McCoy Colts' right tackle Kolleton Moore battles a Brooks Buffalo during a Colts Football Jamboree scrimmage May 31 at the Methanex Bowl. The Colts, Buffalos and the Drumheller Titans each played against each other once, in one-hour, straight-time intervals over the course of Saturday morning. The high school teams were getting the opportunity to scrimmage prior to next season's start in September.--NEWS PHOTO RYAN DAHLMAN
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
This weekend the Monsignor McCoy Colts held a half-day football jamboree at Methanex Bowl and training camp to prepare players for the upcoming season and spark their summer training activities.
The Colts welcomed members of the Drumheller Titans and Brooks Composite High School Buffalos to engage in several 40-minute controlled scrimmages to allow players and coaches to get some reps before next fall’s season begins and students start their summer break.
“Controlled scrimmages in a learning environment,” describes Colts head coach Jole Krassman. “Coaches are on the field. Coaches blow the whistles early, it gives everybody a chance. We always put new guys in a safe learning environment … Get our systems going and just start getting students prepared so they get rolling over the summertime.”
Although players will not be trying out for the junior and varsity squads until September, the annual jamboree allows new and returning students to connect with coaches before the break and develop a plan to prepare over the summer.
“My message to the guys is there’s no substitute for athleticism and work ethic. If you guys are putting in the work, when you’re bigger, faster, stronger when you come in, this game will get a little bit easier,” said Krassman. “It’s never easy, but it gets a little bit easier when you’re physically in shape and you can keep moving and you’re not sucking wind later in the games.”
The Colts are coming off a successful 9-2 season last year winning the 4A B-side Championship, their best record since 1999. However, next season the team is looking to fill the positions of 20 veteran Grade 12 players who will graduate this year.
“We do have a good, solid group of Grade 12s, 11s coming in, and a good group of Grade 10s that are going to be contributors as well,” explains Krassman. “We’re just looking to keep building and just getting better.”
On Sunday, members of the Junior Colts, along with other players across the city, participated in a football combine that was open to all ages and ran by the Saskatchewan Selects Football Club.
The non-equipment camp, held at McCoy High School, included drills for various positions and coaches that provided focused training for each player.
Players attending the camp were also invited to try out the development program based out of Moose Jaw. Players were also evaluated and rated by coaches based on performance.
“They’re showing you stuff, and they’re videoing it, so the coaches can look over each kid and say, ‘OK, this is what he needs,” said Greg Bueckert, team manager. “Like the footwork for linemen, quarterback running, knowing how to read coverage, for linebackers, knowing where to go and how to block. They teach all the fundamentals.”
Following the summer break and tryouts the Colts should take the field to kick off the season in late August.
