Sports
Grayslake Colts Get In Shape For The Season
Over 300 boys age 6 to 14 are working out in mandatory conditioning session this week in Central Park, aiming to start the season in great shape.
“It was totally wicked!” said Brandon Schwartz, 7, of Grayslake, after a challenging first day back for his second season with the Grayslake Colts football and cheerleading program.
“It was so fun," he said. "I hope I make the Sunday team [Big 10] this year!”
His big brother played on the Colts for 8 years and is now a freshman for the Grayslake Central Rams, who practiced on the field next to his. “My brother will play on Saturdays, so if I make the Sunday team, he can come see my games,” Brandon said hopefully.
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Even the youngest football players must go through 10 hours of conditioning. They will be sweating it out from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. If they miss a day or two due to family vacations or other obligations, they will have to make up the time before they can have direct contact (tackling).
By the end of next week, each boy will know what team they will join. There will be Pack 10 teams and Big 10 teams.
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“The second week of practice will be evaluations," said league Director Jim Geary. "There will be different drills and exercises to place boys on separate teams within their weight and age classes.”
For two years, Geary has been the director of football for the Grayslake Colts Football League. Prior to that, he was an a assistant director for three years. Currently, there are five assistant directors, one per weight class. Rich Tasker, this year's middleweight coach, is an assistant director of the Bantams, ages 6 to 8.
There are changes this season in how kids are grouped.
“The biggest change [in the 2011 season] will be weight classes," Geary said. "Each class has increased their limits by three pounds (except Lightweights will increase two pounds, from 123 pounds to 125 pounds)."
The changes to the weight class limits mean that:
- Bantams go up from 87 pounds to 90 pounds
- Featherweights go up from 97 to 100 pounds
- Middleweights go up from 107 to 110 pounds
- Heavyweights go up from 167 pounds to 170 pounds
What this means to the players is that some might be on different teams then they might have otherwise been on without the change.
The Colts program has had a large number of kids sign up for this season. There was an amazing sea of colored practice jerseys everywhere the spectators could see.
“We have 305 boys signed up this year, a wonderful turnout for sure!” Geary said.
Tasker reminded parents who were watching from the sidelines, “The most important thing for the players to remember is to hydrate, not just during practice, but throughout the days that they practice.”
The Colts are part of the Chicagoland Youth Football League, or TCYFL, which was formerly the Tri-County Football League. It is America’s largest independent youth football league and is made up of thousands of players on hundreds of teams from 30 member communities based throughout Chicagoland and southeastern Wisconsin.
Member communities include: Antioch, Barrington, Bartlett, Buffalo Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake, Elgin, Gilberts, Grayslake, Huntley, Lake in the Hills/Algonquin, Lake Villa, McHenry, Mundelein, North Chicago, Prairie Ridge, Prospect Heights, Round Lake, Libertyville, Oak Park, Plainfield, Vernon Hills, Warren Township, Wauconda, Waukegan, Western Kenosha County (Wisconsin), Woodstock, and Zion.
Visit www.TCYFL.net for more information.
