FALL RIVER: Football season is right around the corner.
As schools prepare to head back on Sept. 7, the Lockview High School Dragons football team have had camps well underway for the coming season.
On one recent summer night, The Laker News stopped by to see how practices were coming along. We spoke Tom Heighway and Mike Korecki, two of the teams coaches, about the upcoming season and getting the players minds back in it after COVID-19 sidelined them all in 2020.
“We’re just happy to be getting on a field and playing,” said Korecki. “That’s really what it’s all about.
“We haven’t played in a whole year, so we’re just happy to get out and play. So that’s why we’re looking forward to playing and playing this season.”
The turnout for the first weeks of practices was good, both said.
“We’re still early. We’ve gotten into camp Monday and some schools haven’t opened up yet. But we’re happy with the players that we’re having in here,” said Korecki. “We’ve always had a good collection of talent and players, and so we’re looking forward to having them ready to go.”
“We’re averaging sort of 25 to 30 kids a night to begin with,” added Heighway. “We’d almost like to see that double if we could, but we understand that at summer holidays.”
Heighway said the hardest part is after a year off it’s hard to motivate the kids coming.
Korecki agreed.
“It’s hard getting them re energized because we haven’t played in a whole year,” he said. “We’re trying to network and getting all the players ready for game action.
“We’re going to get going to with probably 35 to 40 kids play. But our problem is we’ve got to hunt them down, I hate to say it like that. We’ve got to recruit in the school.”
Heighway said the team is practicing Monday to Fridays at the school field from 6-8 p.m. He had a message for those hesitating to come tryout.
“Talk to any guys on the team or come out on any one of those nights and we’d be happy to let them see what it’s all about,” he said. “It’s a great sport.”
