2012
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Friday June 15th- Mini- camp for all 9th-12th
graders. The camp will begin at 8:00am and run
until 11:00 am.
Our athletic department is offering physicals and
an opportunity to turn in paperwork, activity fees,
and physical forms on the 15th. Physicals will
begin at 12:30 and be given until 3:00. All THS
student/athletes must have a pre-participation (at
the very least) on file in the athletic director’s office
to participate on any given team. Cost is $15.00.
Appointment must be made through the Athletic
Department
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I cannot emphasize enough the importance of
attending these workouts. The stronger, more
flexible, and conditioned our kids are is the best
injury prevention plan that I know!
We will also be teaching our offense and defense
during the summer; it is the only way to hit the
ground running when we start camp.
The workouts will begin on Monday, June 18th and
run through the first week in August. We will
start promptly at 8:00am and have typically
wrapped things up before noon. We will work on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
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We will run our youth camp on Tuesday, June
26th though Thursday June 28th.
Cost is $50.00; however, no one has ever been
turned away due to an inability to pay.
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These are passing dates that apply to the Varsity
candidates and others who will be invited by our
staff.
Here are the dates we have right now; they may be
subject to change!
June 18th @ Dearborn High School
July 11th @ THS
July 14th @ South Lyon
July 18th @ Dearborn High School
July 22nd @ Saline High School
I have one more date to use; at this point, still
looking around.
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The dead week is the week of July 2nd through the 6th.
By MHSAA rule, this week is a no-contact week for
athletes and coaches. Players may organize informal
workouts during this time; however, a coach may not
be present.
The down week is the week of July 30th through
August 3rd. This week is deemed a non-football week.
Coaches can still lead conditioning activities, but they
cannot include football related activities—such as 7 on
7. We will use this week to condition and handout
equipment. The schedule is as follows: Monday- 12th
graders will draw their equipment; Tuesaday-11th
graders will draw equipment; Wed.-10th; Thursday- 9th.
We will begin each day at 8:00am with conditioning.
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Double Sessions will begin on Monday, August 6th
at 8:00 am. We have historically run the morning
work until 11:00 am. The first 3 days our
Touchdown Club has offered lunch for the low
cost of $20.00. We will begin the second practice at
1:00pm and will conclude around 4:00. No athlete
is forced to buy lunch—they can always bring their
own. We will; however, keep them on campus
those 3 days.
Once we get into pads (Thursday) we lengthen the
break by 30 mins. allowing them to leave campus
if they desire.
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On Wednesday, August the 8th, our players on
all levels will go door-to-door in the city selling
our discount card. This is one of our biggest
fundraisers; all of our kids are expected to
participate. We will begin selling at 6:00 pm
and conclude around 9:00 pm. In the past, our
kids have done a tremendous job, and we
expect this group to do the same.
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We will take pictures for the program on Sat.,
August the 11th at 9:00am on the game field
(weather permitting). This is an opportunity
for each family to take pictures of your son in
his game blues. The kids will have brought
home a picture packet for you to purchase
professionally taken pictures of you sons. If
you son is not there, he will not appear in the
program. We do this early so there is time to
get the pictures into the program.
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This will be the 22nd year of this family event. We will
gather “under the trees” and celebrate the beginning of
another football season. This gives everyone an
opportunity to meet other families and see our kids.
Really, it is just a chance to get to know one another off
of the football field. This event has been well-attended
in the past. We will gather on Wednesday, August 15th
at 6:00pm. Each group will be assigned a particular
dish to bring. Each family needs to bring chairs, paper
plates, utensils, and something to drink. There will be
opportunities to purchase gear and sign up for the
many activities that need manpower.
Afterwards, we will move to the football stadium
where we will “meet the 2012 Trojans.”
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The format for the scrimmage will remain the same as
last year. We will scrimmage only Riverview and try
to stage it more like a game than a scrimmage.
The date of the scrimmage is Thursday, August 16th at
THS. 9th graders will begin at 4:00 on the practice field;
the JV team will begin at the same time on the game
field. These lower levels may choose a different format
than the varsity. Our rain date will be Friday the 17th.
The times will be dependent on how much of the
scrimmage was washed out.
The Varsity scrimmage will begin at 6:00 and run until
we have gotten our work done.
Admission will be canned goods which will be donated
to the Trenton Food Pantry. Just another way to give
back to this fine community.
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I have never cut since I have been a head coach and have no
intention of starting now.
If a young man makes the varsity team and does all the things we
ask him to do, he will earn his letter.
Our rules are very simple; they are the same rules that most of you
have in place at your house. We expect that our kids are going to
be where they are asked to be; that they behave in a manner that
does nothing to harm this team, school, community, or your
family, that they are honest and work hard.
Consequently, if any of these expectation are not met, we will
apply a consequence—up to dismissal from the team.
Just like all of you have to be at work to get paid; our players must
be at practice (even if injured) to have a chance to earn playing
time and to remain on the team.
Absences are determined acceptable or not by me!
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In accordance with the MHSAA, a student is
eligible to participate if they pass 4 of 5 classes
and maintain a 1.5 GPA! We follow the
standard that the state sets down.
Parent Connect is a great way to help your sons
stay on track in the classroom. Hopefully, it is
also teaching some accountability to each of
them. The bottom line is they are here to get an
education and play football.
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The only way we can help an injured athlete
become healthy again is through treatment.
We cannot do that if they are not with us. An
injured athlete is still a member of this team
and will be treated as such.
We have an incredible trainer(Lori Holcomb)
who can nurse them back to health; however,
she does not make house calls!
Playing time is determined by this coaching staff and the
daily effort of your son. Off-season work, summer
dedication, ability, daily effort all factor into the
decision. Ultimately, the final call is mine. Playing
time is not a discussable topic. I feel very fortunate to
have the men that I have on this staff; all are fair, moral
individuals. The conversations that we have about
playing time take into consideration the individual, our
team needs, and the effect that decision will have on
our team. At times it is not easy, nor pleasant, but it is
something that has to be done.
I believe I have heard just about everything in the 30 plus
years I have coached. When it came down to it, I make
the decision that best suits this program and its
membership.
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This axiom was put into place to head-off
confrontation. Should you, as a parent, have a
question or complaint about the treatment of
your son, we are telling you to wait 24 hours
until that complaint is verbalized formally.
That gives everyone time to calm down, think
things through, and frame a productive
comment. No coach on this staff will be part of
a “parking lot” conversation. Anything that
needs to be said should be said in a formal,
calm manner.
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Here is how I believe we can best tend to any issue we have---we
are also teaching our kids to practice adult behaviors (productive
ones).
If there is an issue, we first want your child to go to their position
coach and verbalize the problem.
If there is no resolution, we are asking them to come to the head
coach.
If there is no resolution at that level, we are asking you, as a
parent, to call a meeting between all parties and the athletic
director.
Should the issue be so severe that it cannot be resolved, the
director of athletics will organize a meeting with his superiors and
the parties involved.
Again, there are items that are not negotiable---like playing time,
schemes that we employ.
Issues such as safety and treatment of your son have to be made
public and rectified. You owe that to yourself and your son.
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A player who is caught with alcohol and or drugs
will be dismissed from the team immediately. I do
not adhere to the adage, “Boys will be boys” as an
excuse for illegal activities. I trust that all of you
would agree.
Please be aware that this policy goes above and
beyond that of the athletic department.
This policy is enforced from the first day of
practice (August 8th) through the end of the season.
The Athletic Department policy handles all other
times of the year.
It is my hope that this policy will prevent our kids
from makes poor decisions.
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Number one…each of our players must have
health insurance. Should you not have
personal insurance, we do have the ability to
offer you some coverage.
Secondly, if there is anything “health” wise
that we need to know about your child, let’s
not have the conversation at the emergency
room of the hospital! Number one, we want to
keep our kids safe and healthy.
I am wondering if we need to start to look at
more protective mouth pieces?
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Banquet- 10th -12th…no disrespect to our 9th graders..just felt like it was expensive and
long for them. They will have a get together after their season.
please pay special attention to any washing instructions!!!!!
Recruiting/camps/combines- I think we have done a great job over the years of getting
our kids looked at by universities/colleges. Hudl program has allowed kids to create
their own high light film to send out. Just remember this rule of thumb…if they haven’t
called, they are not being actively recruited..they are simply on a prospect list..and will
receive an incredible amount of mail or emails. Our association and the colleges and
universities through out Michigan have composed a position letter concerning the many
combines that are spring up.
In terms of affordability, each university/college has a net calculator on their websites--will ask financial information—claim less than 2% error—should give you a good idea
whether you can afford to send your son to that school.
Trenton Touchdown Club- I need all of you to help with the activities of this group…not
only because of the scholarship component…but because the more help they receive the
easier it is for everyone. We cannot get to a few doing all of the work. If we want our
kids to be industrious, we must teach by example!
We also will continue teaching from our Character Manual. This has become an
incredible tool.
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We will still teach and preach from our
Character Manual. I have a few copies in the
front if anyone would like to see it.
Jersey Night
Letters to Mom
Aug. 12th Motivational Speaker @ Faith United
Sept 15th Victory Day
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Our players will have the opportunity to help at
the Lupus Walk which is held in Woodhaven at
their community center.
Also, we will host the 3rd annual Victory Day
which was a huge success last year. This great
event will take place on Saturday, September 15th
@ our stadium.
All are invited to participate; this is another chance
for you and your son to create memories that will
last a life time.
Coach Aaron is working on a “celebrity” to help
us!
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We have offered the opportunity for all of our
parents, cheerleaders, coaches, and players to
attend mass/service with us since I took this
job 22 years ago. We have started to go to Faith
United Methodist Church each Friday; the kids
seem to be very comfortable there.
This is not something that is pushed on
anyone; it is just an opportunity for our football
family to be together in worship.
This is not mandatory!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Due to the budget cuts that are being made, we will not
receive a budget from the school. Consequently,
everything that we buy, we must pay for through
fundraising efforts.
Discount card
Youth Camp
Reverse raffle
Letter solicitations
Donations
No one wants it to be this way; however, the situation
is what it is. We can moan about it and call it wrong,
or we can roll up our sleeves and do what needs to be
done.
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Let us all put our energy in the proper area:
1. Be supportive
2. Be encouraging and positive
3. Please enjoy the fact that your son is willing and physically able
to participate
4. Help us teach that our performance and our purpose in life are
two separate entities.
5. Let’s keep our eye on the ball---let this experience be fun for
your kids. Help us teach the kids that fun and hard work are not
enemies---we all know the satisfaction of working hard and
reaping the reward that comes from that effort.
6. Let’s love each and everyone of them…from our best through
the least talented. At my age, that is all that makes sense.
7. Please share in this experience with your son; this time goes by
very fast---take pictures—be a part of it---let’s all try to give them
memories that will last a life-time.
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