Iola football camps ready for action

While still in summer’s dog days, Iola High football coach Doug Kerr’s thoughts have shifted to autumn.
The Mustang 2013 season doesn’t begin for another eight weeks, but the summer camp season kicks off in earnest on Monday.
Iola’s squad will travel to Springfield, Mo., for two days of intense instruction and drills with other schools from across Kansas and Missouri, with a handful of leisurely activities.
“We’re going to work, but it’s going to be a fun trip,” said Kerr, entering his second season at the Mustang helm.
Upon the team’s return to Iola Wednesday, the work continues, including a Wednesday night 7-on-7 scrimmage against Humboldt’s gridiron squad.
The camp wraps up on Friday.

THE OFFSEASON focus shifts to the next generation of Mustangs with an Iola Quarterback Camp July 24-25 at the football stadium at Riverside Park.
Kerr will be assisted by Mustang alums, including 2012 starter Mason Coons, to work extensively on quarterback drills.
Students through grades 3-8 are invited.
The camp is offered free of charge, although advance registration is necessary. The deadline to register is July 19.
Contact Kerr at dugkur@yahoo.com or via the Internet at www.iolafootball.com.

A SECOND CAMP — this one geared to all football players going into grades 3-6 — commences July 30 at the park.
Kerr, his coaching staff and current and former players will help prepare future Mustangs for their upcoming season.
The camp is free and is sponsored by the Iola Youth Football League.
Students will need to bring their cleats, T-shirts and shorts.
Drinks will be provided.

THE PURPOSE OF of the quarterback and youth camps are two-fold.
First, it builds up interest in the youth football program, within which Kerr has an obvious vested interest.
The goal is to increase the number of youth football players to 36 or more in order to field multiple teams at both the third- and fourth-grade and the fifth- and sixth-grade divisions.
Secondly, having more students involved at a younger age develops the skills they’ll need to thrive at the high school level, and perhaps beyond.
“We’d really like to see a couple of good quarterbacks at each grade level,” Kerr said.
While Iola has had several skilled quarterbacks in the past, the team has been hampered on occasion by a lack of depth at that position.

WHILE IOLA loses several quality starters from its Pioneer League Championship team of a year ago, Kerr is optimistic he will have a large group of skilled athletes to headline the 2013 campaign.
“I expect to have more than 50 kids out for football, which is as large a group as we’ve had for a while,” he said.
But with a tough schedule in the works, and several significant holes to fill, he tempers his expectations.
“I could see us finishing anywhere from 3-6 to 8-1,” he said. “A lot will depend on how well this team comes together.”
The Mustangs open the 2013 campaign Sept.