Eagles flock together and soar through season

SEELEY LAKE – With only one scheduled game left, the Seeley Lake Elementary flag football season is winding down. Assistant Coach Jimmy Boyd said it has been a great season with great weather for football and players that have really grown as a team.

There were more than 20 fifth through eighth graders out for the team this year. Stacked at the top end, were nine eighth graders. Bradley Miller stepped in as the head coach with Boyd and Greg Neudecker remaining assistant coaches.

Boyd said they capitalized on the years Brett Haines coached and have a pretty deep playbook. With the older players working off the foundation laid with Haines, Miller built on it bringing in additional plays and different elements that the team ran with.

"We've got a good group and great camaraderie," Boyd said. "Everybody is committed to the team, they are all in and appreciate the ability to play. That alone is kind of like a coach's dream."

Boyd said they have been working in different players to be team leaders. They run their own warm ups and becoming more independent. A lot of the eighth graders have really stepped up and led the team.

The fifth and sixth graders on the B squad have not had as much playing time as years past because they only played an A squad game. Boyd said the younger players have been patient, even during the tougher games when they don't get to play as much.

"We try to get everyone play time because as the eighth graders graduate, the young ones are the future," Boyd said.

They have won every game except against Superior. While Boyd said they usually hung with them in the beginning, by the second half Superior always pulled away.

"We may fall back but none of our guys quit, we play to the end," Boyd said. "We have always felt like we were still in it the second half."

Boyd said the main focus this year has been on building and working together as a team

"Ninety-nine percent of the coaches and the kids show up just to play football, the challenges are more off the field in the rest of the world," Boyd said. "This is a place where they can lose themselves as far as enjoying themselves."

Boyd continued, "I'm just excited that the kids are all supporting each other and there has been no drama between players. It makes it fun for everyone."

Boyd has also really enjoyed working with Miller. He appreciated Miller's willingness to step in as head coach and being open to suggestions from the other coaches.

"I've been impressed with Bradley in how he has handled motivating the kids. He really did a good job of balancing motivation and discipline to challenge them. My hats are off to him for his abilities and his efforts."