Working together
Football coaches enjoy working with other teams
It’s still early, but local high school football teams are getting the most out of their joint practices.
PAWTUCKET – When Shea High head coach Dino Campopiano discovered that R.I. Interscholastic League officials had deemed the possibility of grid teams conducting their own joint practices during preseason training camps, he jumped at the chance.
“I found out in the spring that it would be allowed, and I knew right away I was going to take advantage of it,” he stated after Wednesday afternoon’s session with West Warwick and Cranston West. “(Wizards’ mentor) Dave (Caito) and I talk everyday because we’re so close (they played in the same Johnston High backfield together in the late 1980s), so we hooked up.
“Dave later told me that the Cranston West coach [Steve Alves] had called him and asked if he had an opening. He said he was coming up here (to Max Read Field), so he called me back and we included West, too.
“We had never had a joint practice before, but it was a great situation for all involved. All three teams got in a lot of work in all three phases of the game. We got o see a lot of different players do a lot of good things, so – from my perspective – it was a fantastic experience.
We all got a lot out of it because there was no animosity; nobody was trying to beat up each other. Everyone was working on trying to get better.
“The kids played good, hard-nosed, clean football; they did so the right way. In fact, the three coaches all decided we were going to do the same thing next year.”
Other area coaches agreed with Campopiano’s assessment. Joint workouts may be a new idea, but it seems to be catching on with the players and the coaching staffs.
North Smithfield/Mount St. Charles co-op coach Wes Pennington held an approximate two-hour-long joint practice with Central Falls last Tuesday night, and he indicated both he and mentor Jeff Lapierre were thrilled with the results, whether they were good or bad.
“I thought it was a good idea from the get-go; I was all for it,” he noted. “It’s always good to go up against other teams, other kids. I know the guys like it more rather than just keep banging heads against their own teammates. It breaks up the monotony. It challenges the guys to work that much harder, compete harder; they don’t want to lose face against an opponent.
“Honestly, it’s a breath of fresh air for the guys, and – to be honest – the coaches, too,” he continued. “I think everyone got something out of it. We were able to gauge ourselves and where we stand at this point of the camp. It gives the kids an idea of what they need to improve upon.
“In fact, that’s just what I told them after the joint practice; I said, ‘Now we know what we need to get better at, so we’re going to get right back to work on those (weak- nesses).”
Tolman mentor Jason DeLawrence admitted he didn’t have quite the same experience during his session against Woonsocket at Barry Field, also on Tuesday.
“We did not play well, at all,” DeLawrence said. “I thought we farther along with our base offense and defense, but I was wrong, so that tells me I have to back it up, slow it down a bit so the kids can learn the plays and where they’re supposed to be.
“I mean, we have the talent, but I didn’t see as much of it as I thought I would. We just have to make sure we know who we’re going to block and how to line up correctly. Our physicality upfront with the defensive line and linebackers, not to mention the ‘O-line,’ I was pretty disappointed. We just lacked aggression, and I thought Woonsocket pushed us around a bit.
“But I also believe our kids were still a little run down from that training session we had with Sgt. Maj. Scott Smith (Tolman’s ROTC instructor) and some local Marines the day before,” he added. “We still could have done a better job of knowing our assignments and being in proper positions.”
DeLawrence nevertheless Y t t mentioned all is not lost. “It’s the first time Tolman’s
Y ever done this, practiced with another team, and it was still
t worth our while. The guys competed, and it was good to see other teams and their schemes, how they run their offenses and defenses. I still believe it’s only going to help
A us in the long run.”
T Campopiano explained he witnessed some improvement in conditioning, not to mention running routes, executing plays, things his Raiders had been working on for the previous 10 days.
“I saw our guys executing their assignments in a competition-like setting,” he statt A ed. “And, if they made mistakes, at least they did so with 110-percent effort. You can’t get mad about that.”
t When asked if he’d do
t again next summer, Pennington didn’t hesitate.
“Absolutely,” he laughed. “It’s really good preseason
Y work for everybody involved. The guys get a chance to challenge themselves against some of the best guys on the team. How can that be bad?
“I know (CF coach) Jeff (Lapierre) said he enjoyed it, that he was glad his team got to experience something like that, and we’re planning to do the same thing next year.”