Perfect potion
When EJ Smith took over as coach of Central Columbia this year, he knew he had to change the culture. He was out to make football fun again for the Blue Jays.
He knew the task wasn’t going to be a one-man project. Instead, he needed his seven seniors — Dylan Gregory, Landon Dietterick, Calvin Markle, Nate Smith, Logan Welkom, Greyson Shaud and Gage Chipeleski — and Alex Roberts, who the team loses to early graduation, to help form the right chemistry for a team that is primarily made up of sophomores.
“I want the seniors to set the tone for the team for the next few years,” Smith said. “The sophomores look up to them and how they answer to adversity, study the gameplan, practice and they all bring a different mix of leadership to the table.”
It all started when Smith noticed a dip in the number of kids wanting to play football. The ones still coming out weren’t as focused on the offseason regime as Smith would have liked. He was out to make preparation something they would look forward to in hopes of being both mentally and physically sharp on Friday nights.
“The attendance in the weight room was lacking a little bit. Kids weren’t interested in playing football as much,” Smith said, noting there were at least five kids considering not returning. “It was a pretty big issue. It’s not only just being there, it’s also about how you’re working while you’re there. The boosters did some really cool stuff, we did strong man challenges every Friday with the winner getting t-shirts — bench press, pushups, plank. We were just creating excitement for both the junior high and varsity teams. That helped generate some excitement.”
The work isn’t done, though. Smith wants to see the Blue Jays, fresh off a win at Lewisburg, to keep their mental focus for all 48 minutes — no matter the hand they’ve just been dealt.
“One thing the coaches and I have talked about is when things aren’t going our way, the kids kind of fold a little bit,” he said. “We’re trying to change that when things don’t go your way — a penalty, a bad play — they need to respond to that adversity.”
The first-year coach mentioned Central’s Week 4 game against Montoursville. The Jays were up to the challenge early, but then let things get away in the middle before responding for 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Leading that three-touchdown charge was Shaud, who Smith plugged in at quarterback after starting Welkom under center the first three weeks. The switch was made easier with Welkom taking over at receiver and safety without a complaint, while Shaud “has proven to be a playmaker and has control of the offense.”
That style has just been a result of the senior class doing what Smith has asked of it all year.
“I’ve seen some really, really good leadership traits coming out of our seniors this year. One that really stood out to me was Dylan Gregory. That kid has played every position on the field and does everything we ask him to do. He makes some big-time plays. His leadership has been awesome.
“We finally got Gage Chipeleski back and his leadership is awesome. Calvin Markle has made some big hits and made some great blocks on special teams. Landon Dietterick and Nate Smith are fantastic leaders. They all set a great example by bringing their own type of leadership. I want the rest of the team to see that and see how the seniors act. That’s the culture I want for Central Columbia in the upcoming years when they’re all seniors.”
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