Cadets build team chemistry by camping out

Hello, and welcome back to yet another season of high school football. Last year, I spent the season writing stories on things related to football -- not necessarily game stories, but everything else that takes place involving football.

I started the 2007 season at Marmion, where I was present at the Cadet Campout Aug. 10. This is the third season coach Dan Thorpe conducted the overnight event at the school, which gave the sophomore and varsity teams time to bond through practice, eating and hanging out.

It's 10 p.m. on a Friday night. Where are your sons, parents of Marmion football players?

This night, the Cadets are gathered at Marmion for the third annual Cadet Campout, an event that brought 75 varsity and sophomore players together for almost 30 consecutive hours.

The event included three practices, having dinner with mom, a mock draft and goofing off in the pool Friday, then a hard-hitting practice and Donuts with Dad Saturday, when the event ended at 11 a.m.

"Some of the juniors don't know the seniors, and they need to know each other," said Thorpe, who brought Cadet Campout to Marmion when he was hired as head coach three years ago. "The sooner we can get rid of seniors and juniors and call ourselves a varsity football team, the sooner we'll win."

By Friday night, the Cadets sure spent a lot of time together. But did it really feel like they spent well over 12 hours with their teammates?

"Yes, it does," senior Alex Rich said. "I don't want to say it feels like its been a long time, but it has been a lot of work…but a lot of fun. I'm having a good time."

"Not at all," said senior Manny Juarez, who was in pajama pants and bare feet. "It feels like I just got here."

Campout begins

The Cadets began to roll in shortly after 7:30 a.m. Friday. A restless Thorpe was already there, ready to coordinate the event he has started at every school he's coached at in his lengthy coaching career.

By the afternoon, the Cadets held their first practice, set team goals and watched a required IHSA movie that threw the projected itinerary off schedule.

By mid-afternoon, defensive practice takes place, the second of three installments of practice. Just a few hours later, the moms of the players (no girlfriends allowed!) came to have pasta dinner in the cafeteria with their sons, who were decked out in polo shirts, far removed from spikes and sweaty practice clothes.

As the mom and sons ate, Thorpe introduced himself and explained to the moms what Marmion football is all about.

Thorpe opens his speech at 6:40 p.m. and says, "It's a privilege to coach your sons. I am very excited to work with them."

He continues and lists the Cadets' goals this season, which include making the playoffs, being 3-0 going into the Marian game, winning the Suburban Catholic Conference, encouraging more fans to come to the games and getting at least three shutouts.

The moms are convinced the program is in good hands with Thorpe.

"It's nice to know (Thorpe) is available to talk in a setting like this instead of just seeing him on the football field," said Julie Linden, mother of Dan Linden.

"(Thorpe) reminds me so much of my dad, and that makes me feel so comfortable," said Alex Heinen's mom Melissa, whose father is former Geneva football coach Jerry Auchstetter. "He's so positive. As much as he acts like he gets on these kids, he's got another positive thing to say about them. He's such a great role model. I'm so glad the kids have the chance to work with him."

Hitting the pool

By 7:30 p.m., the moms are gone and the Cadets are ready for their third practice of the day. At this point, some have been at the school for almost 12 hours.

On a near-perfect night outside, Thorpe caps practice at 8:20 p.m. He tells the players he was "very impressed" in the team huddle. Senior Mike Lonero said it was his favorite practice of the day, and Rich (nicknamed "The Rice Man") said it felt like a game from time to time.

Just 15 minutes after practice concluded, the Cadets went from football players to swimmers for 45 minutes of fun in the pool.

The fun in the pool included playing catch (one guy throws -- 15 others jump for the ball), a swimming contest (Who knew so many players could swim?) and Thorpe yelling "Cannonball" in hopes his players will make a big splash in the water.

By 9 p.m., the big event everyone's been waiting for is about to take place -- the player draft. This was a 45-minute event that determined teams for Saturday's big scrimmage. It was held in one of the few air-conditioned classrooms in the school with Alex Heinen and Rick Bird captains of the Blue Bombers and Matt Milroy and Juarez leaders of the Red Raiders.

A game of rock, paper, scissors decided who was granted the No. 1 pick. The Blue Bombers won, and made junior Juan Avila's night. He was picked No. 1 overall.

"That was my favorite part," Avila said.

By 9:35 p.m., the draft is done. The players have about a half hour to do whatever they want. Some play Guitar Hero in a dark room above the gym; others start heading to the library, where the team will sleep.

Early to sleep

The sounds of air mattresses being blown up are heard shortly before 10 p.m. in the library. Some players brought just sleeping bags and blankets. One player thinks it's a good idea to turn in for the night on a table.

Unlike previous teams, Thorpe is pretty confident this bunch is actually going to get some sleep this year.

"They need their sleep," Thorpe said. "Some teams I've had in the past, if they were up all night throwing popcorn or whatever, we weren't a very good team. I should have known that from the start of the season that football wasn't important to them."

Thorpe turned out to be correct. After a late-night snack before bed (hot dogs), the Cadets turning in at 10:30 p.m.

"The seniors went around and took care of business," Thorpe said.

"We slept better this year than other years," added senior Nick Zuccarini. "This year was by far the best."

Super Saturday

Perhaps Zuccarini was anxious to start the events on Saturday, which included Donuts with Dads in the morning before the scrimmage the players have been waiting for -- practice with shoulder pads.

"I was so jacked up," Zuccarini said. "Everyone knew I was the one who wanted to get the pads on. There were some big hits out there. It was fun."

"It's a big day for them," added Russell Tate, dad of Tony and Peter Tate, who was volunteering his time both days. "It's the first day they get to hit by IHSA rules, so it's a great way to start the day."

This was the fourth practice in a span of almost 30 hours. Thorpe said the level of hustle was "outstanding."

"In the 29th hour, guys were jumping up and down, excited to play football," he said. "After 30 hours, to see the enthusiasm and the love of football…It was awesome, a great success."

Juarez knows the Cadet Campout will make a difference in the way Marmion plays this season.

"They say united teams are the best kind and the ones who win championships," Juarez said. "Coach says because of this, we are going to win one or two more games, so this is great."

Do you know of anything unique or interesting that happens before, during or after high school football games? Share your ideas with me at cbolin@dailyherald.com