SCFCA Media Day kicks off high school football season
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The end of summer unofficially arrived late Wednesday morning.
That’s because the area’s high school football coaches, seniors, captains, top players and assorted media gathered for the 21st annual Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Media Day. Staff of and contributors to t102sportsnow.com made up much of a large media contingent.
Schuylkill Haven Area High School’s Sports Performance Center hosted the event, which has been held at many venues – including Maroon’s Sports Bar and Grill, Mountain Valley Golf Course, the Schuylkill Country Club and Muhammad Ali’s Fighter’s Heaven training camp, among others.
The event, which started in 2004, serves as a preseason kickoff for the high school football season. A week of heat acclimatization practices will begin Aug. 5, with full-pad drills getting under way the following Monday, Aug. 12. Scrimmage Saturday will be Aug. 17, with Week 1 of the regular season set for Friday-Saturday, Aug. 23-24.
“It was our mission a long time ago when I took over the presidency of the SCFCA to carry on that tradition of media day for Schuylkill County football players,’’ Schuylkill Haven head coach and SCFCA president Mike Farr said. “I hope that we’ve done a good job.
“I feel like we’ve made improvements,’’ Farr added. “We’ve tried to keep it fun. We’ve tried to move the venues around the county.
“It’s the true start of football season,’’ Farr continued. “In Schuylkill County, I think we’ve done a really good job of showcasing our players and coaches, trying to provide them with the best atmosphere we can.’’
As players and coaches entered the performance center prior to the 11 a.m. start, photographers greeted them to snap various types of photos and video. The event setup on the second floor featured a table for each team in attendance: Blue Mountain, Mahanoy Area, Marian, Minersville, Nativity, North Schuylkill, Panther Valley, Pine Grove, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, Tamaqua, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley. Every team carried in a helmet, while head coaches arrived with rosters and brought along 3-4 of their best players.
In all, 14 schools, 55 student-athletes and 18 media outlets attended.
“I feel honored that I get to represent my team,’’ Pottsville senior Ryan Galen said. “I’m happy to be here with all these other teams that worked hard in the offseason.’’
After introductory comments by Farr, teams passed around a microphone, stood and said their name and position. Lunch and interviews continued into the early afternoon.
The event benefits teams, coaches and the media alike. Instead of contacting each coach individually and having a coach contacted by a dozen separate media outlets, media can compile information in one location at the same time.
“Media Day is awesome,’’ Nativity coach Pat Mason said. “I’ve been here since the start. I’m one of the old guys around anymore.
“It’s an indication that football season is right around the corner,’’ Mason added, “not that we don’t know it is, but it’s that official start of football in my eyes.’’
