VERO BEACH — Vero Beach High School Football’s Media Day started routinely enough with team, positional, and individual pictures, interviews of players and coaches, and breakfast from the Fighting Indian Football Boosters treated everyone in attendance to a nice breakfast. But the day ended with a twist – a scrimmage of the best against the best.
First-year head football coach Lenny Jankowski decided to hold media day early in an effort to eliminate distractions later on in training camp. He also decided to change up the day, making the first order of business a scrimmage match in full pads.
“We usually start the summer with an Oklahoma-type drill or an eye-opener like that,” the coach said. “And rather than do that, we’ve been working really hard on offensive and defensive scheme, it was a great time to go best-on-best.”
“We decided to do a 10-minute warm-up and then just get after it,” he added. “After a day like today with pictures, it was a great way to finish. I just felt like we were ready with what we were able to accomplish this summer, and through the first three two-a-days helmets and shorts.”
Due to the off-season workouts by the players, they were able to come into training camp in playing shape and in only minor need of football conditioning.
“I’ve seen nothing but 100 percent buy-in from the players,” Jankowski said. “It is also a credit to our coaches and their work, but it is our players who really got out there and worked hard over the summer.”
The 40-minute scrimmage featured spirited play on both offense and defense, with bone-jarring tackles and pancake blocks. It also featured coaches getting after players for mental gaffes, and pats on the helmet to congratulate good plays.
“The kids enjoy it,” Jankowski said. “And as coaches, scrimmaging is a true evaluator. A lot of kids always look good in shorts, but when we put the pads on there are usually some guys who separate themselves from others. Not everybody is a great drill guy, but you put the kids through a game situation and they do a little better, and vice versa.”
“Another thing scrimmaging allowed us to do is get a good film of how the offense and defense is running, as well as take a look at individual play,” Jankowski added. “It will give us a chance to coach the film next practice.”