Mustangs Muster Up In Training
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usWhen it comes to earning playing time within the Kailua football program, the future is definitely now.
A year after inserting a large number of sophomores into the starting lineup, Surfrider coach Gary Rosolowich saw enough positives in the move this off-season that future JV teams at the school will likely be dominated by freshmen.
“We’re developing a philosophy here that if you have the ability to be a significant player in our program - a starter as a junior or a senior - we’re going to bring you up as a sophomore,” he said.
“We know you’re going to be that much better as a junior by being with us as a sophomore. It will do two things for us - No. 1, a lot of freshmen don’t get to play much on the JV (because a sophomore is the starter), so it creates an opportunity for someone on the JV who might not have played otherwise.
“And No. 2, practicing with the varsity makes you a better player as a junior. Those juniors (who played on the varsity as sophomores) are vastly ahead of what we’ve seen (of the prototypical junior) in the past.”
The Surfriders began fall camp on Monday in preparation for their Aug. 17 pre-season opener with Leilehua with a roster of 55. Twenty-two are seniors with the rest mainly juniors, a large number of whom played on the varsity as sophomores. Although a relatively young team on paper, Rosolowich saw a much more seasoned team when the Surfriders went through spring practice in May.
“We’re way ahead in terms of (teaching) our schemes than in past years,” said Rosolowich, whose team finished 4-5 last season. “Offensively and defensively, we’re doing things we might not have been able to get to normally until the third or fourth week of the season.”
Rosolowich was pleased with the progress the team made in the spring. In recent weeks, Kailua has been involved in 7-on-7 pass league scrimmages in addition to its summer conditioning work-outs.
“Our conditioning level and our strength level were good,” Rosolowich said of the spring, when teams were allowed a limited number of full-contact practices.
“We put a high amount of emphasis on working with the lower body during the off-season. It’s the legs that get you going.”
With that in mind, among Kailua’s priorities in the off-season was to revamp its conditioning and weight-training program. Rosolowich incorporated some of the philosophies instilled in him when he played for Boise State.
“We really intensified our off-season program. It was quite different this year than in years past. In addition to the running and lifting, we added plyometrics and circuit training. We’ll have to wait and see how that benefits us.”
Rosolowich also said that Kailua would continue weight training in-season beginning this year.
“That will be a first for us,” he said, adding that in-season weight training would take place twice a week at 6:30 in the morning.
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