Football players to see more focus on grades

It will take more than hard work on the football field to crack the lineup on the Muskie football teams this season.
“It’s important what you do out here,” said Bob Swing, head coach for the ‘A/B’ teams, as he pointed to the field during the opening night of training camp Monday.
“But it is important what you do in there, as well,” he stressed, pointing over to the high school. “You will need at least a 70 percent in each class to stay on the team.
“If you are below that, I will find out and talk to you and the teacher to see what we can do to help you out,” Swing added.
Mark Mercure, who has been playing Muskie football for five years, wasn’t too surprised when Swing mentioned the academic policy, also known to Fort High students as the activity policy.
“He told us back in the spring,” said Mercure. “I don’t have to worry about it but I know that it will affect some players. It is a new policy so I don’t really know what to expect from Swinger when he does it.”
“I know it will work,” Swing said of the policy. “Not everything works 100 percent right away but I think it will work for the majority of the players.
“These are good and smart players, they just have to put a little effort into it,” he stressed. “Most of these kids are smart but some of them are just lazy in the classroom.”
Mercure said Swing will check the players’ grades but doesn’t think the policy will be as rigid as he made it sound.
“It is tough for everyone to make 70 percent in each class,” he reasoned. “I can’t see him throwing people out of practice to go to study hall but he did it last year so maybe he will just do that a few more times this year.
“I don’t think he will stick to it right to the letter but he will be more rigid then last year,” Mercure said.
Rob Tysz, linemen coach for the ‘A/B’ squad, also doesn’t think the players will have a problem dealing with the new academic policy.
“We have good players on the team and we haven’t asked them for anything they don’t already do,” he Tysz. “I agree with Swinger’s comment that football is a reward for doing well in school.”
Tysz also was impressed with the number of players who came out for the first tryout Monday (55) and is enthusiastic about the upcoming season.
“Practice went very well and I was impressed with the players that came out,” he remarked. “It was a good day and all of us were pleased with how everything went.”
“It went well–a lot of kids came out,” agree Swing. “The nice thing about [Monday] night was when the coaches went through the drill with the player, 90 percent of them knew what they were doing.”
Mercure also is excited about the upcoming season and how the first night of tryouts went.
“We have a good-looking team this year–more depth this year,” he said. “We have a lot of good athletes this year. Usually we get some big, huge guys and they can’t even run.”
Third-year player Brad Wakefield noted the first practice seemed easy but stressed they usually get tougher as the season goes on.
“This practice is fairly easy,” echoed third-year player Jason Flatt. “We are just brushing up on some old drills and plays.”
“Practice is easy if you are a good player but if you are a rookie, then practice is hard,” said 10th-grader Kenny Desjardins, who is hoping to make the team this time around.
“A lot of teaching,” agreed Mercure. “It is pretty much like that for the first couple of days. [But] when we start practising, it will be drills, drills, drills.”