I know you were all very concerned, but the WHS Football Calendar has now been updated for the New Year. Let's start 2013 off right. Hit those workouts!
Also, note the Nutrition Meeting this Thursday on the calendar. It is for players and parents who would like to learn more about nutrition as it relates to our student-athletes. Please consider attending. If you have questions, contact Coach Gilbert.
More events will be added as they come up, but as of now you should have at least the basic workout schedule.
Go Rocks!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Be A Student of the Game
It's been pretty quiet on here, hasn't it? The coaching staff has been busy (hence a lack of articles). A lot of folks may not realize this, but there is an upside to losing early in the tournament. We'd obviously rather be playing (way, way rather be playing), but we're not about to let an opportunity for improvement pass us up. An early exit allows us to attend other practices and find lessons to apply to our own program. You can discover a lot about the nature of a team by observing them practice.
It's also an opportunity to catch up on all the work we've been putting off. Consult other coaches about certain aspects of the offense or defense. Brush up on some game film. Kick back and take in our favorite teams at the collegiate and professional levels. I'm sure that's not at all unlike many of you (especially over Thanksgiving!).
If you're a student-athlete, you should always be learning. While you're munching on that turkey, watching a game, keep your mind active. What is the team doing well? What are they doing poorly? How could you use something, anything that they are doing to improve your own play? Be a student of the game, at all times.
Just wanted to mention this in the wake of yesterday's post. We have some really smart people in our program. A high level of intelligence, team-wise, is definitely something we coaches consider a strength of Westfield Football. This fact, however, means exactly nothing for us on the field if we do not endeavor to make the most of our gifts. Offseasons are where champions are made. What are you doing to increase your football IQ?
Always strive to learn; in sport, in life, in faith.
It's also an opportunity to catch up on all the work we've been putting off. Consult other coaches about certain aspects of the offense or defense. Brush up on some game film. Kick back and take in our favorite teams at the collegiate and professional levels. I'm sure that's not at all unlike many of you (especially over Thanksgiving!).
If you're a student-athlete, you should always be learning. While you're munching on that turkey, watching a game, keep your mind active. What is the team doing well? What are they doing poorly? How could you use something, anything that they are doing to improve your own play? Be a student of the game, at all times.
Just wanted to mention this in the wake of yesterday's post. We have some really smart people in our program. A high level of intelligence, team-wise, is definitely something we coaches consider a strength of Westfield Football. This fact, however, means exactly nothing for us on the field if we do not endeavor to make the most of our gifts. Offseasons are where champions are made. What are you doing to increase your football IQ?
Always strive to learn; in sport, in life, in faith.
Monday, November 26, 2012
First Tri-mester Grades
Grades are in! You better believe us coaches are tracking your academic progress with diligence (and, you know, PRIDE). We'd like to give recognition to our top 15 classroom performers:
- Mitchell Turley
- Jacob Tebbe
- Normando Gonzalez
- Jonathan Crawford
- Spencer Tebbe
- Matthew Kinney
- Benjamin Huntley
- Dani Hartnett
- William McCool
- Samuel Trompen
- Madison Turley
- Robert Harrison
- Renzo Alvarez
- Eric Rearden
- Turner Edwards
Keep up the good work!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Announcement: Football Banquet
This Thursday, November 1 we will be having our end-of-season football banquet. This coincides with the WHS Fall Sports Awards program. The program starts at 7pm in the WHS auditorium. Immediately following the program, we will be presenting our football-specific awards. We anticipate the program to wrap up around 10pm. All players should attend wearing a shirt and tie. Highlight videos will be available for $10.
See you there!
See you there!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Haunted House Trip
Coach Gilbert already sent a message out via Hudl, but I wanted to post something on here, too. The haunted house trip is still on! Bus leaves on Thursday at 5:30pm from the locker room. Don't be late. The cost is $13. No food will be provided, but the do have a concession stand there.
This is a team activity! Coach Gilbert is assuming that everyone is going. If you are NOT going, please contact Coach directly.
For those that are going, tweet us some good pictures at @ShamrockFB! Who are the scaredy-cats of the team?
This is a team activity! Coach Gilbert is assuming that everyone is going. If you are NOT going, please contact Coach directly.
For those that are going, tweet us some good pictures at @ShamrockFB! Who are the scaredy-cats of the team?
Monday, October 22, 2012
Players - Team Meeting Tomorrow
From Coach G -
Tomorrow, there is a mandatory team meeting for everyone who plans to play football next year. It will be held in the portable. Starts during bonus and will last past the late bus. Make sure you have transportation lined up!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Leadership is... Enthusiasm
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
Great teams demonstrate enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is both powerful and contagious. Enthusiasm spreads. It is very difficult to excel in any activity that you do not love. You must learn to put your heart into your work and not be afraid to let it show. A true competitor brings enthusiasm to the field every day.
“The real secret of success is enthusiasm.”
Enthusiasm brings on excitement. Excitement produces energy. Energy generates extra effort. Extra Effort develops success.
“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent.”
“Enthusiasm is faith set on fire.”
“Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.”
“It is impossible to excel at something you don’t enjoy. Find a way to enjoy the challenge.”
PASSION = ENTHUSIASM
Great teams demonstrate enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is both powerful and contagious. Enthusiasm spreads. It is very difficult to excel in any activity that you do not love. You must learn to put your heart into your work and not be afraid to let it show. A true competitor brings enthusiasm to the field every day.
“The real secret of success is enthusiasm.”
Enthusiasm brings on excitement. Excitement produces energy. Energy generates extra effort. Extra Effort develops success.
“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent.”
“Enthusiasm is faith set on fire.”
“Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.”
“It is impossible to excel at something you don’t enjoy. Find a way to enjoy the challenge.”
PASSION = ENTHUSIASM
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
Last JV/Freshmen report of the year! It's always a good sign for the future when the records of the younger teams improve upon the varsity record. We want to keep improving until that right side is consistently 0. Pound the Rock!
Thank you to all the family and fans that came out to the JV/Freshmen games. Obviously, we don't get as big of a crowd as on a Friday night, but we make up for that in die-hard-ness! Hopefully, you got to see your young men play exciting Shamrock football and really enjoy their experience. One of the things I've always appreciated about football at the younger levels is that you do away with a lot of the distractions a Friday night can bring. It's nice, sometimes to get back to playing simple football again, to remember how much fun the game can be even when it doesn't make the nightly news highlights.
Great season Rocks! I know I can speak for the entire staff when I say that we are very proud of all the hard work you guys have put in this year. It has been a pleasure to teach you the game of football, and we look forward to witnessing the rest of your careers as a Westfield Shamrock.
JV (4-5)
The JV Football Team ended their football journey with its third straight victory beating Lafayette Jeff 55-28.
Offensively, the Rocks were unstoppable on the ground and through the air. Elvin Caldwell had two rushing touchdowns and caught a one-handed screen pass for another TD. Ryan Pepiot continued to throw the ball well with two touchdown passes to Ben Lotfalian and Will Davis. Lotfalian’s TD pass was 88 yards! Renzo Alvarez led an offensive line that worked hard all night!
Defensively, the Rocks flew around and never quit on the play. They forced four turnovers which was actually their lowest number in the four victories they have had this season. The biggest play of the night came on the last play of the first half when Ben Huntley forced a fumble deep in Rock territory and Matt Kinney picked it up for an 86 yard touchdown as time expired. Trey Stewart also forced a fumble that was recovered by Ryan Rubicz. Evan Slagle had a fumble recovery and a forced throw on the “Slagle play”. Paul Waite came in with his first interception at safety as well!
In the special teams phase, Paul Waite made quite a few extra points and Wes Gagnon had some big tackles during the Warrior Dash kickoffs.
Congratulations, JV Rocks, on a fun-filled season!
Freshmen (5-4)
The freshmen football team wrapped up their season with a victory 24-20 to give them a winning season. Milo Beam caught the first touchdown from Sam Trompen. Henry Decker kicked the extra point. Brandon Karsnick scored on a 51 yard touchdown run. Taylor Knight kicked the extra point. Max McCool caught a 34 yard touchdown pass from Sam Trompen. Henry Decker then kicked a 27 yard field goal. Brandon Karsnick finished with 112 yards rushing. Sam Trompen had 134 yards passing. Sam Trompen lead the defense with 10 tackles. Colton Murphy had 7 tackles. Daniel Kainrath had 6 tackles and one hammer hit on Lafayette Jeff’s quarterback. Will McCool ended the game with an interception. The freshmen team finished the season 5-4.
Great Job, Freshmen Rocks, in finishing strong!
Thank you to all the family and fans that came out to the JV/Freshmen games. Obviously, we don't get as big of a crowd as on a Friday night, but we make up for that in die-hard-ness! Hopefully, you got to see your young men play exciting Shamrock football and really enjoy their experience. One of the things I've always appreciated about football at the younger levels is that you do away with a lot of the distractions a Friday night can bring. It's nice, sometimes to get back to playing simple football again, to remember how much fun the game can be even when it doesn't make the nightly news highlights.
Great season Rocks! I know I can speak for the entire staff when I say that we are very proud of all the hard work you guys have put in this year. It has been a pleasure to teach you the game of football, and we look forward to witnessing the rest of your careers as a Westfield Shamrock.
JV (4-5)
The JV Football Team ended their football journey with its third straight victory beating Lafayette Jeff 55-28.
Offensively, the Rocks were unstoppable on the ground and through the air. Elvin Caldwell had two rushing touchdowns and caught a one-handed screen pass for another TD. Ryan Pepiot continued to throw the ball well with two touchdown passes to Ben Lotfalian and Will Davis. Lotfalian’s TD pass was 88 yards! Renzo Alvarez led an offensive line that worked hard all night!
Defensively, the Rocks flew around and never quit on the play. They forced four turnovers which was actually their lowest number in the four victories they have had this season. The biggest play of the night came on the last play of the first half when Ben Huntley forced a fumble deep in Rock territory and Matt Kinney picked it up for an 86 yard touchdown as time expired. Trey Stewart also forced a fumble that was recovered by Ryan Rubicz. Evan Slagle had a fumble recovery and a forced throw on the “Slagle play”. Paul Waite came in with his first interception at safety as well!
In the special teams phase, Paul Waite made quite a few extra points and Wes Gagnon had some big tackles during the Warrior Dash kickoffs.
Congratulations, JV Rocks, on a fun-filled season!
Freshmen (5-4)
The freshmen football team wrapped up their season with a victory 24-20 to give them a winning season. Milo Beam caught the first touchdown from Sam Trompen. Henry Decker kicked the extra point. Brandon Karsnick scored on a 51 yard touchdown run. Taylor Knight kicked the extra point. Max McCool caught a 34 yard touchdown pass from Sam Trompen. Henry Decker then kicked a 27 yard field goal. Brandon Karsnick finished with 112 yards rushing. Sam Trompen had 134 yards passing. Sam Trompen lead the defense with 10 tackles. Colton Murphy had 7 tackles. Daniel Kainrath had 6 tackles and one hammer hit on Lafayette Jeff’s quarterback. Will McCool ended the game with an interception. The freshmen team finished the season 5-4.
Great Job, Freshmen Rocks, in finishing strong!
Monday, October 15, 2012
#RockReport - Lafayette Jeff
Varsity Football took on Lafayette Jefferson on Friday, pounding out a 35-28 victory. The team was able to put it together and seal a victory despite a late surge by the visiting Bronchos.
Offensively, the Shamrocks seemed able to score at will, led by the consistent play of Johnny Crawford. The front line dominated, pushing the ball forward on the ground and putting up the points. Jacob Robinson helped to finish several of those drives, powering the ball through to the goal.
Defensively, the Rocks held a speedy and athletic Broncho offense in check. Jacob Robinson was again instrumental, and the consistent play of Adam Horkay helped anchor the defensive efforts. Ethan Goins provided the big play of the night, scooping a fumble and returning it out of the Red Zone.
Special Teams was able to keep the Rocks sailing through the transitions of the game, providing some good returns and solid punt protection.
Special mention should be given to Austin Mazura, Bubba Maloy, Josh Hayward, and Grady Young. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They put it together this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks host the Noblesville Millers in Friday’s Sectional Opener. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Offensively, the Shamrocks seemed able to score at will, led by the consistent play of Johnny Crawford. The front line dominated, pushing the ball forward on the ground and putting up the points. Jacob Robinson helped to finish several of those drives, powering the ball through to the goal.
Defensively, the Rocks held a speedy and athletic Broncho offense in check. Jacob Robinson was again instrumental, and the consistent play of Adam Horkay helped anchor the defensive efforts. Ethan Goins provided the big play of the night, scooping a fumble and returning it out of the Red Zone.
Special Teams was able to keep the Rocks sailing through the transitions of the game, providing some good returns and solid punt protection.
Special mention should be given to Austin Mazura, Bubba Maloy, Josh Hayward, and Grady Young. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They put it together this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks host the Noblesville Millers in Friday’s Sectional Opener. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Leadership is... Teamwork
“Championship teams are made up of people who are concerned about something beyond themselves.”
“The team must always come first.”
“Don’t let your teammates down” speaks to every situation in which athletes can find themselves.”
“Teamwork allows ordinary people to attain extraordinary results.”
“There are no individual winners on a losing team.”
“What sets apart championship teams is the degree to how deeply committed the members are to one another.”
“If your goal is to play together and play hard, then winning takes care of itself.”
A champion team will beat a team of individual champions.”
“In unity there is strength.”
“Everyone on a championship team doesn’t get publicity, but everyone can say he’s a champion.”
- One of the most important fundamentals of successful teamwork is the elimination of selfishness. Selfishness on the team level or with any individual player will destroy a team faster than anything else.
- A team first attitude allows people to accept roles that make others better. Great teams have individual players who each make their own unique contribution to the group’s success.
- Roles can either be a force that binds the team together or creates jealousy between individuals. If value is shown equally to every role, it is easier for each role to be embraced by every player. The more each individual squad member feels like they are part of the team, the more they will contribute.
- The power of an effective team is directly proportional to the effort each team member brings to their individual skills and role.
“The team must always come first.”
“Don’t let your teammates down” speaks to every situation in which athletes can find themselves.”
“Teamwork allows ordinary people to attain extraordinary results.”
“There are no individual winners on a losing team.”
“What sets apart championship teams is the degree to how deeply committed the members are to one another.”
“If your goal is to play together and play hard, then winning takes care of itself.”
A champion team will beat a team of individual champions.”
“In unity there is strength.”
“Everyone on a championship team doesn’t get publicity, but everyone can say he’s a champion.”
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
JV (3-5)
The JV Football Team won Monday night, beating Noblesville 34-14.
Offensively, the Rocks had rushing touchdowns from Elvin Caldwell and Johnny Crawford. Ryan Pepiot also threw two touchdown passes, one to Ben Lotfalian and the other to Jeff Lackey. The offensive line blocked well all night led by Ben Wainscott, Bubba Malloy, and Ryan Pape.
Defensively, the Rocks flew around and forced 6 more turnovers! Grady Young had an interception, Gavin Cross had two interceptions, and Bailey Partlow had an interception that he returned for a Touchdown! The Rocks had multiple sacks from the defensive line and linebacker position including ones from Evan Slagle, Bailey Partlow, and Sam Coe.
In the special teams phase, Luke Peters had tackles, Paul Waite kicked 4 extra points, and Ben Lotfalian averaged well with his punts Monday night.
The JV Rocks conclude their season next Monday as they travel to Lafayette Jeff at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (4-4)
The freshmen football team lost on Monday against Noblesville 42-34. The freshman team never gave up and continued fighting throughout the entire game. Brandon Karsnick scored on a 10 yard run with Henry Decker kicking the extra point. The Rocks got it rolling in the 3rd quarter putting up 19 points. Brandon Karsnick scored again on an 8 yard run. Mile Beam caught a 13 yard touchdown pass from Sam Trompen. Jordan Grimes also caught a 25 yard touchdown catch. In the 4th quarter, Jordan Grimes caught another touchdown pass. The defense worked hard and forced 1 turnover. Colton Murphy recovered the fumble and tried to return it for a touchdown but the whistle was blown first. Chris Davis and Noah Smith both had tackles for loss. The freshmen team’s last game is at home this Saturday vs. Lafayette Jeff at 10 A.M.
The JV Football Team won Monday night, beating Noblesville 34-14.
Offensively, the Rocks had rushing touchdowns from Elvin Caldwell and Johnny Crawford. Ryan Pepiot also threw two touchdown passes, one to Ben Lotfalian and the other to Jeff Lackey. The offensive line blocked well all night led by Ben Wainscott, Bubba Malloy, and Ryan Pape.
Defensively, the Rocks flew around and forced 6 more turnovers! Grady Young had an interception, Gavin Cross had two interceptions, and Bailey Partlow had an interception that he returned for a Touchdown! The Rocks had multiple sacks from the defensive line and linebacker position including ones from Evan Slagle, Bailey Partlow, and Sam Coe.
In the special teams phase, Luke Peters had tackles, Paul Waite kicked 4 extra points, and Ben Lotfalian averaged well with his punts Monday night.
The JV Rocks conclude their season next Monday as they travel to Lafayette Jeff at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (4-4)
The freshmen football team lost on Monday against Noblesville 42-34. The freshman team never gave up and continued fighting throughout the entire game. Brandon Karsnick scored on a 10 yard run with Henry Decker kicking the extra point. The Rocks got it rolling in the 3rd quarter putting up 19 points. Brandon Karsnick scored again on an 8 yard run. Mile Beam caught a 13 yard touchdown pass from Sam Trompen. Jordan Grimes also caught a 25 yard touchdown catch. In the 4th quarter, Jordan Grimes caught another touchdown pass. The defense worked hard and forced 1 turnover. Colton Murphy recovered the fumble and tried to return it for a touchdown but the whistle was blown first. Chris Davis and Noah Smith both had tackles for loss. The freshmen team’s last game is at home this Saturday vs. Lafayette Jeff at 10 A.M.
Monday, October 8, 2012
#RockReport - Noblesville
Varsity Football faced the Noblesville Millers last Friday, falling 6-14. It was a night where it seemed that even the weather worked against the team. The Rocks struggled in all phases of the game, despite clawing their way to an early lead.
Offensively, the Shamrocks were only able to put up 6 points on a long strike from Ferrer to Reece. Defensively, the Rocks had a great first half, but were unable to keep the Millers off the board in the second. Special Teams battled the weather, but were never quite able to flip the field.
Special mention should be given to Trey Stewart, Colin White, and the entire scout O-line. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They Pounded the Rock this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks host Lafayette Jefferson this Friday for the final home game of the regular season and Senior Night. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Offensively, the Shamrocks were only able to put up 6 points on a long strike from Ferrer to Reece. Defensively, the Rocks had a great first half, but were unable to keep the Millers off the board in the second. Special Teams battled the weather, but were never quite able to flip the field.
Special mention should be given to Trey Stewart, Colin White, and the entire scout O-line. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They Pounded the Rock this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks host Lafayette Jefferson this Friday for the final home game of the regular season and Senior Night. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Friday, October 5, 2012
#Gameday - Noblesville (And BSU Trip)
Big game tonight against the Millers to the east. Midland Rail trophy on the line. Game's at Noblesville, kickoff at 7:37pm (edit: bumped up). It's homecoming for them, and the game will be televised on HTSN Indy.
Need directions (sorry I missed you for McCutcheon last week, it was a busy one and I wasn't able to get this post up)? We've got ya covered this week. Just a straight shot down the road
View Larger Map
In other news, Coach Gilbert wanted me to pass along the exciting information that the BALL STATE TRIP IS ON for tomorrow. I've embedded the waver form below that players should have signed and brought with them. Here's the revised schedule:
Need directions (sorry I missed you for McCutcheon last week, it was a busy one and I wasn't able to get this post up)? We've got ya covered this week. Just a straight shot down the road
View Larger Map
In other news, Coach Gilbert wanted me to pass along the exciting information that the BALL STATE TRIP IS ON for tomorrow. I've embedded the waver form below that players should have signed and brought with them. Here's the revised schedule:
- Freshmen: No practice
- Varsity: Film at 11:30
- JV: Practice at Noon.
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| Click for larger view |
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Leadership is... Focus
“When you are properly focused to perform, you pay attention to what’s important in the play happening right now and completely block out everything irrelevant. When you are not focused, you pay attention to all of the wrong things at the worst possible times. The what-ifs steal your courage and kill you confidence.”
When you practice or compete you can mentally be in the past, the future, or the present. If you’re in the past, your mind is behind your body. For example, while you perform, your focus could be on a recent mistake, a bad call, or a missed opportunity. If you’re in the future, you mind is ahead of your body as you perform. You’re thinking about what might happen. If you’re in the present, your concentration and your body are working together. Your focus is locked onto what you are doing at that moment. You must consistently stay in the now of your practices and performances in order to perform at your best.
“Focus allows you to eliminate all of the unnecessary distractions that interfere with reaching the goals that have been set. Developing a laser focus on the agreed upon goals is one of the key ingredients to team success. Focus promotes attention to detail. Greatness is achieved through the discipline of attending to detail. Focusing is a skill that can be learned; it is also an attribute that is within your control. All performances improve when there is focus.”
One of the mental skills that distinguishes the athletes who are successful is their ability to adapt and re-focus in the face of distractions. When you enter competitive situations, many things have the potential to distract you, upset you, lower your confidence, or put you in a bad mood. But something becomes a distraction only if you let it distract you. You can choose to be distracted by it, or choose to let it go.
“You don’t lose your performance skills because of distractions; you let yourself lose the focus that allows yourself to execute your skills effectively.”
Coaching legend John Wooden always coached the process, not the outcome. Wooden never focused his players on winning, an uncontrollable. Instead, he got them to pay attention to giving a full effort and executing to the best of their ability. In doing so, he narrowed his players’ concentration to the process of the game.
“The world’s top athletes achieve their best results when they focus only on their performance and not on the outcome.”
“Stay focused on those things that are within your control.”
When you practice or compete you can mentally be in the past, the future, or the present. If you’re in the past, your mind is behind your body. For example, while you perform, your focus could be on a recent mistake, a bad call, or a missed opportunity. If you’re in the future, you mind is ahead of your body as you perform. You’re thinking about what might happen. If you’re in the present, your concentration and your body are working together. Your focus is locked onto what you are doing at that moment. You must consistently stay in the now of your practices and performances in order to perform at your best.
“Focus allows you to eliminate all of the unnecessary distractions that interfere with reaching the goals that have been set. Developing a laser focus on the agreed upon goals is one of the key ingredients to team success. Focus promotes attention to detail. Greatness is achieved through the discipline of attending to detail. Focusing is a skill that can be learned; it is also an attribute that is within your control. All performances improve when there is focus.”
One of the mental skills that distinguishes the athletes who are successful is their ability to adapt and re-focus in the face of distractions. When you enter competitive situations, many things have the potential to distract you, upset you, lower your confidence, or put you in a bad mood. But something becomes a distraction only if you let it distract you. You can choose to be distracted by it, or choose to let it go.
“You don’t lose your performance skills because of distractions; you let yourself lose the focus that allows yourself to execute your skills effectively.”
Coaching legend John Wooden always coached the process, not the outcome. Wooden never focused his players on winning, an uncontrollable. Instead, he got them to pay attention to giving a full effort and executing to the best of their ability. In doing so, he narrowed his players’ concentration to the process of the game.
“The world’s top athletes achieve their best results when they focus only on their performance and not on the outcome.”
“Stay focused on those things that are within your control.”
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
JV (2-5)
The JV Football Team won Monday night, beating McCutcheon 24-12.
Offensively, the Rocks had touchdowns from Matt Crupi, Ryan Pepiot, and Elvin Caldwell. Also, they had great blocking on the O-Line by Ryan Pape and some great receptions from Cameron Harrison.
Defensively, the Rocks flew around and forced 8 turnovers for the second time this season! Grady Young, Gavin Cross, and Jay Simons had interceptions. Ryan Wonderlin and Matt Kinney forced fumbles. Matt Crupi, Ben Huntley, Evan Harlan, Luke Peters, and Trey Stewart all recovered fumbles on defense.
In the special teams phase, Luke Peters was outstanding with lots and lots of open field tackles! Also, Paul Waite made a FG and was consistent with Punt and PAT.
The JV Rocks will be at home again next Monday as they take on the Noblesville Miners at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (4-3)
The freshmen football team lost on Monday against McCutcheon 20-6. Sam Trompen passed for 199 yards. Will McCool caught a touchdown of 12 yards. Milo Beam had 81 yards receiving. Brandon Karsnick rushed for 88 yards. On Defense Noah Smith had 7 tackles and 2 were for a loss. Their next game will be on Monday October 8th against Noblesville.
The JV Football Team won Monday night, beating McCutcheon 24-12.
Offensively, the Rocks had touchdowns from Matt Crupi, Ryan Pepiot, and Elvin Caldwell. Also, they had great blocking on the O-Line by Ryan Pape and some great receptions from Cameron Harrison.
Defensively, the Rocks flew around and forced 8 turnovers for the second time this season! Grady Young, Gavin Cross, and Jay Simons had interceptions. Ryan Wonderlin and Matt Kinney forced fumbles. Matt Crupi, Ben Huntley, Evan Harlan, Luke Peters, and Trey Stewart all recovered fumbles on defense.
In the special teams phase, Luke Peters was outstanding with lots and lots of open field tackles! Also, Paul Waite made a FG and was consistent with Punt and PAT.
The JV Rocks will be at home again next Monday as they take on the Noblesville Miners at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (4-3)
The freshmen football team lost on Monday against McCutcheon 20-6. Sam Trompen passed for 199 yards. Will McCool caught a touchdown of 12 yards. Milo Beam had 81 yards receiving. Brandon Karsnick rushed for 88 yards. On Defense Noah Smith had 7 tackles and 2 were for a loss. Their next game will be on Monday October 8th against Noblesville.
Monday, October 1, 2012
#RockReport - McCutcheon
Varsity Football faced the McCutcheon Mavericks last Friday, earning a 34-16 victory and raising their record to 2-5. The Rocks stepped off the bus after the long drive and never looked back. They started strong, and finished strong.
Offensively, the Shamrocks were led by the outstanding play of Quarterback Nick Ferrer. Frank Grimes provided the big play of the night with a long, shifty touchdown scamper. Grimes was also Mr. Consistency, providing solid ground gains all night.
The Rock D frustrated the Mavericks throughout the game, bottling up the run game and limiting the pass. Nick Woerner sprung a key fumble, and the consistent play of Jacob Robinson on the D Line anchored the defensive efforts. The Special Teams were led by the stellar play of Mitch Turley and the consistent play of Jay Simons.
Special mention should be given to Ben Huntley, Wes Gagnon, Cam Harrison, Trey Stewart, Luke Peters, and Jacob Eccles. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They Pounded the Rock this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks travel to Noblesville this Friday for a rivalry game against the Millers. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Offensively, the Shamrocks were led by the outstanding play of Quarterback Nick Ferrer. Frank Grimes provided the big play of the night with a long, shifty touchdown scamper. Grimes was also Mr. Consistency, providing solid ground gains all night.
The Rock D frustrated the Mavericks throughout the game, bottling up the run game and limiting the pass. Nick Woerner sprung a key fumble, and the consistent play of Jacob Robinson on the D Line anchored the defensive efforts. The Special Teams were led by the stellar play of Mitch Turley and the consistent play of Jay Simons.
Special mention should be given to Ben Huntley, Wes Gagnon, Cam Harrison, Trey Stewart, Luke Peters, and Jacob Eccles. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They Pounded the Rock this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks travel to Noblesville this Friday for a rivalry game against the Millers. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Leadership is... Overcoming Adversity
As a high school football player you can be dealing with many types of adversity. Adversity can come from:
“The trial of adversity will indicate whether we use the experience of it uses us.”
“Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.”
“More than anything else, what keeps a person going in the midst of adversity is having a sense of purpose. It is the fuel that powers persistence.”
“To achieve your dreams, you must embrace adversity and make failure a regular part of your life. If you’re not failing, you’re probably not really moving forward.”
“Don’t waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It’s okay to fail. If your not failing, you’re not growing.”
“When achievers fail, they see it as a momentary event, not a lifelong epidemic.”
Things you must understand about facing adversity:
- Issues you are dealing with at home or in school.
- Injuries.
- Weather conditions.
- Officials' calls/penalties.
- Getting behind in a game.
- Making mistakes.
“The trial of adversity will indicate whether we use the experience of it uses us.”
“Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.”
“More than anything else, what keeps a person going in the midst of adversity is having a sense of purpose. It is the fuel that powers persistence.”
“To achieve your dreams, you must embrace adversity and make failure a regular part of your life. If you’re not failing, you’re probably not really moving forward.”
“Don’t waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It’s okay to fail. If your not failing, you’re not growing.”
“When achievers fail, they see it as a momentary event, not a lifelong epidemic.”
Things you must understand about facing adversity:
- Adversity is a part of life. Don’t avoid situations where you might have to deal with it.
- Adverse situations should be a challenge, not a threat.
- Be self-assertive, rather than self-pitying.
- Look for possible solutions, rather than dwelling on the problem.
- During competition stay focused on the task at hand.
- Use positive self-talk to control things from within rather than allowing adverse external factors to take control.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
JV (1-5)
The JV Football Team competed Monday night, losing to HSE 27-7.
Offensively, the Rocks saw success in the running game with productivity from Matt Crupi who played with outstanding effort all night on both sides of the ball! He finished with 127 yards on the ground. Elvin Caldwell also ran the ball hard for the Rocks. The offensive line was powered by many, and Ryan Pape was named most consistent lineman of the ball game.
Defensively, the Rocks flew around until the end. Matt Crupi had 7 tackles, one fumble recovery, and a sack. Wes Gagnon and Jay Simons also had 7 tackles from the safety position, Wes coming up with a fumble recovery as well. Ryan Pape forced a fumble on the defensive line, and Josh Estridge recorded a sack for the Rocks. Turner Edwards also recovered a fumble and Cam Shaw had 5 tackles for the defense.
In the special teams phase, Josh Estridge was very consistent on punt averaging 34 yards a kick. Matt Crupi and Luke Peters flew down on many of the punts with tackles or forced fair catches. Nick Dowd was also successful with the JV Bee Hive onside kick as it was recovered by Matt Crupi.
The JV Rocks will be at home next Monday as they take on the McCutcheon Mavericks at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (4-2)
The freshmen team lost their second game of the year to Hamilton Southeastern 17-3. The Rocks played tough and there were some bright points. Henry Decker kicked a 22 yard field goal to give the rocks their only points. The offense marched the ball down the field 4 times but was not able to produce any points. Chris Davis once again had a great game on defense. The Shamrocks travel to McCutcheon on Monday, October 1st for their next game.
The JV Football Team competed Monday night, losing to HSE 27-7.
Offensively, the Rocks saw success in the running game with productivity from Matt Crupi who played with outstanding effort all night on both sides of the ball! He finished with 127 yards on the ground. Elvin Caldwell also ran the ball hard for the Rocks. The offensive line was powered by many, and Ryan Pape was named most consistent lineman of the ball game.
Defensively, the Rocks flew around until the end. Matt Crupi had 7 tackles, one fumble recovery, and a sack. Wes Gagnon and Jay Simons also had 7 tackles from the safety position, Wes coming up with a fumble recovery as well. Ryan Pape forced a fumble on the defensive line, and Josh Estridge recorded a sack for the Rocks. Turner Edwards also recovered a fumble and Cam Shaw had 5 tackles for the defense.
In the special teams phase, Josh Estridge was very consistent on punt averaging 34 yards a kick. Matt Crupi and Luke Peters flew down on many of the punts with tackles or forced fair catches. Nick Dowd was also successful with the JV Bee Hive onside kick as it was recovered by Matt Crupi.
The JV Rocks will be at home next Monday as they take on the McCutcheon Mavericks at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (4-2)
The freshmen team lost their second game of the year to Hamilton Southeastern 17-3. The Rocks played tough and there were some bright points. Henry Decker kicked a 22 yard field goal to give the rocks their only points. The offense marched the ball down the field 4 times but was not able to produce any points. Chris Davis once again had a great game on defense. The Shamrocks travel to McCutcheon on Monday, October 1st for their next game.
On the Shoulders of Giants
This week, Coach Gilbert has talked about Pounding the Rock to maximize each of our individual talents. It is not enough to simply accept your role on a team and play within that role. For the team to succeed at a high level, we need each individual to take PRIDE in their role and work hard to maximize their own individual potential. Do not settle. Always strive to improve. Do your role to the best of your ability, and then endeavor to increase that ability through hard work. If that work ends up expanding your role, so be it! Keep pounding!
The following individuals are former Rocks that are still pounding away, working to improve their potential in the game of football. They continue their careers at the collegiate level, and we wanted to acknowledge them. They've helped build the program you are a part of today, and we're quite proud of them.
The following individuals are former Rocks that are still pounding away, working to improve their potential in the game of football. They continue their careers at the collegiate level, and we wanted to acknowledge them. They've helped build the program you are a part of today, and we're quite proud of them.
- Wade Burtron - St. Joe's
- Brandon Gray - Wheaton
- Chris Huntley - Rose-Hulman (starting as a Freshman)
- Allen Mudd - Anderson
In addition, Cameron Pruett plans to attempt to walk on to IU in
the spring. Wish him luck.
Go Rocks.
Go Rocks.
Monday, September 24, 2012
#RockReport - HSE
Varsity Football squared off against the Hamilton Southeastern Royals this Saturday. The homecoming game had been moved due to inclement weather, and the Royals came in and stole the crown on dance day instead, beating the Rocks 41-38.
Offensively, the Shamrocks put a lot of points up on the board and were led by the relentless running attack of Frank Grimes. Deryion Sturdivant anchored the offensive line, opening holes all day and providing the most yards that Westfield has seen on the ground in a long time.
The Rock D weathered rocky patches and showed streaks of brilliance throughout a rough and tumble game. Ethan Goins was the big play maker on Saturday, energizing the defensive effort. Much of the Royal scoring was given up on big plays, but the defense stiffened in the end when needed, providing the Rocks an opportunity to almost sneak out with a win.
The Special Teams phase was interesting, to say the least, with heavy winds buffeting the field during the game. Despite the difficult conditions, there were several big plays. Jacob Tebbe’s punt block sticks out as perhaps the most electrifying.
Special mention should be given to Renzo Alvarez, Jeff Lackey, and Gavin Cross. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They Pounded the Rock this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks travel to McCutcheon this Friday to corral the Mavericks. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Offensively, the Shamrocks put a lot of points up on the board and were led by the relentless running attack of Frank Grimes. Deryion Sturdivant anchored the offensive line, opening holes all day and providing the most yards that Westfield has seen on the ground in a long time.
The Rock D weathered rocky patches and showed streaks of brilliance throughout a rough and tumble game. Ethan Goins was the big play maker on Saturday, energizing the defensive effort. Much of the Royal scoring was given up on big plays, but the defense stiffened in the end when needed, providing the Rocks an opportunity to almost sneak out with a win.
The Special Teams phase was interesting, to say the least, with heavy winds buffeting the field during the game. Despite the difficult conditions, there were several big plays. Jacob Tebbe’s punt block sticks out as perhaps the most electrifying.
Special mention should be given to Renzo Alvarez, Jeff Lackey, and Gavin Cross. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They Pounded the Rock this week during practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks travel to McCutcheon this Friday to corral the Mavericks. Kickoff is at 7pm.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Gameday - HSE
Kickoff at 7pm.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
JV (1-4)
The JV Football Team suffered a loss Monday night, losing to Zionsville 49-21.
Offensively, the rocks saw success in multiple areas. Elvin Caldwell, Nick Alatza, and Ben Wainscott led the rushing attack. Freshman Ryan Pepiot threw the ball outstanding as he connected consistently with Will Davis and Cameron Harrison.
Defensively, the Rocks struggled to hold the Eagles from the end zone. There was not a defensive player of the game, but Matt Crupi was consistent and Jimmy Toler came in to the game to gather his first interception.
In the special teams phase, Josh Estridge was very consistent on punt and Josh Beer blocked two key field goals.
The JV Rocks will be away next week as they travel to HSE on Monday at 6:00 P.M. Pound the Rock.
Freshmen (4-1)
The freshman football team beat Zionsville on Monday the 17th. The Rocks trailed 7-0 when they scored their first touchdown. Branden Karsnick ran a 3 yard touchdown. The Rocks stopped the Eagles offense and forced a fumble. Tyler Keller picked it up and ran 40 yards for a touchdown putting the rocks up 12-7. Sam Trompen threw the 2 point conversion to Milo Beam making the score 14-7.
Zionsville scored a touchdown in response, but with under 1 minute to go in the first half Jamarcus Davis got an interception and returned it to the Zionsville 30 yard line. After a couple incomplete, passes Branden Karsnick ran 30 yards making most of the defenders miss for a score just before halftime making the score 22-14.
The Eagles scored a touchdown halfway through the 4th quarter and converted the 2 point conversion to tie the score 22-22. The Rocks drove down to the Eagles 14 yard line and then a tipped ball got intercepted on the 3 yard line. With 13 seconds left Chris Davis sacked the QB for a safety to put the rocks up 24-22. After kickoff the clock ran out and the Rocks came out victorious.
The freshman team improved their record to 4-1. Their next game is at home versus Hamilton Southeastern on Monday the 24th at 6 PM.
The JV Football Team suffered a loss Monday night, losing to Zionsville 49-21.
Offensively, the rocks saw success in multiple areas. Elvin Caldwell, Nick Alatza, and Ben Wainscott led the rushing attack. Freshman Ryan Pepiot threw the ball outstanding as he connected consistently with Will Davis and Cameron Harrison.
Defensively, the Rocks struggled to hold the Eagles from the end zone. There was not a defensive player of the game, but Matt Crupi was consistent and Jimmy Toler came in to the game to gather his first interception.
In the special teams phase, Josh Estridge was very consistent on punt and Josh Beer blocked two key field goals.
The JV Rocks will be away next week as they travel to HSE on Monday at 6:00 P.M. Pound the Rock.
Freshmen (4-1)
The freshman football team beat Zionsville on Monday the 17th. The Rocks trailed 7-0 when they scored their first touchdown. Branden Karsnick ran a 3 yard touchdown. The Rocks stopped the Eagles offense and forced a fumble. Tyler Keller picked it up and ran 40 yards for a touchdown putting the rocks up 12-7. Sam Trompen threw the 2 point conversion to Milo Beam making the score 14-7.
Zionsville scored a touchdown in response, but with under 1 minute to go in the first half Jamarcus Davis got an interception and returned it to the Zionsville 30 yard line. After a couple incomplete, passes Branden Karsnick ran 30 yards making most of the defenders miss for a score just before halftime making the score 22-14.
The Eagles scored a touchdown halfway through the 4th quarter and converted the 2 point conversion to tie the score 22-22. The Rocks drove down to the Eagles 14 yard line and then a tipped ball got intercepted on the 3 yard line. With 13 seconds left Chris Davis sacked the QB for a safety to put the rocks up 24-22. After kickoff the clock ran out and the Rocks came out victorious.
The freshman team improved their record to 4-1. Their next game is at home versus Hamilton Southeastern on Monday the 24th at 6 PM.
Monday, September 17, 2012
#RockReport - Zionsville
Varsity Football travelled to face the Zionsville Eagles last Friday, losing 18-35.
Offensively, the Shamrocks just couldn’t seem to put things together. They put a decent amount of yardage up, but had some trouble punching it into the end zone. The big play on the night came from Kory Kostecka, catching a short pass on the sideline and then breaking several tackles for the score.
The Rock D started strong but failed to finish. Mitch Turley had a great game with a pair of interceptions. Stephen Curry forced a fumble that was scooped by Logan Floor. And Adam Horkay anchored the solid play at cornerback for a unit that limited the Eagle passing attack.
Mitch Turley led the way as well on several Special Teams. The kickoff team opened a nice lane that returner Emmanuel Calhoun took advantage of, proving the Rocks with a great starting position. The punt team also outdid the opposing Eagle unit, doing their best to keep the field position battle in the Rocks’ favor.
Special mention should be given to Jacob Eccles, Nick Alatza, and Cam Harrison. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They focused on the finish every day in practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks come home this Friday, looking to celebrate the weekend with a victory over Hamilton Southeastern. Kickoff is at 7pm.
For video highlights from Friday Night, click here.
Offensively, the Shamrocks just couldn’t seem to put things together. They put a decent amount of yardage up, but had some trouble punching it into the end zone. The big play on the night came from Kory Kostecka, catching a short pass on the sideline and then breaking several tackles for the score.
The Rock D started strong but failed to finish. Mitch Turley had a great game with a pair of interceptions. Stephen Curry forced a fumble that was scooped by Logan Floor. And Adam Horkay anchored the solid play at cornerback for a unit that limited the Eagle passing attack.
Mitch Turley led the way as well on several Special Teams. The kickoff team opened a nice lane that returner Emmanuel Calhoun took advantage of, proving the Rocks with a great starting position. The punt team also outdid the opposing Eagle unit, doing their best to keep the field position battle in the Rocks’ favor.
Special mention should be given to Jacob Eccles, Nick Alatza, and Cam Harrison. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They focused on the finish every day in practice, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.
The Rocks come home this Friday, looking to celebrate the weekend with a victory over Hamilton Southeastern. Kickoff is at 7pm.
For video highlights from Friday Night, click here.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Gameday - Zionsville
Two birds with one stone? How about 11 Rocks vs 11 Eagles? That's going to happen tonight at Zionsville High School. Kickoff at 7pm.
Student section is going to be doing a Red, White, and Blue tribute. Feel free to participate. Not a whole lot that's more American than Friday Night Football, am I right?
Need directions to ZHS? We've got you covered:
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Leadership is... Knowing Why
I have something a little different for today than the usual word. I've been made aware of an excellent internet video, and I wanted to share it.
The video captures a great talk about "How Great Leaders Inspire." It is given by a man named Simon Sinek and discusses a theory perhaps more geared toward professional business types, but still very, very applicable when you consider a host of other things, not the least of which is our football family. It is a very cool theory talking about how, throughout history, the very greatest of leaders have approach life differently. They key is that they start with the "why" instead of the "what." (That last link is to his web page if you'd like to read more.)
We've run a series here called #WhyICoach. At the very core of our program is the "why." Coach Gilbert has made it very clear: We do this because we believe a high school football program can be the most amazing experience of someone's life. He knows why. Manager, player, coach, parent, fan, starving child; it doesn't matter. Many of us are here because we've already experienced the truth of that goal at some point in our lives. Some of us are even experiencing it again, some for the first time.
The "what" of high school football is very easy to see. The chance for victories, glory, competition. The opportunity to influence a community and make a difference. These are all "whats." For us, they all stem from the why of attempting to achieve an amazing experience, of enhancing lives. At the very heart, it is our staunch believe that involvement in sport has the extraordinary potential to enhance lives and communities. This is why we do what we do.
To truly be the family we are meant to be, each member has to answer that question for themselves. Why are you a part of the team? Do you believe in the potential of sport? Do you believe what we believe?
Wins, hard work, making a difference... these are all things that will naturally follow once you know your "why." I think most people get stuck on winning and losing, on the what. We very much want to win, and here's why: To win, you need to outplay your opponent. To outplay your opponent, you need to outwork them, and this can be directly traced back to our PRIDE mantra. If every player takes personal responsibility for their daily effort, then we will outwork our opponent. But why give that effort? If your answer is "to win," then there are going to be days when you don't feel like giving that effort. Winning, by itself, is simply not enough. What if you don't play? What if you're injured? What if you feel disconnected from that win in some other way? These things happen in sports.
However, if you start with the "why" of creating an amazing experience, you avoid these pitfalls of effort. Why do you work hard in practice? To create an amazing experience. Why do you play hard on the field every play? To create an amazing experience. Why do you cheer from the sideline? To create an amazing experience. Why do you get pumped for service opportunities and give that some of your time? To create an amazing experience.
You have the chance to create an amazing experience for someone every day. Whether it's packing thousands of meals to feed the hungry, or selflessly giving it your all on the last sprint of the day, or just working hard in the classroom to stay eligible and improve your mind... these are things you decide to do. And if you constantly have to answer the question "why am I doing this," it's going to be very tough to stay motivated. If are already grounded in that answer, if you're focused on creating an amazing life experience for you and everyone around you, that answer becomes very easy to see. This is exactly why we say we are "hungry to serve."
Packing meals doesn't directly get us any more wins. A single selfless sprint won't show up on the stat sheet. But I guarantee you that it improves the experience. Yours, your teammates, your parents, your schoolmates, the fans, a starving child. Everything we do is done with the "why" in mind. We don't always knock it out of the park; we're human. But we know why we're doing it. We're working hard to create an amazing life experience.
Wins follow effort. To give maximum effort, you have to know why you're doing what you're doing. Our football family can achieve an amazing experience. We can be great leaders in everything we do. Unlike a Friday night victory, the experience we choose to create on a daily basis is completely within our control. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it. Do you believe? Are you hungry?
Here's our PRIDE pin list from last week (Brownsburg): Nick Alatza, Renzo Alvarez, Milo Beam, Josh Beer, Josh Blanton, Zane Burtron, Elvin Caldwell, Sam Coe, Johnny Crawford, Gavin Cross, Matt Crupi, Stephen Curry, Anthony Daugherty, Chris Davis, Turner Edwards, Nick Ferrer, Joey Freeze, David George, A.J. Gilchrist, Brock Ginder, Normando Gonzalez, Jake Grace, Cam Harrison, Warrick Hinshaw, Adrien Hobleman, Adam Horkay, Ben Huntley, Hunter Jakositz, Daniel Kainrath, Matt Kinney, Kory Kostecka, Nick Krieg, Zack Krieg, Dan Liebbe, Carson Lorts, Ben Lotfalian, Will McCool, Max McCool, Cole McCrary, Eric Miner, Zach Rader, Eric Rearden, Devin Reece, Jacob Robinson, Jay Simons, Evan Slagle, Deryion Sturdivant, Cory Sucese, Jacob Tebbe, Kelly Thompson, Mitch Turley, Sam Walden, Colin White, Nick Woerner, Madi Turley.
That seems like a lot of names, doesn't it? Well, it only represents 38% of our team. Our best so far this year is 50% (Fishers week), and I think we've already created a pretty cool experience. We've done a lot of good, and at best, as a team, only have 50% of our effort capacity.
Make no mistake, holding yourself personally responsible for your effort day in and day out is a very challenging expectation. The fact that these people were able to put that focus together for 7 straight days is certainly commendable. There are people in this world that will never achieve a string of 7 days of top effort in their entire life. Still, imagine what we could do with everyone making that PRIDE pin list. Imagine the experience we could create. And it starts with answering a simple question:
Why?
The video captures a great talk about "How Great Leaders Inspire." It is given by a man named Simon Sinek and discusses a theory perhaps more geared toward professional business types, but still very, very applicable when you consider a host of other things, not the least of which is our football family. It is a very cool theory talking about how, throughout history, the very greatest of leaders have approach life differently. They key is that they start with the "why" instead of the "what." (That last link is to his web page if you'd like to read more.)
We've run a series here called #WhyICoach. At the very core of our program is the "why." Coach Gilbert has made it very clear: We do this because we believe a high school football program can be the most amazing experience of someone's life. He knows why. Manager, player, coach, parent, fan, starving child; it doesn't matter. Many of us are here because we've already experienced the truth of that goal at some point in our lives. Some of us are even experiencing it again, some for the first time.
The "what" of high school football is very easy to see. The chance for victories, glory, competition. The opportunity to influence a community and make a difference. These are all "whats." For us, they all stem from the why of attempting to achieve an amazing experience, of enhancing lives. At the very heart, it is our staunch believe that involvement in sport has the extraordinary potential to enhance lives and communities. This is why we do what we do.
To truly be the family we are meant to be, each member has to answer that question for themselves. Why are you a part of the team? Do you believe in the potential of sport? Do you believe what we believe?
Wins, hard work, making a difference... these are all things that will naturally follow once you know your "why." I think most people get stuck on winning and losing, on the what. We very much want to win, and here's why: To win, you need to outplay your opponent. To outplay your opponent, you need to outwork them, and this can be directly traced back to our PRIDE mantra. If every player takes personal responsibility for their daily effort, then we will outwork our opponent. But why give that effort? If your answer is "to win," then there are going to be days when you don't feel like giving that effort. Winning, by itself, is simply not enough. What if you don't play? What if you're injured? What if you feel disconnected from that win in some other way? These things happen in sports.
However, if you start with the "why" of creating an amazing experience, you avoid these pitfalls of effort. Why do you work hard in practice? To create an amazing experience. Why do you play hard on the field every play? To create an amazing experience. Why do you cheer from the sideline? To create an amazing experience. Why do you get pumped for service opportunities and give that some of your time? To create an amazing experience.
You have the chance to create an amazing experience for someone every day. Whether it's packing thousands of meals to feed the hungry, or selflessly giving it your all on the last sprint of the day, or just working hard in the classroom to stay eligible and improve your mind... these are things you decide to do. And if you constantly have to answer the question "why am I doing this," it's going to be very tough to stay motivated. If are already grounded in that answer, if you're focused on creating an amazing life experience for you and everyone around you, that answer becomes very easy to see. This is exactly why we say we are "hungry to serve."
Packing meals doesn't directly get us any more wins. A single selfless sprint won't show up on the stat sheet. But I guarantee you that it improves the experience. Yours, your teammates, your parents, your schoolmates, the fans, a starving child. Everything we do is done with the "why" in mind. We don't always knock it out of the park; we're human. But we know why we're doing it. We're working hard to create an amazing life experience.
Wins follow effort. To give maximum effort, you have to know why you're doing what you're doing. Our football family can achieve an amazing experience. We can be great leaders in everything we do. Unlike a Friday night victory, the experience we choose to create on a daily basis is completely within our control. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it. Do you believe? Are you hungry?
Here's our PRIDE pin list from last week (Brownsburg): Nick Alatza, Renzo Alvarez, Milo Beam, Josh Beer, Josh Blanton, Zane Burtron, Elvin Caldwell, Sam Coe, Johnny Crawford, Gavin Cross, Matt Crupi, Stephen Curry, Anthony Daugherty, Chris Davis, Turner Edwards, Nick Ferrer, Joey Freeze, David George, A.J. Gilchrist, Brock Ginder, Normando Gonzalez, Jake Grace, Cam Harrison, Warrick Hinshaw, Adrien Hobleman, Adam Horkay, Ben Huntley, Hunter Jakositz, Daniel Kainrath, Matt Kinney, Kory Kostecka, Nick Krieg, Zack Krieg, Dan Liebbe, Carson Lorts, Ben Lotfalian, Will McCool, Max McCool, Cole McCrary, Eric Miner, Zach Rader, Eric Rearden, Devin Reece, Jacob Robinson, Jay Simons, Evan Slagle, Deryion Sturdivant, Cory Sucese, Jacob Tebbe, Kelly Thompson, Mitch Turley, Sam Walden, Colin White, Nick Woerner, Madi Turley.
That seems like a lot of names, doesn't it? Well, it only represents 38% of our team. Our best so far this year is 50% (Fishers week), and I think we've already created a pretty cool experience. We've done a lot of good, and at best, as a team, only have 50% of our effort capacity.
Make no mistake, holding yourself personally responsible for your effort day in and day out is a very challenging expectation. The fact that these people were able to put that focus together for 7 straight days is certainly commendable. There are people in this world that will never achieve a string of 7 days of top effort in their entire life. Still, imagine what we could do with everyone making that PRIDE pin list. Imagine the experience we could create. And it starts with answering a simple question:
Why?
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
JV (1-3)
The JV Football Team suffered a tough loss Tuesday night, losing to Brownsburg 21-6.
Offensively, the rocks were forced to run a new offense with Matt Crupi, Wes Gagnon, and Zach Rader at quarterback. Matt Crupi led the team in rushing and had the one touchdown following blocks from Matt Kinney, Will Davis, and Cameron Harrison.
Defensively, the Rocks had multiple tackles and pass break-ups from Jay Simons at safety. Also, they had a fumble recovery from Matt Kinney and a forced fumble by Luke Peters that was recovered by Keonte Crawford.
In the special teams phase, Josh Estridge was very consistent on punt as his teammate Matt Crupi ran down to make tackles from the snapper position. Ben Huntley had a big fumble recovery on the punt team and Paul Waite kicked an amazing onside kick that was recovered by Jay Simons. Turner Edwards led the team in return average from the kickoff returning position.
The JV Rocks will be at home next week as they host Zionsville on Monday at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (3-1)
The freshman football team played the Brownsburg bulldogs on Monday night. The Rocks came out victorious 14-12 and improved their record to 3-1. Branden Karsnick scored the rocks first touchdown on an 8 yard run. After Borwnsburg scored a touchdown Sam Trompen fought through the line to block the extra point. To start the second half Jordan Grimes ran 73 yards but it seemed like 100 yards after he continued to break tackles and throw defenders aside. Branden Karsnick scored the 2 point conversion on a run, The defense played an excellent game forcing 1 turnover and holding a powerful running team to only 12 points. Chris Davis and Noah Smith led the defense in tackles. The Freshmen team plays Zionsville next Monday the 17th at Zionsville.
The JV Football Team suffered a tough loss Tuesday night, losing to Brownsburg 21-6.
Offensively, the rocks were forced to run a new offense with Matt Crupi, Wes Gagnon, and Zach Rader at quarterback. Matt Crupi led the team in rushing and had the one touchdown following blocks from Matt Kinney, Will Davis, and Cameron Harrison.
Defensively, the Rocks had multiple tackles and pass break-ups from Jay Simons at safety. Also, they had a fumble recovery from Matt Kinney and a forced fumble by Luke Peters that was recovered by Keonte Crawford.
In the special teams phase, Josh Estridge was very consistent on punt as his teammate Matt Crupi ran down to make tackles from the snapper position. Ben Huntley had a big fumble recovery on the punt team and Paul Waite kicked an amazing onside kick that was recovered by Jay Simons. Turner Edwards led the team in return average from the kickoff returning position.
The JV Rocks will be at home next week as they host Zionsville on Monday at 6:00 P.M.
Freshmen (3-1)
The freshman football team played the Brownsburg bulldogs on Monday night. The Rocks came out victorious 14-12 and improved their record to 3-1. Branden Karsnick scored the rocks first touchdown on an 8 yard run. After Borwnsburg scored a touchdown Sam Trompen fought through the line to block the extra point. To start the second half Jordan Grimes ran 73 yards but it seemed like 100 yards after he continued to break tackles and throw defenders aside. Branden Karsnick scored the 2 point conversion on a run, The defense played an excellent game forcing 1 turnover and holding a powerful running team to only 12 points. Chris Davis and Noah Smith led the defense in tackles. The Freshmen team plays Zionsville next Monday the 17th at Zionsville.
Monday, September 10, 2012
#RockReport - Brownsburg
Offensively, the Shamrocks struggled. The consistent play of Cory Sucese helped anchor the offensive line, and Devin Reece dazzled the highlight reel with an unbelievable one handed grab down the sideline.
The Rock D provided a few fireworks of their own, forcing several turnovers and netting 6 defensive points. Ethan Goins had an outstanding game, intercepting the football and recovering a fumble in the end zone for a score. Stephen Curry’s productivity and consistent play led a defense that hounded the bulldogs all night.
Shamrock Special Teams were able to put up some points as well. Turner Edwards blocked a punt, setting up Johnny Crawford for the scoop and score. The entire Punt Block team had a great night, harrying the Bulldog punter and providing the team several favorable turns.
Special mention should be given to Matt Crupi, Elvin Caldwell, Cam Harrison, and Brock Ginder. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They rose to the challenge each and every day this week during practice.
The Rocks travel to Zionsville this Friday for a rivalry game against the Eagles. Kickoff is at 7pm. For video highlights from the game, click here.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Leadership is... Effort
No one can ask more of another person or of himself than to give his best effort. Effort is one of the qualities over which each person has complete control. It is one of the major keys to success and represents the heartbeat of the team. Personal effort reflects a player’s passion for the team and its objectives; collective effort develops respect between teammates.
The dictionary describes effort as: the use of physical or mental energy to do something that is produced through exertion. Effort has nothing to do with talent or ability. Giving a championship effort in everything you do is a choice that you make.
Reasons for giving less than your best effort:
“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”
“Champions work hard even when no one is watching.”
“It is easier to work hard than to explain why you are not.”
The dictionary describes effort as: the use of physical or mental energy to do something that is produced through exertion. Effort has nothing to do with talent or ability. Giving a championship effort in everything you do is a choice that you make.
Reasons for giving less than your best effort:
- laziness
- lack of self-discipline
- lack of mental or physical toughness
- short attention span/inability to stay focused
- being negatively influenced by others
- ignorance
- arrogance
- inability to set goals
- quickest way to improve
- builds confidence
- shows the coaches that you want to play
- makes you less likely to get injured
- makes those around you better
- effort is contagious
- team success depends on it
- allows you to feel the accomplishment that comes with hard work
- eliminates the possibility of regret
- develops habits that will stay with you in all areas of your life
“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”
“Champions work hard even when no one is watching.”
“It is easier to work hard than to explain why you are not.”
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
#RockReport - JV and Freshmen Results
JV (1-2)
The JV Football Team suffered a tough loss Tuesday night, losing to Fishers 40-30.
Offensively, the rocks did outstanding in the run game but especially the passing game. Elvin Caldwell ran for over 100 yards again and Nick Alatza ran hard at tailback as well. Bailey Partlow was great at quarterback rushing for a touchdown and throwing multiple TD passes. On the receiving end, Ben Lotfalian had a huge game at wide receiver catching many deep passes and touchdown receptions. Cameron Harrison was also very consistent on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, the Rocks had two interceptions--one from Josh Beer and another from Turner Edwards. Turner and Luke Peters had several tackles from the safety position, while Josh Hayward and Matt Crupi made many tackles at linebacker. On the defensive line, Keyonte Crawford, Josh Estridge, and Evan Harlan had multiple tackles in the backfield.
In the special teams phase, Turner Edwards had two big kickoff returns and Paul Waite was perfect at extra points.
Freshmen (2-1)
The freshman rocks football team had a tremendous come from behind victory on Tuesday night. Noah Smith scored on a 8 yard touchdown run. Will McCool caught the 3 yard 2 point conversion. Ryan Ehlington scooped up a forced fumble by the defense and ran 48 yards to set up a touchdown for the offense. Jordan Grimes caught a 20 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Pepiot. Daniel Kainrath ripped the ball from an offensive player to get the interception. Brandon Karsnick ran an 8 yard touchdown. Jordan Grimes caught a 15 yard pass to tie the game with 1:01 left in the game. Max McCool caught the 2 point conversion to put the rocks up 2 points in the game. The defense stopped Fishers at the end of the game to secure the victory. It was a great come from behind win for the freshman team. They play Brownsburg on Monday the 10th at 6:00.
The JV Football Team suffered a tough loss Tuesday night, losing to Fishers 40-30.
Offensively, the rocks did outstanding in the run game but especially the passing game. Elvin Caldwell ran for over 100 yards again and Nick Alatza ran hard at tailback as well. Bailey Partlow was great at quarterback rushing for a touchdown and throwing multiple TD passes. On the receiving end, Ben Lotfalian had a huge game at wide receiver catching many deep passes and touchdown receptions. Cameron Harrison was also very consistent on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, the Rocks had two interceptions--one from Josh Beer and another from Turner Edwards. Turner and Luke Peters had several tackles from the safety position, while Josh Hayward and Matt Crupi made many tackles at linebacker. On the defensive line, Keyonte Crawford, Josh Estridge, and Evan Harlan had multiple tackles in the backfield.
In the special teams phase, Turner Edwards had two big kickoff returns and Paul Waite was perfect at extra points.
Freshmen (2-1)
The freshman rocks football team had a tremendous come from behind victory on Tuesday night. Noah Smith scored on a 8 yard touchdown run. Will McCool caught the 3 yard 2 point conversion. Ryan Ehlington scooped up a forced fumble by the defense and ran 48 yards to set up a touchdown for the offense. Jordan Grimes caught a 20 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Pepiot. Daniel Kainrath ripped the ball from an offensive player to get the interception. Brandon Karsnick ran an 8 yard touchdown. Jordan Grimes caught a 15 yard pass to tie the game with 1:01 left in the game. Max McCool caught the 2 point conversion to put the rocks up 2 points in the game. The defense stopped Fishers at the end of the game to secure the victory. It was a great come from behind win for the freshman team. They play Brownsburg on Monday the 10th at 6:00.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
#RockReport - Fishers
Offensively, the Shamrocks played outstanding. They put up 30 points through sustained drives laced with explosive plays, and led by Nick Ferrer and Devin Reece. The offensive line along with a key kick-out block from Cole McCrary cleared the way for Adam Horkay’s first scamper into the end zone, and there were several more exciting scores after that.
The Rock D had a rough outing, surrendering 40 points. The front line was anchored by the stellar play of Jacob Robinson, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome Fishers’ attack. Special Teams played well, gaining the Rocks the advantage in several stages of the game. Of particular note was the improved starting position of the offense, enabled by good kickoff returns. The blocking of Jacob Robinson, Matt Kinney, and Nick Kreig created seams for return men Emmanuel Calhoun and Johnny Crawford throughout the night.
Special mention should be given to Trey Stewart, Eric Reardon, and Nick Alatza. These three Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They made the play even knowing it would not gain them cheers or stats, selflessly improving our team.
The Rocks have regrouped and aim to break their slump this Friday as they host the Brownsburg Bulldogs. Kickoff is at 7pm. Video highlights of the Rocks can be found here.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Thank You Hunter, PRIDE Pins, and Special Olympics
I also wanted to recognize the PRIDE pin nominations for this week. You'll find the list below. A (p) after the name indicates that this was the third nomination for that person, making them eligible for a pin. Considering this is week 3, that also means their work ethic has been impeccable for the first three weeks. Good stuff.
PRIDE Pin Nominations for Week 3: Renzo Alvarez (p), Keegan Benich, Josh Blanton (p), Zane Burtron (p), Jonathan Cochran, Same Coe, Gavin Cross, Matt Crupi, Stephen Curry, Austin Dalton, Anthony Daugherty (p), Dalton Davis, Jamarcus Davis, Will Davis, Chris Davis, Jacob Eccles, Nick Ferrer (p), Joey Freeze, David George, A.J. Gilchrist, Brock Ginder, Normando Gonzalez, Jake Grace, Cameron Harrison, Jack Hiatt, Warrick Hinshaw, Adrien Hobelman, Adam Horkay (p), Ben Huntley (p), Daniel Kainrath (p), Tyler Keller, Nick Krieg (p), Zack Krieg (p), Luke Lammers (p), Dan Liebbe (p), Jordan Long, Carson Lorts (p), Ben Lotfalian, Austin Mazura, Will McCool, Max McCool, Cole McCrary, Daryn Milton, Eric Miner, Ryan Pape, Bailey Partlow, Ryan Pepiot, Luke Peters, Devin Reece, Jacob Robinson (p), Nick Schaeffer, Logan Schneider, Cam Shaw, Jay Simons (p), Evan Slagle (p), Noah Smith, Luke Speek, Trey Stewart, Deryion Sturdivant (p), Jacob Tebbe (p), Sam Trompen, Ryan Tuffnell, Mitch Turley (p), Paul Wait (p), Sam Walden, Blake Waters, Colin White, Nick Woerner (p), Ryan Wonderlin, Grady Young, Andy Aiken.
Finally, the team wanted to say thank you to all of the Special Olympians that attended Saturday's clinic. From all accounts, it was a blast. I've embedded the group picture below (along with a quotation from team Captain Nick Ferrer), but there are a whole bunch more. 170 of them, to be exact. I've uploaded them into an album that anyone can view if you click here. Enjoy, and go Rocks!
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| "The Special Olympics clinic was truly inspirational." Nick Ferrer, Junior QB |
Friday, August 31, 2012
Gameday: Fishers
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!
View Larger Map
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!
View Larger Map
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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| Click for a larger view. |
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
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