Lancers focusing on self-control, conditioning to win
The Granger High School football team has a new attitude this season, and it’s paying off, as the team won its first three games of the season.
This is impressive for any school, but the Lancers are making a comeback from winning only one game last year.
Granger defeated Payson 43-19, Murray 21-7 and Cyprus 52-14 to begin the season.
New head coach Alex Gerke has a simple, clear strategy.
“We are training the kids to be more disciplined and more fit this season he said. “I can’t give particular names of outstanding players because everyone plays as a team, they win as a team. If a team can achieve these two things--fit and disciplined together--they will have an opportunity to win football games.”
The truths of Gerke’s statements are reflected in the first three wins of the season. With a new football field and a new coaching staff, the team seems to be taking the sense of a new beginning and running with it.
The football team’s new coaching staff this year are: offensive coordinator Dustin Pearce, previous head coach for Hunter; defensive coordinator Joe Clausi; special teams/running backs coach Anthony Jefferies; assistant defensive coordinator/secondary coach Jodie Thompson; offensive assistant coach Chris Shipman; offensive/defensive assistant Jordan Kjar; and defensive assistant Grant Walker.
“We have an outstanding coaching staff this year,” Gerke said. “The players have done a great job of listening to the coaches because these kids want to play their best.”
Gerke has a college football coaching background. While this is his first position as head coach, Gerke has been assistant coach for the past 13 years at a variety of colleges. Before coming to Granger he was assistant coach to Gary Andersen at Utah State for two years.
Gerke was first hired in late May by Granger to be the assistant coach to head coach Doyle Holt. When Holt resigned a few weeks later, Gerke was promoted to head coach. Gerke remains undaunted by the past Granger football record and determined to keep it simple in order to win.
“Two simple rules: discipline and fit,” Gerkie said. “We are training to be fit for all four quarters of the game. We are training to be disciplined in schoolwork and having each player tuned into his job on the field to lower the amount of penalties.”
Gerke also mentions the tremendous support of the school’s principal, Jerry Haslam, academically and athletically. The coaches and faculty work well together to make sure the boys achieve lifelong skills on and off the field.
As of this article date the team is scheduled to play Judge Memorial on Sept. 9 and Juan Diego on Sept. 16. Both of these teams are also 3-0 thus far in the season.
