2012 Academic All-State

I believe this got mentioned via Twitter yesterday, but I wanted to throw up an announcement on here, too. A big Shamrock Congrats to Normando Gonzalez, Carson Lorts, and Jacob Tebbe for being named to the 2012 Academic All-State Football Team! Way to go, men!

Rocks Don't Need Sleep

We were back to our regularly schedule workouts this morning, what with no more pesky two-hour delays (I'm sure y'all were heartbroken last week). As difficult as it is to yank myself from my nice, warm bed so early, I have to admit that I look forward to the workouts. I'm sure several of you are rolling your eyes. Of course coaches love morning workouts!

Not always true, says I. Sure, many coaches are morning folks, but I am not among those ranks. Mornings are still very much my arch-enemy. Sleeping in is wonderful, even a few extra hours, so I feel your pain. You'll just have to trust me on this one.

Even so, there's something about the energy of our workouts that takes me from bleary-eyed to awake more effectively than any cup of coffee. It's great to be a part of our football family and witness our young men working hard even before the sun has risen. If I have to be up, I'm glad it's among Rocks.

Sleep is a valuable commodity in today's go-go-go world. If you're going to sacrifice it, you may as well sacrifice it for something you believe in. As much as I'd love to stay up late watching one more television show or catching the west-coast games (Blake Griffin is pretty awesome, if you ask me. The man can dunk a basketball. No joke.), I know I'm getting far more out of these early morning workouts... and I'm not even working out! There's just something about sacrificing toward a shared goal that is fulfilling. It's something only members of a family can have experienced!

Just wanted to check in today and share this. I was doubly fortunate to lose some sleep this weekend with the coaches as we attended a large coaching clinic on Indy's west side. We were able to hear a lot of very knowledgeable coaches speak and share notes on how we could improve our program.

I've also been trying to keep an eye on the push to fund the new stadium. We're hoping to have some exciting news in the near future, but I have nothing concrete yet. If you've not considered throwing in some money for a brick, check out my post from a couple weeks ago for more information. Money is tight, I'm sure, so it may cause you to lose a bit of sleep... but we've already set the bar as a family in that regard, right? Westfield desperately needs an upgrade!

Rocks Support

One of the cool things the team likes to do during the offseason is get together and attend other Westfield sporting competitions, cheering on their fellow Shamrocks. Coach Gilbert sent me a pretty awesome pic from a middle school basketball game this past week, and I wanted to share it on here. Go Rocks!

Build the Rock

As much as I may love Red Stanley Stadium, let's be honest: it struggles to host all of the events that Westfield requires of it. Even if you consider just the football games, we play every level of football on the the field. The ground crew does a wonderful job, but they are fighting a losing battle. Give that poor thing some rain and a whole bunch of cleats, day-in-day-out, and come Sectional time it's always a mud bowl.

Over the last decade, Westfield has rocketed into the ranks of 5A Indiana football. I know some Texans that may disagree, but Indiana High School football is serious stuff. This state holds some wonderful events, and Friday nights in the fall are exciting times to be a Hoosier, for sure. In such an environment, Westfield desperately needs an updated stadium. I mean, we're the only team in the conference that has to take a bus to home games. And boy, what our magnificent staff could do with some newer facilities! I promise you, you'll get every penny's worth.

Which brings me to the point of this post. There's an exciting fundraiser going on for the Westfield faithful. Stadium plans have been drafted. You can get all the nitty-gritty (complete with some wonderful graphics and a video) on the school website here. I'll wait for a moment while you click over...

Now, wipe off the drool. I know. I was excited too.

We're calling it the "Build the Rock" campaign, and we're asking local businesses, business owners, and individuals to consider contributions. Make no mistake, a vibrant, growing community like Westfield needs this stadium. Not just for football games or even only for sporting events. Such a stadium can cater to a whole host of Shamrock needs.

Big businesses (or some seriously wealthy individuals) can chase after things like naming rights for the various structures. For the rest of us, they are offering bricks for individuals, groups, or families. For more information, see the school website (linked above) or contact Athletic Director Bill Davis (Office: 317-867-6814).

On a personal note, I'd like to have a press box I could be proud of. I've been up on top of our current rickety installation on Friday nights for the last 6 years. I promise, you feel like you're taking your life into your hands every time!

Like I said, don't get me wrong: I love the tradition and history of our current stadium. It is a great place to play! But the realist in me knows a program like Westfield requires room to grow. We have a great opportunity on our doorstep, Rocks! Let's get it funded!