By Julie D’Aloiso
I asked the Nordonia Football Coach Jeff Fox and some of his players, questions about the upcoming fall season.
I asked Coach Fox: “Do you feel you are on track or behind schedule with football practice just beginning?” He said: “I was just encouraging our coaching staff yesterday to stop comparing to either previous years or other teams. We could drive ourselves nuts trying to overthink where we are when all we need to focus on is getting better every day and being ready for hopefully having a season opener on August 28. The kids on our football team have been amazingly committed to one another through online sessions and individual workouts during the school closing. Their personal accountability makes me confident our team will be ready to go when we get the opportunity to play actual football.”
When I asked him about if fans are limited this fall does he think it will it affect the game. He replied: “As a football coach our mindset is that the atmosphere, location, or other outside elements should not affect our performance on the field. If we had to meet Bedford at Alexander Road and play the game ourselves we would be excited to do so. The people I would feel bad for if there are restrictions would be the band, cheerleaders, student section, & community. I feel as if our community is craving togetherness after the response to the coronavirus pandemic. I genuinely hope conditions are appropriate for our home opener against Mayfield on September 11th to be an event at which our community can come together to appreciate each other after some time apart. ”
I asked three Nordonia Football players some questions.
Billy Levak – Quarterback
1. What have you doing to keep in shape during quarantine?
I’m lucky to have weights and workout equipment in my basement and three brothers to work out with whenever I need to. Running in the backyard, running through the neighborhood, and being able to work in the basement has kept me on track physically especially coming off a knee injury.
2. How have you been working out during quarantine to get ready for football?Having 3 brothers really helps because I’m able to get reps throwing the ball almost everyday. Also, throwing with my receivers at least once a week kept good route timing before workouts opened up.
3. Do you feel you are on track or behind schedule with football practice just beginning? I feel like i’m on track and ready to go and I trust that my teammates are as well.
4. What do you feel you missed out with everyone in quarantine (personal instructions from coaches, bonding with new players to become a team, general practice time with the team)? Spending time with my teammates and building chemistry with them and also rehab for my knee has been somewhat difficult to try to attack on my own.
5. If fans are limited or unable to come to games this season do you feel it may affect the game (fans rooting you on whether home or away)?
Yes i think it will effect the energy of the atmosphere, however I know that we will be able to stay focused.
6. Do you feel more confident going into your second season as quarterback?
Yes, I feel very confident with 10 games under my belt and almost all of my skilled position guys coming back.
7. Does your brother offer words of wisdom?
My brother leads by example and was good to have around during quarantine to workout and talk football.
Joel Jones – Wide Receiver
1. What have you doing to keep in shape during quarantine? Do you feel you are on track or behind schedule? Once quarantine started I looked in the mirror and thought this is a perfect time to start something new, so I started to workout in my basement almost everyday until we could get in a weight room, and went out in some open areas with a teammate to work on football skills and running. I’m definitely on track with everyone at football because I prepared more than I ever really had.
2. What do you feel you missed out with everyone in quarantine (personal instructions from coaches, bonding with new players to become a team, general practice time with the team)?
I think we missed out on being able to get the early start that we usually do in the beginning of June, but we will be fine because we’re trying to make up for it right now.
3. If fans are limited or unable to come to games this season do you feel it may affect the game (fans rooting you on whether home or away)?
Having fans, friends, and family in the bleachers during games is a great part of football. But I don’t think it’ll effect our team play, just maybe some of the excitement of it. Either way it will be exciting to compete.
4. What was your fondest memory from last year’s football season?
My fondest memory of last season was seeing small flashes and moments that we would show as a team which would give me hope that we could be a very good team this coming year.
5. Do your brothers give you any advice?
My brothers don’t give tons of advice, but I have learned a whole lot from their high school football experience. I know that no matter what has happened in the past you can turn it all around and make big things happen.
Andrew Lastovka – Kicker
1. How did you feel when you heard you are the #30 Kicker in the country and #2 in Ohio?
I felt it was a good starting point. Just finding out how I match up with the rest of the country. But there is still a lot of work to be done, always more ways to improve.
2. What have you doing to keep in shape during quarantine?
Going on daily runs, working out consistently really helped me stay in shape.
3. How have you been working out during quarantine to get ready for football?
Again, runs, weights, finding any open field I can find to get work in.
4.”Do you feel you are on track or behind schedule with football practice just beginning?”
As a football family, I feel we are right where we need to be. Everyone has been working tirelessly, constantly trying to get better in all aspects of the game. We are ready for practices to begin.
5. What do you feel you missed out with everyone in quarantine (personal instructions from coaches, bonding with new players to become a team, general practice time with the team)?
Definitely team bonding, but since workouts have started, there has been a definite formation of a football family.
6. If fans are limited or unable to come to games this season do you feel it may affect the game (fans rooting you on whether home or away)?
The crowd definitely gives off a ton of energy and a sense of community that we would miss, but keeping everyone safe is more important.
7. What is your fondest memory from last year’s football season?
The last second kickoff return against Stow. The sense of brotherhood and pure excitement for both the sideline and the crowd is something I’ll never forget.