Panther Football,

We are planning to start our summer training through ETS on June 15th. Due to the restrictions and liability in place all registrations for summer training will run directly through ETS.

What are some of the restrictions?
1. 9 kids and a coach per "pod".
2. Temperatures must be taken at the start of the workout.
3. Athletes must train in their pod only each day.
4. All equipment used must be cleaned and disinfected before athletes move to their next station.
5. All workouts must be outside.

How we plan to make this work will be with 3 ETS trainers (27 athletes) per training block of time. Workouts will last 1 hour and 15 minutes. The times are not final, but they will be something like this:

Start times: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, and potential afternoon times.

We plan to move as much equipment as possible outside so the athletes can use more than just their body weight and bands. However, we cannot move it all. For that reason I am requesting this:

If you are an ETS member, please schedule your training times at their gym instead. You do not need to train at the High School this summer. ETS can provide workouts of 9 kids at a time as well. Their allowable times will be limited so it will need to be scheduled. But, their gym will have all of the needed equipment to get the best possible workout.

Question: What if I train somewhere other than ETS and they are open?

Excellent, however I am asking you to come to our workouts as well. Supplement our ETS workouts at the school with your desired spot to get your extra lifting done. Why is your gym not equivalent to ETS? I know the training that ETS brings and it has proven to be beneficial in our program and many others. I know there is a coach at their gym or at our school that will push you and hold you accountable. I know that your workout will be focused on athletic movements, improving speed, quickness, explosiveness, and body control in a safe and beneficial way. I don't want athletes body building or working with weights that are too heavy and risk injury.

Question: But coach I am a member at a Crossfit gym and their coaches promise the same thing.

I understand and I am not trying to disagree with your crossfit coach, but it just isn't how we train for football. I don't know a high school, college, or professional program that uses crossfit for their football training. You are free to supplement your workouts at their gym if you believe you need or want it. Football is a team game and I believe that our team has been great for the last decade because we train together in the summer. ETS is still going to offer a team training in their gym with 9 football players for those that are members there.

Please understand that our goal is to provide the best possible training to improve the ability of our athletes, but also build an atmosphere where they can become teammates that hold one another accountable.

Question: I play another sport and they are doing a different type of training.

I am completely okay with that. I never expect our football players to make football their top priority. We have athletes that have a different favorite sport and they want to train with that sport and I completely understand that. If there is a way to combine the two together we can prorate the amount and I am sure the other sport would do the same so you can be a part of both. We do not want you to try and attend ALL of both teams workouts. That will be too much.

WE HAVE ORDERED SUMMER SHORTS AND T-SHIRTS FOR THE ATHLETES TO TRAIN IN.
The cost for this Nike workout gear is $50. It is the exact cost that we pay for the items and we want every athlete wearing this for their summer training. We also where the shorts for the majority of our practices in the season. I will put a photo of the apparel on our website so athletes can see it. These will be purchased through lakevillenorthfootball.com and we will hand them out to athletes after their first workout on June 15th.

Plan for football practice this summer:
I still believe that the restrictions have to loosen more for us to offer football in a way that will help us improve. I believe that is going to happen. I am going to share the dates we would practice with a time that would be subject to change slightly depending on field space.

First 5 practice dates are: July 15, 17, 20, 22, 24
If the restrictions have not been lifted to allow more than 9 players per coach we will alter or cancel these practices. We may change them to offensive skill position passing practices, or defensive drill focused practices. We will try to make at least 1 or 2 of them practices to focus on footwork and blocking schemes for our linemen. With a 9 player per coach restriction it doesn't allow us to do enough football to make this beneficial at this time. I do not want to force anything that could jeopardize the actual football season. In place of these practices we may offer online film sessions and offensive and defensive plays through hudl that we can coach remotely. The bottom line is we won't force these dates, but we will provide something beneficial in place of a normal practice if restrictions have not loosened.

The last 6 practice dates are: July 27, 29, 31 and August 3, 5, 7
As long as we are being told there will be a football season these practices will NOT be cancelled or altered. We will practice under whatever guidelines we are given for these 6 practices regardless of what they may be.

The times for these practices are subject to change depending on ETS training times, changes in restrictions, opportunity to offer summer youth camps, field space, etc. What I am proposing are the following times if everything worked out as planned perfectly.

July 15 ALL grades 1:30pm - 3:00pm
July 17 8:15 - 9:45am for 9th and 10th grade and 10:00 - 11:30 for JV/V
July 20 All grades 10:45 - 12:15
July 22 All grades 10:45 - 12:15
July 24 8:15 - 9:45am for 9th and 10th grade and 10:00 - 11:30 for JV/V
July 27,29,31 and Aug. 3,5,7 would all follow the 9:45am for 9th and 10th grade and 10:00 - 11:30 for JV/V

Please know these times could change, but this is ideal if everything worked. We will not open summer practice registration until July when we have more certainty.

If you are planning any summer vacation I am asking that you try to schedule it in the month of June or the first week of July. Family week will be August 10th - 14th, the week before football season begins. There will be no training and no football during that time.

I will also post a video to our twitter and email that link out as well. Thank you for your continued patience.

Coach Vossen
All We Got, All We Need!

These fine organizations make what we do possible. Please show your support to these amazing sponsors and thank them for their commitment to our organization.