bailey Partlow, and Austin Dalton also had a touchdown in the game. Senior Dalton had the big play of the game with the 75 yard touchdown run. Ben Wainscott and Bubba Malloy were especially consistent on the offensive line as they opened up holes for the running game.
Defensively, the Rocks D may have broken records with 8 forced turnovers. Brock Ginder and Matt Kinney had two big interceptions. Cam Shaw, Matt Kinney, Bailey Partlow, and Ryan Pape had fumble recoveries as well! The D line had multiple sacks from many players, including Keontaye Crawford and Ben Huntley. Grady Young, Josh Blanton, and Evan Harlan played hard on defense with multiple tackles for the rocks!
In the special teams phase, Daryn Milton blocked a punt and Paul Waite was 3 for 3 on extra points. Ryan Pepiot led the team on net punting with a big kick to the opponents’ ten yard line.
The JV Rocks will be on the road next week as they travel to Avon Monday at 6:00 P.M.
Offensively, the rocks scored all of their touchdowns on the ground. Elvin Caldwell had three touchdowns and was selected as offensive player of the game. Luke Peters, Trey Stewart, Bailey Partlow, and Austin Dalton also had a touchdown in the game. Senior Dalton had the big play of the game with the 75 yard touchdown run. Ben Wainscott and Bubba Malloy were especially consistent on the offensive line as they opened up holes for the running game.
Defensively, the Rocks D may have broken records with 8 forced turnovers. Brock Ginder and Matt Kinney had two big interceptions. Cam Shaw, Matt Kinney, Bailey Partlow, and Ryan Pape had fumble recoveries as well! The D line had multiple sacks from many players, including Keontaye Crawford and Ben Huntley. Grady Young, Josh Blanton, and Evan Harlan played hard on defense with multiple tackles for the rocks!
In the special teams phase, Daryn Milton blocked a punt and Paul Waite was 3 for 3 on extra points. Ryan Pepiot led the team on net punting with a big kick to the opponents’ ten yard line.
The JV Rocks will be on the road next week as they travel to Avon Monday at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (1-0)
The freshman football rocks started off their season with a victory. The game was delayed an hour and a half because of lightning, but that didn’t stop the rocks. Brandon Karsnick scored three touchdowns and all of them came on run plays. Jordan Grimes scored a touchdown after a 10 yard run up the middle. Sam Trompen threw 2 two-point conversions. The defense forced 4 turnovers. The defense was lead by Sam Trompen and Colton Murphy in tackles. The rocks played an excellent game and won 28-12.
Come out and support the Freshman team at their next game when they host Avon on Monday, August 27th at 6:00 PM.
Great job, Rocks! Wins all around!
#RockReport - Harrison
Varsity Football opened their season on the road at Lafayette Harrison. The hard-hitting Shamrocks overwhelmed their opponent, achieving a 27-7 victory over the Raiders.
Offensively, the Shamrock aerial assault was devastating. The one-two punch of Nick Ferrer’s arm combined with an avalanche of Rocks on the ground to put up 27 points. Zane Burtron led a line that dominated scrimmage all night, enabling Ferrer to deliver end-zone celebrations to Devin Reece, Frank Grimes, and Kory Kostecka (twice).
The Rock D stifled the Raiders, giving up no points. (The only points put up by Harrison came from a third quarter kickoff return.) The Rocks were led by the consistent play of Austin Jordan and the stand-out tackling of Mitch Turley. The highlight of the night came when Matt Kinney forced a fumble that was scooped by A.J. Gilchrist. The big man burst out of the pack with the end zone in his eye, returning the recovery for a good chunk of yardage before the Raiders were able to catch up and bring him down.
Special mention should be given to Josh Blanton, Elvin Caldwell, and Daniel Kainrath. These three Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. Overwhelming victory owes its roots to overwhelming preparation and hard work on the practice field.
The Rocks will play their home opener this Friday against the Avon Eagles. Kickoff is at 7pm.
(Edit: JV and Freshmen netted wins for the Rocks on Monday night as well. Great job! I will try to squeeze a write-up from the JV and Freshmen coaches.)
Offensively, the Shamrock aerial assault was devastating. The one-two punch of Nick Ferrer’s arm combined with an avalanche of Rocks on the ground to put up 27 points. Zane Burtron led a line that dominated scrimmage all night, enabling Ferrer to deliver end-zone celebrations to Devin Reece, Frank Grimes, and Kory Kostecka (twice).
The Rock D stifled the Raiders, giving up no points. (The only points put up by Harrison came from a third quarter kickoff return.) The Rocks were led by the consistent play of Austin Jordan and the stand-out tackling of Mitch Turley. The highlight of the night came when Matt Kinney forced a fumble that was scooped by A.J. Gilchrist. The big man burst out of the pack with the end zone in his eye, returning the recovery for a good chunk of yardage before the Raiders were able to catch up and bring him down.
Special mention should be given to Josh Blanton, Elvin Caldwell, and Daniel Kainrath. These three Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. Overwhelming victory owes its roots to overwhelming preparation and hard work on the practice field.
The Rocks will play their home opener this Friday against the Avon Eagles. Kickoff is at 7pm.
(Edit: JV and Freshmen netted wins for the Rocks on Monday night as well. Great job! I will try to squeeze a write-up from the JV and Freshmen coaches.)
Monday, August 20, 2012
2012 Captains and Leadership Council
The Westfield High School Shamrock Football Program is really only as strong as its members. Each year represents a chance for new leaders to take up the mantle of the departed, and forge a renewed path in our quest for excellence. Most football teams have captains, but I don't know that many have a leadership council. We Rocks have both.
Our captains aren't simply chosen at the end of a random practice by a show of hands. Rather, we ask that each captain apply for the position, and draft an essay explaining why they believe they would be a good captain and leader, what the program means to them, and how they plan to help the team. The essays are made available to everyone in the locker room to review before casting their votes. Coach Gilbert then reviews the votes, essays, and selects the captain's based on what he sees as the team's desire.
Thus, our captains are not always simply "seniors." Also, we may have a different number of captains from year to year. Generally, with 90+ votes, trends make themselves pretty clear. If, for instance, you have three top vote gatherers, and then the number of votes drops sharply after that... we will have three captains. Four way tie? We'll have four. Two very, very strong candidates? We'll run with two. Each team is different, each year is different. Our selection process takes into account this truth.
In addition to captain selection, we also form a Leadership Council with representatives from every class. Yes, Seniors through Freshman have a voice in this council. Coach Gilbert consults with the council often on everything from jersey color choice to potential team disciplinary actions. We are a family, and we do our best to listen to each family member. No easy tasks when you're talking about such a large group of young men. Still, we like to think our system is somewhat unique and a bit above-and-beyond your typical high school football fare. We want our players to have a voice and hand in our program's development.
As such, I'm proud to announce this year's selection of captains and leadership council members. They were chosen prior to last Friday's game, but I didn't get a chance to write this up until now (there were announcements on Twitter!). So, without further ado, here are your voices for the team:
Captains
Our captains aren't simply chosen at the end of a random practice by a show of hands. Rather, we ask that each captain apply for the position, and draft an essay explaining why they believe they would be a good captain and leader, what the program means to them, and how they plan to help the team. The essays are made available to everyone in the locker room to review before casting their votes. Coach Gilbert then reviews the votes, essays, and selects the captain's based on what he sees as the team's desire.
Thus, our captains are not always simply "seniors." Also, we may have a different number of captains from year to year. Generally, with 90+ votes, trends make themselves pretty clear. If, for instance, you have three top vote gatherers, and then the number of votes drops sharply after that... we will have three captains. Four way tie? We'll have four. Two very, very strong candidates? We'll run with two. Each team is different, each year is different. Our selection process takes into account this truth.
In addition to captain selection, we also form a Leadership Council with representatives from every class. Yes, Seniors through Freshman have a voice in this council. Coach Gilbert consults with the council often on everything from jersey color choice to potential team disciplinary actions. We are a family, and we do our best to listen to each family member. No easy tasks when you're talking about such a large group of young men. Still, we like to think our system is somewhat unique and a bit above-and-beyond your typical high school football fare. We want our players to have a voice and hand in our program's development.
As such, I'm proud to announce this year's selection of captains and leadership council members. They were chosen prior to last Friday's game, but I didn't get a chance to write this up until now (there were announcements on Twitter!). So, without further ado, here are your voices for the team:
Captains
- Nick Ferrer
- Normando Gonzalez
- Stephen Curry
New Leadership Council Members
- Jacob Tebbe
- Eric Miner
- Carson Lorts
- Normando Gonzalez
- Kory Kostecka
- Nick Ferrer
- Zane Burtron
- Adam Horkay
- Jacob Robinson
- Bailey Partlow
- Johnny Crawford
- Nick Sloderbeck
- Sam Trompen
We expect a lot of hard work from these guys in helping to shape our season and program. #Hungry
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Highlights: WHS @ Harrison
Sundays generally find me collecting the highlights from Friday's game, and sending them out to various media outlets. This year, the Indy Star is planning to put together a top ten list each week with Indianapolis area teams. Each week, I'll be shipping clips off to them. Fans, players, friends... if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in comments after Friday's game. Pick any post (or shoot me a tweet or facebook message), and we'll make sure to take a look at that play. They tell me their compilation is planned to go up Monday morning, so Sunday is the cutoff for Indy Star consideration. (I have no problems starring fan favorites to show up on our team highlight page later.)
Sunday, then, I'll try to share the coaches' top picks. These may not make the Indy Star list, but they're our favorites. Here's a link to the video area. You do not need a Hudl account to view this clips (I think. Let me know if you can't see them). You should be able to view the clips from this week (and past weeks).
This week, we've starred three plays. In order:
Sunday, then, I'll try to share the coaches' top picks. These may not make the Indy Star list, but they're our favorites. Here's a link to the video area. You do not need a Hudl account to view this clips (I think. Let me know if you can't see them). You should be able to view the clips from this week (and past weeks).
This week, we've starred three plays. In order:
- QB Nick Ferrer's TD throw to WR Devin Reece.
- QB Nick Ferrer's TD throw to WR Kory Kostecka.
- DL A.J. Gilchrist's bumblin' stumblin' fumble recovery.
Great job, Rocks!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Game Day: Harrison
Tonight marks the opening game for the 2012 season. This is the first one that really "counts," and we're a long way from home. Even so, we're counting on a strong showing from the Shamrock Faithful.
It may seem a bit strange, this week, having a game before school has officially started. So please spread the word. Get the student body out to the game. They can't claim to have homework. We'd like to look up into the visitor's bleachers at Harrison and see a sea of white.
That's right, we're going for a white-out tonight. The team will be wearing white on white. Friends, family, fans... you should too!
Kickoff is at 7pm, at William Henry Harrison High School in West Lafayette, IN. Don't know how to get there? We've got you covered. Go Rocks!
View Larger Map
(Edit: From Coach G - We are doing a white out, but if you feel compelled to show support with a splash of pink, feel free! Let's be first class during Harrison's time of healing! Go Rocks!)
It may seem a bit strange, this week, having a game before school has officially started. So please spread the word. Get the student body out to the game. They can't claim to have homework. We'd like to look up into the visitor's bleachers at Harrison and see a sea of white.
That's right, we're going for a white-out tonight. The team will be wearing white on white. Friends, family, fans... you should too!
Kickoff is at 7pm, at William Henry Harrison High School in West Lafayette, IN. Don't know how to get there? We've got you covered. Go Rocks!
View Larger Map
(Edit: From Coach G - We are doing a white out, but if you feel compelled to show support with a splash of pink, feel free! Let's be first class during Harrison's time of healing! Go Rocks!)
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Leadership is... Discipline
Each week, we visit a specific character trait common in leaders. Our Leadership Series is on-going, and it is something we like to make sure stays a part of the bigger picture. Football is about more than just Friday Night. It is about developing leaders in the community. That is one of the central ideas of our off-the-field program goals.
This week, we discuss Discipline:
The most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. The disciplined athlete:
Choose to be disciplined. (Discipline yourself and others won’t have to.)
Away From Practice/School:
“Discipline means sometimes doing what you really don’t want to do so that you can do what you really want to do.”
This week, we discuss Discipline:
The most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. The disciplined athlete:
- Does what has to be done.
- When it has to be done.
- As well as it can be done.
- And does it that way all the time.
Choose to be disciplined. (Discipline yourself and others won’t have to.)
Away From Practice/School:
- Eat right.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Hang around with people that will make you better—not bring you down.
- Aim for perfect attendance.
- Pay attention to everything the teacher says.
- Sit where you can hear and are not distracted by others.
- Write all assignments down in your planner.
- Do all of your homework and study for tests.
- Let your behavior serve as a positive role-model to others.
- Always be on time.
- Leave all personal problems/negative thoughts in the locker room.
- Do your best in every aspect of practice—even the things you don’t like doing.
- Give coaches your complete attention.
- Try to make those around you better.
- Realize the importance of pre-game habits—meetings/visualization.
- Stay completely focused on your assignments—eliminate distractions.
- Handle adversity—bad calls, mistakes, etc.
- Respond to coaching.
- Be a team player.
- Win with class.
“Discipline means sometimes doing what you really don’t want to do so that you can do what you really want to do.”
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Friday Night's Scrimmage Format
Tomorrow marks the end of two-a-days and your first official chance to see the 2012 Westfield Shamrocks in action. We will be scrimmaging Hamilton Heights at the WHS football field. The competition starts at 7pm, and this is the only event of the year where you'll be assured to see a wide spectrum of players. I wanted to pass on the format that we've chosen to use, so fans and family know what to expect.
The state of Indiana allows teams to choose between two options for the scrimmage. We have selected Option B. Option B is as follows:
The state of Indiana allows teams to choose between two options for the scrimmage. We have selected Option B. Option B is as follows:
- 20 Minute Warm-up
- 15 plays or 15 minutes from the opposing 35 yard line. Each team gets 15, then switch.
- 4 Minute Break
- 10 plays or 10 minutes from the 10 yard line (red zone). Each team.
- 4 Minute Break
- 12 plays or 12 minutes from the 35 yard line. Each team.
- 1 Minute Transition Break
- 8 plays or 8 minutes from the opposing 35 yard line. Reserves, each team.
- 4 Minute Break
- 8 plays or 8 minutes from a yard line of the team's choice. Reserves, each team.
The total time is listed at 2 hours, 19 minutes. Scrimmages are a bit more informal than your usual Friday night (obviously), but we're going to be out there to compete. We want to win our game situations.
I'll try to live tweet during the game, updating the scoreboard on the website as well. Due to the nature of the scrimmage, scoring may not make a whole lot of sense. We'll see how it goes.
Go Rocks!
(Edit: Updated the game time to 7pm. I was looking at the wrong calendar. Apologies.)
(Edit: Updated the game time to 7pm. I was looking at the wrong calendar. Apologies.)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Picture Day
Here are your 2012 Westfield Rocks
Kickers
Quarterbacks
Tight Ends
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
And So It Begins
The IHSAA football season is official underway! Your Rocks have started two-a-days this week. We're hard at work, putting all the pieces together that we worked to shape up during the pre-season. It's a great year to be a Shamrock.
In case you missed it, I wanted to mention several recent highlights. On Monday, the Rocks kicked off the season with our obstacle course. It was a great team-building event, as fun as it was hellish.
The team also got to visit Anderson College and watch a practice for the Indianapolis Colts. The invite came via the Indiana Blood Center, as a reward for leading the state in donations for the recent blood drive. It was an awesome experience.
During both of these events, you may have seen us live tweeting (complete with pictures) from our @ShamrockFB twitter account. This is something we hope to do a lot of as the season progresses. Posts like this may become more scarce (we'll be spending more time on the field and all that), but twitter allows for more mobility. If you're not already following us, check us out on there. It should be a great way to stay in touch when we're not at home.
And, as always, Go Rocks!
In case you missed it, I wanted to mention several recent highlights. On Monday, the Rocks kicked off the season with our obstacle course. It was a great team-building event, as fun as it was hellish.
The team also got to visit Anderson College and watch a practice for the Indianapolis Colts. The invite came via the Indiana Blood Center, as a reward for leading the state in donations for the recent blood drive. It was an awesome experience.
During both of these events, you may have seen us live tweeting (complete with pictures) from our @ShamrockFB twitter account. This is something we hope to do a lot of as the season progresses. Posts like this may become more scarce (we'll be spending more time on the field and all that), but twitter allows for more mobility. If you're not already following us, check us out on there. It should be a great way to stay in touch when we're not at home.
And, as always, Go Rocks!
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