Sights Set High for New Pop Warner Season

The calendar may still say August, but the boys of fall are back, and with expectations running high for several Pop Warner teams, coaches were focused on turning out competitive teams as the first practices were held this week.

Perhaps no team has as many eyes on it as the C team. With many players from last year's moving up, the team is expecting another successful season. For coach Paul Munchbach, however, the goal is still to teach the kids the fundamentals and make sure they have a good time.

"The most important thing is to make sure they have fun and make a lot of friends," Munchcbach said. "Out here they get to meet kids from other parts of town, so when they get to the they already know kids from other schools."

Each coach will begin transitioning away from the Pop Warner system run for many years, and to the high school system being instituted by new . Flynn, who was on hand at Monday night, has already sat down with the Pop Warner coaches and gone over his playbook with them.

"We like to have them do a lot of the things we do at the high school level in terms of formations and the way we call things," Flynn said. "As they get older, the less they have to think they more they can play. If we make things repetitive we will make them better football players."

League president and D team coach Bob Cochcrane noted that Flynn already put on a clinic for the youth players in the spring, and that he planned to bring some of his players down throughout the season to help with their younger counterparts.

"Dave is great and should do wonders for their program," Cochrane said, "which should in turn help my program. Success will breed more success, and I think everyone will benefit from it."

Despite the two championship teams from last season, Cochrane says his first goal is simply to teach kids the game of football.  

"People are going to have some pretty high expectations, but I'd rather kids just be competitive," said Cochrane.

A challenge for the league this year will be putting enough players on the field at the upper levels.  The A team was helped last year when the high school did not field a freshman team, but when asked how many names were on his roster this season coach Chris Decker responded simply, "not enough."  He still has high hopes, even with a small team.

"The last two years, we've been successful," Decker said. "Winning seasons both years, Hockomock playoffs both years, and last year we were conference champs. Hopefully we will keep that going."

Flynn said he was there primarily as a parent of a player, but he also had his eye out for up and coming talent as well. He had nothing but praise for all of the players, however, even those who might never don a Marauder's jersey.

"I congratulate all of the kids," Flynn said. "I say all the time that this isn't easy. A lot of their friends are still on the beach, and they are out here practicing. I'm proud of them."