Westside Football Preview

2021

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Once the basketball off-season practices were over Denzer began to hold volunteer practices throughout much of July and early August. He wanted to ease into his style of prac- tices to make the transition easier for both his junior high and high school players. "I will get into mandatory practice once school starts Aug. 18. In the future I hope that we can get into mandatory practice a little earlier but we are just not there yet," Den - zer explains. " We got to take some buy-in from the community and the players. Once they get here and have a chance to meet me and work with me and improve with me the buy-in will happen naturally. This will be a place where kids will want to be and we won't have to be convincing any more. Kids will come out in big numbers." Denzer will have a full coaching staff this season, which included four-year Bulldog offensive coordina - tor Danial Meyers, two-year Bulldog defensive coordinator J.C. Dorsey, Shaw and Donald Thomas. During the Aug. 9 and 11 practices, Denzer began to pick up more than the eight junior and senior high play- ers he coached during July. Fifteen players, mainly high school, took part in practice at Bulldog Stadium. But as in years past, the first day of classes will bring in his remaining players which will set the team for the 2021 season. Jake Denzer looks forward to the season and challenges ahead of him. One of those challenges is trying to revive the Bulldog Booster Club which shut down in 2018 for lack of interest and leadership. Another challenge is getting the fans and the community into the football program. It takes a lot of support to keep a football program like Decatur going. Having the community behind the team plus the right look gives the players the right motivation to play hard towards a positive outcome. "We are only as strong as our weak - est link and we will need money for things the team might need from matching gear to meals for the home and away games," Denzer continues. "In order to buy into the program we want to look the part and that starts with matching gear. If we have blue shirts, gold shorts and individual numbers on each uniform it is easy to keep up and it is easier to hold the kids accountable" Holding the kids accountable teaches them responsibility which contributes to a good work ethic, on and off the grid iron. "If you teach them to do the work and put that shirt on they are going to work. We are all wearing the same shirt because we are all part of the same team, one heartbeat." Fall Sports Are Back! Good Luck to all the teams! SPRINGDALE 410 E. Huntsville Ave. 479-756-9337 DECATUR 252 N. Main St. 479-752-3399 ELKINS 2049 Twin Oaks Dr. 479-643-2004 2021 Football Preview Wednesday, August 25, 2021 n 15C Herald-Leader/Westside Eagle Observer Kayden Burr Waylon Harrington Mason Potter Landon Watson DECATUR Continued from Page 14C Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Part of the Decatur Bulldog eight-man football team attends the football media day event at Arvest Ball Park in Springdale Aug. 3. Members include Waylon Harrington (left), Kayden Burr, Landon Watson and Mason Potter.

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