2008 Varsity Football - Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

I had the great honor coaching the Lakeland Eagles Varsity football team during the 2008 season. This was a team that during the 2007 season suffered a great deal. The numbers on the team were low, and some very serious injuries occurred to our kids during the season. The 2007 Lakeland Eagles Varsity football team, despite their troubles, never quit. Their intestinal fortitude is the kind of thing legends are made of. People in and around the organization still buzz about the team that just would never give up. It was important to me to build on their success of team cohesiveness.

The 2008 Lakeland Eagles Varsity football team can be defined as explosive with great team speed. This football team had absolutely the best pass defense in the league. More often than not, opposing receivers found themselves separated from the football shortly after a reception due to stunning blows by the Eagles corners and safeties. Opposing quarterbacks were highly pressured, and the defense scored numerous sacks and hurries resulting in interceptions and incomplete passes. There was not a team in the West Coast Youth Football Conference that could pass the football on the Lakeland Eagles Varsity. Defensive Coordinator Jerry Monroe's defensive schemes resulted in several shutouts, and only allowed opposing teams to score a total of 80 points for the entire regular season. Pound for pound, the heaviest hitter on this defense was a young man by the name of Darrell Reed. Mr. Reed would deliver punishing hits that even made his own coaches cringe.

The Varsity defense was a staple of this team, the offense was equally good. Led by Quarterback Daisean Wilson, the Eagles offense was able to score from anywhere at anytime. Because of the talent on offense, we were able to spread the ball around keeping opposing defenses on their heels and guessing. The longest play from scrimmage was an 85 yard run by Daisean Wilson who was playing in the tailback position at the time. With impact players such as Kerwin Harrison, Lakeith Wilson, and Quinten Graham, the Eagles offense could effectively mix run and pass plays at will which racked up 159 points during the regular season.

The Lakeland Eagles Varsity team won their division and ended the regular season with a 7-3 record. Like the Junior Varsity team, winning the division came at the earliest possible moment in the season; October 18th. There were only three teams out of 40 in the conference to accomplish task so early. This accomplishment earned the Varsity team a first round bye in the playoffs. The Eagles fell to the Brandon Bears in the second round ending their bid for the Superbowl.

Many people have come to me and told me what a great job I had done with the Varsity team. While I appreciate their comments, the facts and means of our success is clear. Being able to build on the courage of the 2007 Varsity Eagles and surrounding myself with coaches who were more knowledgeable than I such as Josh Gibbons, Jerry Monroe, Matt Lucas, Tony Cox, and Paul Dunn is the reason for our success. I cannot thank these coaches enough for their dedication and hard work.