Players of the Game vs Colts

Jay Meyer is awarded the player of the game for his superb snapping, especially during punting situations. Jay was having difficulty getting the ball to Tyler during practice time, but when it came down to game time, Jay came through. Jay is great teammate and I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching him. Thank you Jay!

Jacob Bradley is one of two players of the game for last week. Jacob always gives his best and is always looking for ways to encourage his teammates. Despite a difficult game Jacob shinned. He was stellar on defense making several tackles. He also had several catches including a long pass that bounced off of a couple of players. A catch like that takes great concentration. Congratulations on a well done job!

Packer Pictures

Lavontae, Brandon, Jordan, and Jay

Justin, Jimmy, Andrew, Jacob, and Tyler

Thank you to the parents for all of their support

Jay getting ready to get us started.

In the Huddle.

Jacob with an awesome flag pull!

Where would I be without Coach Tony.

Coach Alan giving instructions.

Brandon sharing some encouragement with Jimmy.

Colts 32, Packers 0

It was a tough game this past Saturday. Our focus this week shifted gears as we went from defining what a team was to defining was winning was. We are using the word CHAMPS to define winning. So we started out with "C" which was character. And boy are we learning about character! It didn't start out too good as the Colts scored the first time they touched the ball. It wasn't until right before half time that we finally made a stop. That created a little momentum for us and we were able to carry that into the second half. We didn't give up any more touchdowns and defense in the second half as the boys went back to the fundamentals and made some great tackles. The boys played with great effort and gave it their all. Sometimes you have games like this. The question now becomes... what are you going to do with this? Are you going to learn and grow and use this as a positive thing? Or are you going to let it get you down and turn it into a lasting negative? The choice is up to each individual player. We will see what the response is in the weeks to come.

Players of the Game vs Bengals

It took a team effort, everyone playing together, everyone encouraging each other, everyone paying attention to each other and the game, and everyone feeding off of the momentum, for us to be able to beat the Bengals this past Saturday. It will never be because of just one person as to why we win or lose. We will win and lose as a team. But every week individuals step up and shine brighter; rather it is through their play, attitude, or effort. So it is to that end that I announce the players of the week...

Rusty... I love coaching Rusty (as I do all my boys). His desire to do his best and win is second to none. Rusty and I talked about leadership after the first game and how his attitude was very important, not only to his play but the play of the whole team. Well, let's just say Rusty stepped it up a notch in that department this week. He played tremendously while completing over 58% of his passes. He threw two touchdown passes, ran for a touchdown, and caught a touchdown pass as well. But one moment really sticks in my mind. It was about mid way through the second half. We had just gotten the ball back when Rusty went back to pass. Well as it turned out the wrong team caught the ball and returned it for a touchdown. I watched Rusty and his reaction. He wasn't thrilled about the pass but he didn't hang his head either. We talked about it on the sideline and the corrections that needed to be made. He promptly went back on the field and guided us to two more touchdowns. This was very encouraging to me. Rusty showed great leadership and a wonderful attitude. Keep up the good work Rusty.

Brandon... Brandon has shown a very positive attitude as well as tremendous leadership skills this season. After he didn't win the starting quarterback position, he didn't hang his head or get upset. He just made up his mind he was going to be the best at whatever position he played. This attitude and his contagious smile has helped guide our defense this season. He plays safety and he takes great pride in his role. With his help we were able to hold our opponents scoreless in the 2nd half of the Texan game and the first half of the Bengal game. Not only has Brandon shined on defense but he rose to the occasion on offense versus the Bengals, making a spectacular catch in back of the end zone for a touchdown. Well done Brandon.

Tyler... Our final player of the week is Tyler. He has tremendous potential and is just beginning to realize how much he has. He is fast and quick. Is probably one of our best when it comes to tackling and shows great leadership. One thing, however, that he has struggled with is catching the ball. He likes to make the spectacular catches but the routine ones seem to fall to the ground. Well that all changed in practice last week. He kept focus and made sure he hung on to the balls. He was rewarded in the Bengal game by recording his first (0f what we hope is many) touchdown catch of the season. He also never dropped a pass. Not only that, he intercepted a pass on the goal line keeping us in the lead. Tyler don't ever stop trying to get better.

Packers 24, Bengals 20

We notched our first win this past Saturday. Actually the boys were already winners before they even stepped onto the field. Their effort, attitude, and togetherness showed me that. I am so proud of them. They all realize we are in the process of building something, a winning team. Our focus last week in practice was momentum. We built some momentum the previous Saturday against the Texans despite a loss. The boys capitalized on that this Saturday and continued to build momentum in a 24 to 20 hard fought win!

The boys started out very strong on defense and on our second possession of the game we drove the ball in for a touchdown on a 15 yard touchdown pass from Rusty to Tyler. The defense continued to play well with Tyler intercepting a pass on the goal line to keep the Bengals scoreless. Rusty then went on a 35 yard quarterback run to make the score 12-0. The Bengals were again turned away at the goal line by a defense that was very determined and playing together. Everyone was contributing from the starters to the substitutes. This lead to a 12-0 halftime lead.

We knew the Bengals would not go down without a fight. We emphasis all the time about finishing strong and we needed to this game. The Bengals got on the board with an interception returned for a touchdown making the score 12-6 early in the second half. The Packers responded with a scoring drive of their own. We ran a running back option pass with Reggie who found Rusty open for a 20 yard touchdown. The Bengals came right back with a touch down of their own followed by a successful extra point making the score 18-13. My boys, however, were just as determined not to lose and came fighting right back. After two very good runs by Reggie and Tyler, Rusty avoided the rush and found Brandon in back of the end zone for what turned out to be a spectacular catch. The Bengals would not go away. With just under 20 seconds left in the game they scored another touchdown and converted the extra point making the final score Packers 24, Bengals 20.

I emphasis the importance of playing a good opponent because it can bring out the best in us. The Bengals did that for us this past Saturday. The boys and me will learn from this game and continue to build on this foundation to become the best we can possibly be.

Preparation Time

As in life, getting ready for a football game takes preparation. In the picture above we are going over some last minute strategies we want to utilize against he Bengals. It takes the whole team to get ready and everyone must be on the same page all pulling in the same direction. Where would we be as a team if we did not prepare? We would NOT be together that is for sure. My question to you is what are things in your life that you need to be preparing for? Are you making the most of the opportunities to get prepared?

Player of the Game vs Texans

It is my privilege to announce last weeks player of the game... Lavontae. Lavontae showed great heart and a tremendous attitude in our loss to the Texans. After a rough start, in which he dropped a couple of passes and even dropped a hand off, Lavontate showed great courage by not getting down. He bounced back in a big way by never dropping another pass or hand off the rest of the game. Matter of fact he added a safety and a touchdown in the second half. Because of his effort, heart, and attitude he is awarded with last weeks player of the game.

Defining "Team"

As stated earlier our goal this season is building a winning team. We are doing that by focusing each week on a different aspect of team. We are doing that by using the letters in the word "TEAM".

"T" - Together... The first thing we learned about being a team is we must be together. No matter what the score is. Whether we are ahead by 50 or down by 50 we must be together. We also learned that we need everyone on the team to be together. No matter their position or playing time we need everyone. Even if they have different athletic abilities and talents. I asked the boys this simple question. "How good would the Colts be if they had 56 Peyton Mannings on their team?" Of course the answer was obvious, not very good. So we need each other, especially because of our differences. So the first thing a team is, is they are together.

"E" - Encouragement... The second thing is encouragement. We must encourage each other as a team. We should be the first ones running to our teammates and encouraging them when they make a bad play, mistake, or a great play. We have to rely on each other for support. The funny thing about encouragement is that it leads to more positive energy. We all could use a little more positive energy in our lives, so lets all try a little harder to encourage each other. This is what a good team does.

"A" - Attentiveness... The third thing that a good team does is they are attentive to each other. I told the boys this means we are paying more attention to our teammates then ourselves. This is actually adding value to our teammates and putting positive energy into their lives. We must become more in tune with our teammates and care more about them then ourselves. I would venture to say that our homes would be different if we were more attentive to the needs of each other.

"M" - Momentum... This is probably one of the most over looked aspect of being a team. This is actually what we are focusing on this week. So there will be more posted on this later. But I do know this... if we are truly together, encouraging our teammates, and being attentive to each other the momentum we will generate will be very hard to stop and will propel us to the next level!

Texans 14, Packers 8

FIRST GAME... We played our first game this Saturday (2/28). It was a hard fought game and very exciting. After a sloppy first half and trailing 14-0 we finally started playing well in the second half. Lavontae got us on the scoreboard by recording a sack and safety making it 14-2. Lavontae then added a touchdown to make it 14-8. I am so proud of the boys. They bounced back in the second half showing tremendous heart and effort. Every single one of them could walk off the field with their heads held high because they left everything on it. They gave 100% effort. Yes, we are dissappointed with the results, but the results alone don't tell the whole story. I reminded them that we are in a process here (like life) of building a winning team. We must focus on the big picture! We will improve. We will become better. We will have learned much from this game. We will make each other better.

What they showed me on Saturday laid a very good foundation for the rest of the season. Now we must build positively on this plat form. I plan to do my part. I know I have great kids and I look forward to watching them grow. Someone told me on Saturday (to this effect) you do things different then most coaches. I have thought about that a lot and wondered what the answer would be if someone asked again about that. The answer is quite simple... I love these boys and this is not just about winning football games. This is about life and boys becoming men. I am so thankful to be a small part of thier lives.

Team Introduction

As we begin to start the Spring 2009 NFL Flag Football season it is my privilege to introduce to you our team. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them as we have spent many, many hours practicing. By becoming a team we will have a very successful season. So here it is our Spring 2009 Senior Packers team...

Andrew... This is my first season with Andrew. He always has a smile and is probably one of the most polite. He has good speed and will be a good addition for our team. He will primarily be playing wide-out and line backer for us.

Brandon... This is my third season coaching Brandon. He is always fun to coach with a great attitude. He is always giving his best effort. He also has a very contagious smile. Brandon will be playing quarter back and safety for us this season as well as some wide=out.

Jacob... This is Jacob's second season with me. He is always so polite and very respectful. He is very quick with good hands. He is a very versatile player that could probably play any position. I hardly hear any complaining from him. He will play wide-out, running back, nose tackle, corner back, and safety.

Jay... This is Jay's first season with me. He is Andrew's older brother. I enjoy coach Jay. He always tries to apply what you are teaching him. He is surprisingly quick and always wants to do his best. He will be playing center and nose tackle.

Jimmy... Season number 2 with Jimmy. It has been really fun watching him grow. He has become better and better. He may not always get things right away, but he will always ask. You have got to love that. He will be primarily center and nose tackle.

Jordan... He is new on my team. He has a high level of energy and enthusiasm. He always wants the ball which is a very good attitude to have. He is fairly new to football, but is catching on fast. He will spend most of his time at center, nose tackle, and line backer.

Justin... He has been with me the longest. He started with me my rookie season in the middle division and is now with me in the senior division. He continues to improve season after season. He will be playing most of his time in the wide-out position on offense and nose tackle on offense.

Lavontae... This is his first season with me. What a absolute delight to coach. He never complains and is very capable of playing several positions. Even though he is not the most athletic looking he is very, very fast with very good hands. He will play in several spots this season, primarily at running back and line backer.

Reggie... In his first season with me I can already tell he has tremendous talent and a wonderful attitude to match. You always know what you are going to get with Reggie; his very best. He is another player that can play any where on the field. His main spots will be at the running back and corner back positions.

Rusty... It is good to have Rusty back. This will be his second season with me. He is fun to have and always wants to win. I like it when people always want to do their best and get frustrated when they don't. He has tremendous heart and is a great asset on our team. He will primarily play quarter back and safety.

Tyler... This is my second season coaching my son. He has more talent and ability then what he gives himself credit for. He is quicker then he looks and is an anchor on the defensive side of the ball. He will be playing wide-out and corner back for us.

Coach Tony... Tony is back again this season even though he doesn't have a son on this team. He has adopted everyone on the team however. This is his fourth season with me. We continue to learn together. He always keeps me balanced and making sure I am doing the things that I need to do.

As I think and contemplate about this upcoming season I think one word sums up our team... POTENTIAL! There is work to do. We have talent, speed, good hands, and pretty much everything it takes to be a successful team. The potential is great for this team to win... if we continue to work hard and improve, if we stick together as a team and make each other better, and if we continue to develop character beyond the football field. And there you have it... the Spring 2009 Senior Packers!!!!