The first day of football is always a celebration.
But it’s even better when it leads to a last-day celebration.
Fresh off the first state championship in program history, Gladwin enjoyed a festive return to the gridiron Monday, much like every other team in the state on the first day of high school football practice across Michigan.
But there was a bit of a star-spangled feel around the Flying G’s as they hit the field for the first time as defending state champions.
“There are always a lot of parents watching, and people sitting in the bleachers or sitting in their vehicles,” Gladwin coach Marc Jarstfer said. “I sometimes think ‘Don’t they have something better to do?’ But they just enjoy watching the kids go to work.”
With music blaring and coaches bellowing, Gladwin took Step 1 in its title defense. The Flying G’s went undefeated last season, outdueling Frankenmuth 10-7 on the final day of the season for the Division 5 crown.
And that added a new twist to the first day of the 2023 campaign.
“Our motto this year is ‘Take the Stairs,’” Jarstfer said. “There is no easy way to success, there is no elevator to get you there. It’s a step-by-step process.
“I don’t know how big our staircase is, but I hope it takes us a long way.”
Dexter coach loves to rise and shine for football
Dexter coach Phil Jacobs implored his players to take things slow, while also getting better each day. And he assured them he’d be there to help them along the way.
“Like every other coach in America, it’s great to be out here on Day 1, just back in the routine,” he said. “As football coaches, that’s what you get up in the morning for is to come coach kids at football practice. It was a different morning than it has been in the last few months, but it’s been exciting.
“I told them during practice, ‘It’s up you on how quickly we come around.’ We could come around Wednesday of this week or next week, or it could be a Wednesday in October, I don’t know. It’s on those guys. The beautiful thing about coaching is you get a new group, and you get to put it together and see how these kids thrive.”
Grand Blanc unveils its grand facilities
Grand Blanc held its first official practice in its new state-of-the-art stadium, which was built thanks to an $87-million bond proposal, more than half of which was used to upgrade the Bobcats’ aging athletic facilities.
The new digs feature bleachers that seat 5,000 on the home side of the stadium and 1,000 on the visiting side, a scoreboard with video capabilities, a drone that can be used for the video board, a new concession stand, space for food trucks and artificial turf, among other things.
Because there’s no track surrounding the field, the fans sit closer to the playing surface than at most stadiums. Several hundred fans – mostly students – showed up for Grand Blanc’s annual Midnight Madness practice to watch the Bobcats go through a quick workout.
“It’s super exciting,” said J.T. Webber, a senior wide receiver and cornerback. “I love the stadium. Since the stands are so close to the field it’s going to be an explosive environment.
“I’m bouncing right now. I can’t imagine … the first game we come out there.”
Jackson Northwest feels Day 1, Year 2 excitement
For a lot of players and coaches, the summer months saw a string of camps, trips to the weight room and 7-on-7s, so it’s not like they have been totally away from football since last fall. Still, the first official day of practice is a new start.
“Pure excitement, it’s great,” Jackson Northwest running back Carter Fairley said. “It’s the real start to the season. Camp is great, but there’s nothing like the first practice.”
Northwest coach Stafford Newsome comes into the season as a second-year coach, bringing some experience of his own, along with a veteran group of Mounties on the roster. But even heading into Year 2, Newsome has the same first-day excitement.
“I just feel lucky,” he said. “Very thankful for the opportunity to our administrators in the district, our athletic director, for the kids and parents for allowing us to coach them. We’ve got a coaching staff that’s just so thankful to get to be out here, the closest we get to playing football anymore.”
A somber start for Saginaw United
The first day of practice was put on hold at Saginaw United, one of the few teams that didn’t have football at the forefront of its thoughts.
The squad took the day off to attend the funeral of teammate Mazzie Rudison, an Arthur Hill senior who died from multiple gunshot wounds on July 25.
“There’s football, and there’s life,” United coach Lee Arthur said. “Setbacks are real life. We did all the grief counseling. This isn’t a rally cry for our football team. This is so much more than football.
“Are we going to yell at a kid for being offside in practice when their friend and teammate lost his life? Some things are bigger than football. It’s going to be hard to get past this. We’re not even thinking about X’s and O’s or winning or losing.”
United is the combined squad of Arthur Hill and Saginaw High. But on one of their sport’s biggest days, they were pulled together by something larger than the game.
Saline enjoys luxury of an experienced QB
Saline’s practice was a little different because it has a lot of returners, including the top player in the state for the 2024 class in Notre Dame QB commit C.J. Carr.
Saline coach Joe Palka noticed that Carr was making checks during practice that hadn’t been implemented because he’s so experienced.
“He’s doing things on Day 1 that we don’t even do in terms of checking into a different protection that doesn’t really go with that play,” Palka said. “But that’s because he sees something and knows what the defensive end is going to do, or watching him check into a throw and we don’t have a throw in there, but he’s checking with the receiver because it’s the right decision.”
East Kentwood starts season with a sleepover
They’re taking the Midnight Madness trend a step further at East Kentwood.
Not only did the team hit the field at 12:01 a.m. – the first minute of the first day of football – but the players are spending two nights together in the school.
“(We’re) getting to know one another and doing that team bonding and building that team camaraderie that you need when you’re in the trenches, trusting that guy next to you that you spent this time with,” coach Tony Kimbrough said.
After practicing from midnight to 2 a.m., they hit the showers, hit the pillows and rested up for session No. 2 at 9:30 a.m.
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