Dayton News Article - "Championships begin in June"

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Championships begin in June

By MIKE GEORGE

[email protected]

06/30/2008

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It’s Friday afternoon about 1 p.m. One car sits in front of Dayton High School with another six or eight belonging to custodians and other workers in the south side parking lot. Off the north side parking lot, in a lot designated for the athletic staff, seven to eight vehicles are parked with their former occupants inside watching film, studying to see how to make the Broncos better in ’08.

“We’re breaking down and watching last year’s playoff win over Crosby,†said head football coach Jerry Stewart. “We’re especially interested in the final quarter when we had a lot of youngsters playing that will be starting for us this season.â€

The Bronco boss would have the tape backed up and watch over and over to see who made blocks, who didn’t, who ran hard and who didn’t, who did what they were supposed to and who might have done the wrong thing. The tape told the whole story.

“We look for things we can correct and then do so,†Stewart said. “All these coaches are in here from time to time with each of the offensive and defensive coaches studying their part of the tapes to seek out tendencies and habits these young players have. It’s our job to help make our players the best they can be and this is just part of how we do that job.â€

And so it has been the past 12 years at Dayton with Stewart at the helm.

“Playing football is a year round commitment,†said Stewart. “These kids are here on their own volition three days a week working out and conditioning themselves for the hot days in August when football practice starts. They’re out here running sweating, puking, and doing whatever it takes to get into shape to handle the August heat and practices that will come. Then, they come in one other day of the week and play basketball and do other things to stay in condition.â€

There’s not enough time in August to make a champion if one first has to take the time to get players into shape. At Dayton, they better be in shape come August because there won’t be the time then to get them where everybody else is already, and they could find themselves getting left behind.

The Dayton Broncos made history bybeing the first Broncofootball team to win their third playoff game, the semi-regional, 43-0 win over Livingston. In order to have a chance to attainh that level in '08, those juniors and sophomores from '07 have had to begin getting ready now.