Colfax High School football program has improved but now needs more help
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax High School football program has improved since the roster engagement plan was put into place in 2022, but the program still needs more help.
Joe Beranek, CHS football coach and high school history teacher, spoke briefly to the Colfax Board of Education at the February 19 meeting during the visitors’ portion of the meeting.
He provided copies of the Colfax Football Roster Engagement Plan and a letter sent out to athletes, parents and members of the community.
According to the engagement plan for recruiting student-athletes, there are monthly sets that are open to any and all interested parties; eighth grade official recruiting visits on Colfax football game days; sixth grade official recruiting visits on Colfax football game days; and current rostered player and potential prospect meetings.
The plan also includes relationship building with non-football student-athletes; the weight room ran and operated by football staff throughout the academic year; the speed and agility program ran and operated by football staff throughout the school year; the summer strength and conditioning program ran and operated by the football staff throughout the summer months; the spring football combine; flag football camp; the organization of student-athlete participation in flag football officiating; an Under the Lights football event.
The engagement plan also includes creating positive energy within the football program:
• Summer strength and conditioning runs from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. to allow for work and hobbies.
• Football practices run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow for work and hobbies.
• Organized practices to be operated at a high tempo to keep players engaged and having fun.
• Scored competition periods in practice that rewards the winning group with extrinsic rewards.
• Team cookout at the end of Fall Camp Summer Practice.
• The Lab: player development of offensive and defensive scheme.
• Viking Valor: anti-bullying leadership program.
• Fundraising event to promote competition, leadership and community engagement.
• Using new technology to improve technique development.
• Increased classroom time to increase knowledge of the game of football.
• Encouraging players participation in other Colfax athletic activities.
• Facilitating a family environment through our program wide Four Pillars [be accountable, be coachable, be respectful, and be selfless].
• Provide players with team gear and other free equipment.
• Planned team building activities outside of practice to increase engagement.
• Fueling the Machine: year round nutrition program that promotes lean muscle growth.
Letter
The following letter was sent to parents, guardians and community members:
The Colfax Football Coaching Staff and I would like to write to you to talk about the current status of our program. For those of you who do not know our program, we instituted our new culture going into the 2022 season. We wanted our student athletes to not just improve athletically, but as human beings, and to provide them tools to excel outside of our program. We hope to accomplish this by implementing four pillars within our program: to Be Accountable, Be Coachable, Be Respectful, and Be Selfless.
During the past two seasons of football, we have made vast strides in the classroom, community, and on the field. We have had two groups of seniors leave our care that have verbally expressed how much they have grown within our new culture and have been actively involved in improving it. Additionally, we have made significant strides in terms of our competitiveness:
• Averaged more points per game than last year.
• Lowered our conference point differential by 2 touchdowns.
• Allowed less yards against than the previous year.
• Increased takeaways from previous year (2nd in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference).
• Only team in the regular season to score double digit points on Conference Champions Boyceville.
The statistics above were achieved with just 22 players on our roster, Freshmen through Senior. Many underclassmen performed admirably within the situation, and we are proud of their resilience throughout the season. However, with 8 outgoing seniors, we find ourselves with very low numbers when it comes to returning Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. We will not be able to compete if our numbers do not increase. We are in danger of forfeiting the opportunity to play a varsity schedule for next season (2024).
With that being said, we need the entire community of Colfax to pitch in and help us remedy this current situation. We would highly appreciate any support and help that you may give in the way of encouraging any high school student athlete in your circle of influence to give the game of football a try, either for the first time or by rejoining their classmates on the field. The game of football provides our high school students the opportunity to participate in a fast paced, team oriented environment that will be instrumental in helping them become Accountable, Coachable, Respectful, and Selfless in all aspects of life.
Please contact Michael Hodel, athletic director, with any questions or concerns:
hodel@colfax.k12.wi.us or 715-962-3155, extension 2327
Respectfully,
Colfax High School Football Coaching Staff
