Football success built upon summer work ethic

Football players are made in the summer.

Much of how a team is going to play is decided weeks before the season starts. Speed, strength and conditioning are the main focus of summer programs for high school football teams.

By the time training camps start at the end of July and well before the first fall practice, players should be in game shape. What's left is implementing offensive and defensive schemes.

But those won't matter unless players do the work during the summer.

The Republic catches up with Mesa Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock, Chandler coach Jim Ewan, and Phoenix Desert Vista coach Dan Hinds about how their teams are doing this summer.

Desert Ridge

Since coming from Show Low to take the head-coaching position three years ago, Hathcock has turned Desert Ridge football into a burgeoning playoff perennial.

Hathcock's pass-heavy, spread offense has vaulted the program - its win total has increased each year and last season's team reached the farthest it has ever gone in the postseason (second round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs).

So it's no surprise the team's summer program has seen a participation increase.

Hathcock said about 160 players have shown up in the summer, up from 130 the previous year and 80 his first year.

"We definitely see a noticeable change," he said. "Our main thing is to work the mentality and see how physical they are. Being that we throw the ball, we are able to do a lot."

Desert Ridge has been busy this summer, playing in any passing league game it can. Young Kevin Pantastico is next to take over the offensive varsity reins at quarterback, and should be the next to pass for more than 3,000 yards.

"He knows this offense better than the last two quarterbacks," Hathcock said of Pantastico.

It will help that Pantastico will be throwing to talented receiver Chris Heldore, who Hathcock said has caught 130 passes the past two seasons and hasn't dropped a ball this summer.

On the defensive side, Hathcock reunites with his former defensive coordinator at Show Low - Travis Jackson. Jackson is the third defensive coordinator in three years at Desert Ridge, which will head to the San Diego area for training camp July 20.

Chandler

Chandler has always had quality. It's the quantity that is on its wish list.

Coach Jim Ewan could cross that off now with 100 kids coming out for its summer program, which began this month.

"It's the best turnout since I've been here," Ewan said. "We have some real talented kids. We're pretty upbeat and positive right now."

Two of the program's more explosive players are receiver Markus Wheaton and running back Bryce Lamb, both of whom showed well at the Great Southwest Classic track meet in Albuquerque.

"Bryce is still training, still working hard," Ewan said. "They're both working real hard and don't miss the weight room (sessions.)"

The team begins its training camp July 21 at Snowflake.

Desert Vista

Desert Vista has never had a problem with quantity or quality.

Hinds said he has had 150 kids come out during the summer. Several of those are of Division I quality.

There's uber-talented defensive end Devon Kennard, considered one of the top three players in the country, running back Marcus Washington and tight end/defensive end Danny Mullarkey, who recently received a scholarship offer from Washington.

"Kennard is working hard and Markus is dealing with shin splints - he's been out but we'll get him fixed up," Hinds said.

The team's training camp starts July 21 at Eager.