In June We Lived Our Mottos 'Stay Hungry' and 'No Opportunity Wasted'

It is hard to believe we have already blown past the Fourth of July! I guess the old adage of "Time flies when you're having fun," stands true. This June presented many firsts for us and these firsts were all in the theme of making us "Stay Hungry" and making sure there was "No Opportunity Wasted."

The IHSAA allows each team throughout the summer to have 12 contact days (helmet/shoulder pads). We for the first time have already used seven of them. In those 12 days we are allowed to compete against other schools five times. We have already used three of those throughout June.

For the first time this year I personally selected a great 4A opponent and State Runner Up from 2020, as well as longtime football rival in Hobart. Coach Osiika and his staff do a masterful job with their players and program. They are as tough nosed and athletic as many of you remember from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. As part of this competition we also faced a very talented Hammond Morton football team. This team led by Mac Mishler and his outstanding staff is challenging their players with three games this year against three great 6A opponents. They have a great opportunity to be at the top of the Great Lakes Conference when the regular season concludes.

The week following we wasted no time challenging ourselves by facing off against five, 6A teams for the first time ever. We hosted an extremely talented Elkhart team led by Rominson- St. Louis and his staff. We also went back into the time capsule and faced off against Warsaw and their legendary coach Bart Curtis and his Flex Bone triple option. This offense has a storied past and a debatable origin, but what can not be debated is how the legendary Air Force coach Fisher Deberry utilized this offense to make the Air Force Academy offense a prolific offense throughout the 80's and it has become an offensive staple of our Service Academies since then.

The following day we took our team from the "North," down to Lafayette Jefferson to face off against them, Lawrence North, and Zionsville. We have a small history with Coach Scott Turnquist and his Zionsville Eagles as they were the team to stop us from reaching Lucas Oil in 2020 in a hard fought Semi-State game at their place. He runs a great program and has an accompaniment of great coaches. One of these coaches is the former Indianapolis Colt Wide Receiver, TY Hilton. Hilton's son is also on the team and he has successfully earned 15, Division 1 scholarships following in the footsteps of his talented father.

Our freshman team also benefited from our "Stay Hungry," mentality as they faced off against four opponents (Hobart, Elkhart, Warsaw, Lafayette Jefferson) this June. This is three more teams than we have ever faced at the freshman level in the summertime.

Our thought process as a staff this summer was to challenge our players and program against some of the best athletes, coaches, and opponents Indiana has to offer. This type of challenge is what does not allow complacency to trickle into a team coming off of a State Championship season. The boys have responded and my hope is in July they continue to do the same.

This June also presented us with a first time look at the mentality and methodology that Coach Pick, our new strength and conditioning coach, will bring to our program as well to all athletes at Valparaiso High School. I can tell you the workouts have been very foundational and challenging to say the least. We are extremely thrilled with the direction of our strength and conditioning program!

As a program we continue to challenge ourselves and build the camaraderie, brotherhood that has made our teams in the past so strong. We look forward to what the two weeks in July will bring, especially our stay at Olivet Nazarene for our Varsity and JV teams coming up July 17th-19th!

Coach Marshall

"Stay Hungry"

"No Opportunity Wasted"

For your Enjoyment we've dropped a few photos from the scrimmages below.