Message from Coach Collins – to returning Varsity

Falcon Football Families,

First off, thank you to everyone for your support of Falcon Football in 2022. It takes a village, and we could not have done it without all of your contributions. Before we look ahead to 2023, a quick shout out to our graduating seniors. They laid the foundation for what is to come, and we wish them well as they continue their academic and athletic careers. Our very own Matthew Staycer committed to UC Davis this week. Congratulations, Matthew! Go Aggies!

What have we been doing since the season ended?

We gave the boys a few weeks off to let their bodies recover, and since then have been gradually ramping up our offseason workout program. Earlier this week, Coach Feeler had a talk about nutrition with the team. The overarching goal is to never be hungry or thirsty, and to get 8 – 10 hours of sleep every night. We provided them with a packet that includes information about how to properly fuel their bodies.

Morning Lifts

These will start back up after winter break. With Football PE now in the afternoon, we will only have two morning lifts a week instead of the four we had last year. We hope this helps with the boy’s efforts to get plenty of sleep. If Football PE (6th period) falls on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we will lift on Monday and Friday during 6th period, and Tuesday and Thursday before school. If Football PE falls on a Tuesday, Thursday, we will lift before school on Monday and Friday, and during 6th period on Tuesday and Thursday. By doing this, we are always getting 4 lifts a week, with Wednesday as a recovery day in the middle. When we have Football PE on a Wednesday, it will be used for team building or football specific activities.

Morning lifts will be from 6:45 AM – 7:45 AM. The boys will then have 45 minutes to shower and get some protein in before they start school at 8:30 AM. Morning lifts are a foundational piece of our program. They build mental toughness. We expect consistent attendance, but also recognize the fact that we have many two and three sport athletes in our program. We will work with them to be sure they are not overworked. All we ask is that they communicate with us as coaches.

Signing up for Morning Lifts

One of my continued goals will be to make this program as affordable as possible. With what we provide in terms of equipment and overall experience, I believe we are doing that. With that being said, we are going to charge for Morning Lifts just like we do for Summer Weights. The cost will not be nearly as much as the summer, but we have to be able to pay our coaches who provide a first class strength and conditioning program for your sons. Prior to Covid, we always charged for morning lifts, and to continue moving this program forward we feel it is something we need to do. Please be on the lookout for an email over break with a link from the foundation that will collect payment. Additionally, I recognize this is an expensive time of year with the holidays going on. If there is a financial hardship, please reach out to Coach Collins or our liaisons.

7 on 7

We will have more information about winter/spring 7 on 7 once we return from the break. We intend to play in a Sunday league as we did last year.

Onward…

It is always amazing, and scary, how fast the high school football experience goes by. I shared with the boys this week the old line by Cervantes: “the journey is better than the inn.” The next 7 months that lead up to the actual season are a grind, but they are also what the boys will remember and miss the most. We are excited for the future, and eternally grateful for the opportunity to coach your sons. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Enjoy the holidays with the family and friends you love. We will see you in 2023!

Go Falcons!

Coach Collins