Starling, a combine darling:
Munroe senior running back/center back, Michael Starling, has been making the combine and tryout circuit since spring, and the work is paying off. Starling has participated in several combines and received top five position recognition at many.
This past week he hit the road to Pensacola where he was at University of Western Florida at a prospect camp. Also, based on his performance recently at the Blue-Gray Combine, Starling was invited to The Red Zone Prospects Elite combine.
Jaguars putting in time:
There’s a popular football workout program called “Bigger, Faster, Stronger.” The Gadsden County High School football team is writing one of their own. While Coach Joey Striplin continues to mend, dependable assistants Shannon Faison and Josief Pinkston have run summer workouts in his absence with anywhere between 40-50 players present.
Of particular note is the offensive line. Coach Striplin reports they are having a great summer and getting stronger and bigger!
Summer signings:
On Wednesday Munroe will host a summer signing ceremony for two recently graduated athletes. Slater Stephens, a four year starter who played center, linebacker and punter for the Bobcats, will sign to play football with particular interest in his punting, at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois outside Chicago this fall.
Tripp Alford, an All Big Bend Honorable Mention baseball player, will join 2017 Munroe graduate Matthew Salters in Minnesota at Mesabi Range College. Aford played shortstop for the Bobcats and batted .481 with 12 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and four doubles.
Salters played OF and pitcher at Mesabi this past spring. Alford did not attend Munroe until his senior season, so the two will not meet until they are in Minnesota.
The seven C’s of success:
Success has two c’s but actually, according to COACHAD.com magazine, there are seven necessary to building a successful athletic program.
• Culture – this is about tradition and expectation
• Contagious – share the vision for your program
• Consistent – routine and reliability
• Communicate – frequently and openly
• Connect – forget the X’ and O’s, build relationships
• Commitment – never be late and team comes first
• Care – players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care
By Susie Morris
sports@prioritynews.net