Game Week Prep.

Maryland Football Helmet

The worst thing that could possibly happen to a football coach has happened.  The University of Maryland has lost a football player.  The young 19 year old player died from a heat related incident (heat stroke) that was probably preventable with simple measures by the coaching / training staff.  I am sure there is a lot more information to be released about this incident, and I guess the entire Maryland Football system is now in question.  At this point I am not going to comment about how the coaches / trainers allegedly treated their players; however, I will comment on how parents can help insure the safety of their players at home...because it really does start at home.  

1.  Please make sure your athlete is staying hydrated...even at home.  To repeat a cliche...."water taken in today will be used tomorrow at practice."  Drinking the day of practice is too late. Give him a water jug...make sure he is drinking the entire amount every day before allowing any other type of drink (including Gatorade type drinks.)  Sports drinks are fine AFTER practice....but the body needs to stay hydrated with water each day...especially in this sauna we call Florida.  Bottom line?  Just make him drink.  

2. Throw the energy drinks away.  The caffeine (and other drugs) in these type of drinks are dehydrators.  I have seen instances where these type drinks are all the kids consume, so naturally they do not get enough water.  Its a dangerous cycle.  The body needs to replace the water it loses at practice.  

3. Make sure he is eating correctly at home.  The body needs the fuel to burn at football practice.  I wont tell you what to feed your kid, but at this age its really not that important...just make sure he is eating some calories.  

I will finish with this.  Your kids are as safe as possible with every one of our football coaches and athletic trainers here at Vero Beach High School.  We keep a close watch on all the players, and access to water is strictly enforced and never, ever denied.  If there is even a question about the health of one of our kids, the player is pulled from competition and evaluated.  Afterall, these are our kids too.  I cannot imagine what it feels like to lose a player on the field.  

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Today (Monday) we started game week preparation for Friday nights game vs Viera High School.  Coach J has the entire week planned out, and the game plan is in place and will be rehearsed this week.  All of our special teams will be touched on again as well. 

Today we did not practice with the defensive unit at all.  Our defensive coaches (Leslie, Bethel, DeLuke, Rahal, Floyd, and Tim) are all zoned out right now, so I am afraid to talk with them directly.  I won't even ask them a question.  Defensive guys are different, and most of them are pretty aggressive...especially in game week.  They are thinking about defensive alignments, blitzes, coverage etc...   Defense can be considered a battlefield retaliation against an opposing enemy.  Its their job to stop the enemy from advancing.  We laugh and joke around in the locker room, but once the door opens for practice, I quit talking to them.   Afterall, I have my own strange routines.   

Offensive coaches are different.  Offense tends to be more of an attack against the enemy on a battle field.  It is our job to identify the enemy's weaknesses and exploit them to our advantage.  It is our job to make sure all our players are prepared for just about any situation they may encounter on the field.  This is why our practices are well scripted.  Most of the offensive coaches (Jankowski, Harris, Willis, Dawkins, McDonald, Myself) are well seasoned and work well together.  If anything, I am the nervous one before a game.....I am constantly looking for a place to throw up so no one sees me.  The other guys know this and just laugh at me.  I feel so much better after-the-fact though.  

Talk Later.

GZ