La Citadelle’s Football Training Camp

Students were put through rigorous tests of agility, speed and strength during La Citadelle’s football training camp last week. Over 50 athletes, ranging from grades 8 to 12, hit the field after school to show the coaches what they have to offer for the upcoming season this fall.

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Head Coach Marc Renaud and his coaching staff set up five training stations. The students were split in groups of 10 and rotated from station to station. The first station was in the school’s weight room, where Coach Ron Graham showed the athletes the proper form for the bench press. Graham said the athletes should do 12-14 reps in each bench press set and that the forehead should be about equal with the bar. The students started with 25 pound weights on each side and encouraged each other in reaching the goal of 12-14 reps. Eric Gladu did about 20 reps in less than two minutes.

Renaud said he isn’t sure if La Citadelle will carry a junior and senior team. That will be determined next September once the coaches have had more opportunities to see what the players can do. If a junior team is established, Graham will be the head coach. If not, he will remain as the first assistant to Renaud.

Athletic Director Jo-Anne Dexter was on hand to help with the training. The flat-footed long jump was her station. The measuring tape was laid down and one of the best jumps belonged to Joey Berry. The 12th grade student jumped 2.2 metres. Berry said he’s excited about the upcoming season and figures to play running back on offence and tight end on defence.

Teacher Daniel Lacroix, who is also a coach, was running the 40-metre dash station. The athletes sprinted hard on the grass to get a feel for how it would be in a game. Renaud encouraged the boys to “push with your arms” and not just their legs. Patrick Carrière ran the 40-metre dash in 5.6 seconds.

A rectangle agility box was also set up on Citadelle’s field with Teacher/Coach Denis Martel running the station. The box is used to practice and improve the athletes’ side-shuffle said Renaud. The boys sprinted forward, shuffled to their right, sprinted in reverse and then shuffled to their left to finish of the drill. One of the best recorded times came from Hayden Nicholson, who did the drill in 10.3 seconds.

Another agility station was set up to get the athletes to practice “the most common movements that happen on the football field” said Renaud. The boys ran forward on a right angle and then backwards on a right angle while still facing straight ahead. Cones were placed in a triangular shape and at five metre intervals, with the whole course spanning 30 metres in length. Once the athletes reached the end of the course going right, they had to come back to the start/finish line going left. Renaud said the drill practices the athletes’ “breakdown” and teaches them to “keep looking forward” while running to the left, right, backward and forward on the field. Teacher/Coach Pierre-Alexandre Nadeau was at the helm of this station.

Renaud said this was the fourth time an outdoor practice was held, but the first of this type. The first two were very basic but during the third practice, the athletes were shown some plays, patterns and given a glimpse of special teams and positioning.

With the school year coming to a close, Renaud gave each player a training program to follow throughout the summer. He asked to the players to follow the program in order to stay in shape, improve their speed, strength and agility and to help prepare for training camp next September. The program is also geared to prevent injuries. Many of the drills they did during the training camp last week are featured in the program. In July, Renaud will also hold optional practices every Wednesday morning at 9am and evening at 6pm.

The first regular season game is expected to be played on September 24th, 2010. La Citadelle will play in a separate league from the other Cornwall high schools. It will be a five-team league consisting of other schools on the French Catholic School Board of Eastern Ontario. Teams from Rockland, Casselman, Embrun and Hawkesbury will be included.

Renaud brings with him some coaching and playing experience. He was a linebacker at Sir Wilfred Laurier University, a player-coach in men’s league football in Toronto and an assistant coach last year with Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School. Graham also has football playing and coaching experience.