​Eagles get offseason going with mini camp this week

by Michael Smith
 

Oftentimes, it is difficult for any high school sports team to replace seniors who have graduated.
 
For the 2024 Grain Valley football team, it could be a challenge to replace the 23 seniors it lost to graduation from the 2023 Class 5 state quarterfinals run.
 
Allie noted he does have some players coming back with varsity experience, so the cupboard is not bare, but replacing some key players such as Simone Award finalist Ty Williams at running back could be challenging.
 
This week, head coach David Allie and the rest of his coaching staff hosted mini camps this week, which will help some players who will play varsity football for the first time get up to speed on the playbook and get into shape for the upcoming season this fall.
 
“It’s going to be a growing year,” senior running back DJ Harris said. “I am not worried about it. We have guys out here who can compete and we have a good group of seniors. We had some underclassmen ready to get in there and compete.”
 
The Eagles are also using it to get the varsity team ready to participate in the Pittsburg State University camp next week. There, Grain Valley will get to scrimmage against other teams in the Midwest, such as squads from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
 
“It’s a neat place to get away,” Allie said. “Our team gets to stay together in dorms. We get to face opponents we don’t know much about. It’s a really good time.”
 
At the mini camp, Allie said he had about 130 people there, with about 47 freshmen, so the veteran coach will have plenty of options to fill in the vacant spots last year’s seniors left behind.
 
During the mini camp, the team goes three days without helmets and shoulder pads. During the final two days, the players can put on helmets and pads. The team worked on drills and plays this week, but there is no tackling.
 
“This is more of a get the freshmen up to speed type of thing and get them to know the playbook,” Grain Valley offensive lineman Korbyn Goodwin said. “And if there was anything someone forgot from last season, it can be a refresher.
 
Added senior linebacker Toby Inman: “The mini camp also helps you see who plays best with who. And what formation is the best for us defensively.”
 
For those on defense, they’ve been working on tackling by hitting the pads.
 
“We are working on our physicality and we want to drive the running back backward,” Inman said.
 
After the Pittsburg State camp, the Eagles will continue to participate in camps at other college campuses such as the University of Missouri and Central Missouri University and will have three organized team activity sessions in June before the dead period from June 29 to July 7.
 
“We’ve had some really good numbers. Hopefully we will find the next crop to come through to help continue the winning ways,” Allie said.

Grain Valley senior running back DJ Harris totes the ball going over a trap run play. Photo credit: Michael Smith

​The Grain Valley football team goes over come base plays during its mini camp Thursday at Moody Murray Memorial Stadium. Photo credit: Michael Smith