Leopards produce solid performances at team camps hosted in Russellville and PA
The grind and aggression continues to blossom productively for the hometown Malvern Leopards from their summer workout campaign in preparation for the upcoming 2022 football season.
The Leopards have traveled to compete against stiff competition during a few team camp workouts for some grueling 11-on-11 action on the gridiron.
Following their productive outing in Arkadelphia for team camp activity hosted at Ouachita Baptist University, the Leopards showcased some physicality in
Cyclone Country in Russellville and Pulaski Academy to continue their camp workout schedule.
Malvern faced several higher classification schools that produced a load of talented caliber college prospect abilities during camp competition.
Head Leopard football coach JD Plumlee was pleased by how the team competed and brought the fight to several solid football programs in the Natural State. Although this is only summer football action, Plumlee believes these caliber team camps will have an important impact to enhance the overall performance in the teams’ level to compete.
“Our guys competed very well,” Plumlee said. “Competed against 6A-7A schools in Russellville— Greenwood, Harbor, Rogers, Russellville, Sylvan Hills, Bentonville,” Plumlee noted.
For the trip in the Rock Monday, the Leopards went head-up and face-to-face against similar hard nose competition at Pulaski Academy. The Leopards were in few numbers, but that didn’t stop their impact of solid production against more high level talent and classification football programs. Plumlee thought the Leopards competed well and was effective in multiple series in their execution offensively and defensively.
“We were missing a few guys,” Plumlee said. “Some of our guys that were there had to step up and play both sides of
the ball and we got tired really fast—then again we played some really talented teams like Pulaski Academy, Harding, Arkadelphia, Jonesboro and El Dorado.”
Plumlee thought the team came to compete in both team camps despite suffering some fatigue throughout each team camp workout.
The heated temperatures are always a factor during every football team’s summer offseason campaign. But, that is what these camps and workout activities are created to prepare teams with conditioning heading into the upcoming fall season.
The Leopards have completed their first session of their summer workout schedule for the month of June before the dead week period begins.
Next month in July, the Leopards will return to begin their summer workout session and phase of team camps and 7-on-7 competition.
The Leopards will kick off the second session of summer competition as the host team for the annual James King 7-on-7 Memorial Tournament July 13—an all day event at Claude Mann Stadium, David Alpe Field. Then, July 20 the Leopards continue more 7-on-7 competition at Little Rock Catholic. Also, Malvern will compete in more team workouts at Pulaski Academy in July before they get rocking and rolling for fall camp in August.
The Leopards are adjusting their 2022 football schedule due to Genoa Central and Fountain Lake dropping down to 8-man football. Thus far, Malvern will compete in its annual scrimmage matchup against Sheridan August 16 and kickoff season 2022 against Riverview August 26.
The anticipation is high for the Leopards production this season after returning a load of experience on both sides of the ball.
With the excitement of college prospects and the addition of a talented sophomore class making the rise to the varsity level, the Leopards look to be dynamic in their ground attack again. For history, Malvern has been one of the all-time elite run game football programs during the legendary coaching era of David Alpe—who coached a ton of top-notch college athletes that performed on the next level and professionally.
The Leopards will return some promising talent with elite potential to make noise for the upcoming season as a true contender in Class 4A.