Summer is the time when most people take their vacations, however, the Pam Pack football team has been putting in work.
Washington coach Sport Sawyer has fed his players a steady diet of 7-on-7 exhibitions and team workouts this sumer and so far he has liked what he has seen.
“We’ve been going pretty steady with football all summer and I’m very proud of the guys. I believe 95 percent of the varsity guys have come to the workouts and done everything we’ve asked of them,” Sawyer said on Thursday upon the conclusion of the team’s final 7-on-7 exhibition. “We’ve done four (seven-on-sevens) plus the ones we played at the Elon tournament and I’m excited about the things we saw. We’ve seen good route running. (Quarterback) Brodie West has progressed passing the ball and defensively we’ve been staying on routes.
“I’m pleased with the progression this summer. From the beginning of the summer to now a lot of these players have learned how to do the things we’re teaching them a lot better.”
Aside from improving team and individual skills, Sawyer said he is trying to establish a winning mentality for his players as they approach the first official day of practice on Aug. 1.
“Our first goal is whenever you snap that helmet on and you’re playing some competition is to win,” Sawyer said. “This summer we haven’t lost in passing league and we’re trying set a winning mindset. I’m pleased with the guys’ attitudes. They expect good things from themselves and each other.”
Pam Pack defensive coordinator Jon Blank was equally pleased with the participation and attitudes of his players.
“This is the hardest working most coachable group that I’ve ever had,” Blank said. “I commend all of them for what they have given me this summer.”
The unit’s dedication has allowed them to get a tremendous leg up on the upcoming season.
“We’ve been able to get in a majority of the coverages we’re going to run this season,” Blank said. “We really focused on man coverage all summer and trying to get really good at it. Today we added several of the zone concepts that we want to run and we did it pretty well.”
The Pam Pack, who finished 10-4 last year and advanced all the way to the third round of the playoffs, will begin official team practices on Aug. 1 but Sawyer said that any player who has not been out to summer workouts must show up at Washington High School on July 29 at 10 a.m. for concussion testing.