Countdown to Kickoff

Editor’s note: Reporter Tom Beschta was granted inside access to Coach Al Tomow and the Shawano Community High School football team as it prepared over the last seven days for its first home game of the 2014 season. Here is his report:

10 a.m. Saturday

Players shuffle from the locker room, past photos of the school’s hall of fame athletes, through the commons chilled by air conditioning that has run all night, and into the Large Group Instruction room, or LGI. They wipe the morning out of their eyes as they finish tugging on their sneakers, shaking out the aches from last night’s game at Lakeland.

The Hawks’ first game of the season was a solid, 28-7 win in which they rushed for 97 yards, passed for 116 and forced six turnovers.

But no win is perfect. That’s why the team is here in the LGI, a college-like classroom humming with soft chatter. It’s time to assess the game film.

As the remaining players slide into the raised rows, coaches take their seats up front. The group is a rainbow of gray, red and black, except for 6-foot, 210-pound senior linebacker Brendan Cummings in a blue shirt, hat spun backward on his head.

Sitting at the computer in front of everyone is head coach Al Tomow, silently scrolling through footage, his signature tan bucket hat sitting on the desk beside him. He looks at the clock, and turns to defensive coach Chris Kellett.

“You’ve got 35 minutes,” Tomow says before leaving the LGI to look over footage of the offense in his office.

Kellett takes his turn at the computer. Time for defensive review.

He lets the first couple of plays scroll by as the players watch the action projected on the large screen overhead. He stops on a play, noticing a player out of position. He rewinds and looks up from the computer screen.

“Our defense is responsibility based,” he tells the players. “If you do someone else’s job, you are going to end up being the one that hurts us. You have to trust each other. When you guys trusted each other, they didn’t get anything last night.”

The footage resumes. A few more plays roll by. The Hawks stuff a run up the middle.

“Guys, right there our defensive line does a pretty darn good job of stuffing that dive up there all night, and we got a pretty good set of linebackers, too,” coach Mike Homan says. “Trust that that guy is going to be taken care of and just go to your responsibility.”

Kellett jumps to the next play. Pause.

“Henning, your responsibility is to come up and fill on that, correct?”

“Yeah,” answers Chase Henning, a 6-foot, 175-pound senior linebacker.

“You do a good job of that.”

A couple of more plays go by. Pause.

“See, now Zack (Sousek) here’s the same thing. Zack, what’s your job when Sam (Kobs) is going?”

“Pitch,” says Sousek, a 5-10, 170-pound senior linebacker.

“Pitch. You come down and tackle the fullback, but we already had (Dylan) Hintz on him. He’s pitchin’ it; there is no one down there then.”

And it continues. Play. Pause. Rewind. Rewind again. Pause. Names are attached to good plays and bad plays. Leiser, Hintz, Gueths, Cummings. Chairs creek as players slowly swing back and forth, staring up at the screen and murmuring to each other.

“Play that one back.”

The room watches as Sousek makes another play.

“Nice play, Zack.”

“Great play, Zack.”

“Nice play, excellent job. Now look at these guys,” says coach Ron Schmalz, who is suddenly out of his chair, motioning toward the screen. “Pursuit. Everybody heading for the ball. That’s why we run pursuit …”

Schmalz is interrupted by laughter as the next play pops onto the screen—an interception thrown directly to Cummings.

Kellet shakes his head.

“This is the worst interception I have ever seen,” he says.

“I was like, ‘Right here, I’m your guy,’” Cummings says.

At 10:35 a.m., Tomow returns, bucket hat in place. He stands at the side of the room as the defensive coaches finish their session.

Homan stands up, facing the players, waving a Nestle’s Crunch Bar in the air.

“I got a little thing for our defensive line,” Homan says. “When we have a win, and we have somebody who played a really good game and they perform in crunch time, they are going to get a Crunch Award. When we give it away, one, two, three and clap, OK?

“So this week, it was a tough choice. All you guys stepped up, gutsy performances, but the best one we had was by Dylan Hintz. Good job, Dylan!”

One. Two. Three. Clap.

Homan tosses the candy bar, which bounces off Hintz’s hands and falls to the floor.

“Oh, come on,” Hintz complains.

Everyone laughs.

“That’s why he’s not a receiver,” Homan jokes.

“Showin’ off those hands,” yells a player.

Schmalz holds up a hand to restore order.

“Keep learning, keep working hard and we will get a game plan put together for New London,” he says.

With that, the defensive meeting is over, and the coaches exit the room, making way for Tomow to review the offense’s performance.

He takes his place at the computer and the room goes silent. The next 25 minutes are filled with compliments, critiques, questions. Tomow quickly picks his way through the plays, legs bouncing as he analyzes his offense’s performance.

“Zack, nice work. … This right here Cole (Huntington) is a last resort. … You gotta run a little harder on this one. … That’s a nice job here, good stuff.”

Tomow pauses the film.

“Here is a rule for offensive players. If I am blocking and I have to peek back, I did not do my job. Just keep moving and find someone to block and stay with that,” he says.

After about 25 minutes, the film ends. Tomow stands.

“OK, nice job, guys. It’s all about the details. We are going to go the gym first, warm up, and we will go from there.”

11:03 a.m. Saturday

The players are in two rows on one end of the gym. Tomow paces in front of them.

“Hintz, warm them up.”

Hintz, a senior captain, calls out the first stretch and the players begin, sneakers squeaking across the wooden floor.

“Quad pulls … side lunges … switch it up,” Hintz shouts as the team grunts with every stretch.

Tomow runs to the opposite end of the gym, checking the time on his phone.

The players finish eight trips up and down the court. Tomow checks the time again.

“Get a drink, make sure your shirts are tucked in, and go to the weight room.”

In the weight room, Tomow flips through his papers mapping out the lifting program as weights crash up and down around him. Players maneuver around each other in the tight space, bouncing from one lift to the next.

The only noise overtaking the clanging of weights and the groans of effort is the country music pounding out of the radio in the corner of the room — and Tomow barking orders.

“Next guy, next round, go!”

The players finish their last lift. The music is shut off and the weights are put away as the team gets ready for abs work.

Tomow is pacing through the players, who are now on the floor.

“Lie on your backs, legs straight out six inches off the ground, then raise them straight up, 90 degrees when I say. Ready? Up.”

By noon, the workout is over. Players gather around Tomow, their shirts stained with the morning’s intensity.

“Nice job this week. It’s always more fun to come in here and get it done after a win,” Tomow says. “We played hard yesterday, but we still have a lot of work left to do this week. New London is going to come in to play hard. Let’s make sure we take care of what we are supposed to take care of.

“Zeke, break them down.”

Junior linemen Zeke Gueths calls it out.

“Family on three. One, two, three.”

“Family!”

The players are finished for the day.

Tomow, however, goes to meet up with the other coaches, who have been watching New London’s game film in a nearby classroom.

Kellett, Homan, Schmalz and David Ambrosius have a number of names written on the whiteboard.

With the players gone, the school is silent as the coaches begin discussing which JV players will move up to varsity for the game. They begin wiping names off the board.

“Those three freshmen we pulled up had an awesome time last night, to be a part of the win,” Tomow says. “The only thing you have to look out for is other guys starting to look around, getting fish eyes, and saying, “Well, why did he got to dress for all those games?’”

The coaches shift from team talk to New London’s game film, watching each play in silence. Tomow scans the TV intensely, leg bouncing. There is an occasional discussion on a specific player or formation.

“Who is that number 12 kid?” Tomow asks.

“That’s the quarterback that was hurt last year.”

“Was that bubble pass to the outside guy again?” Tomow asks.

“Yes, it went to number eight. That seems to be their go-to guy.”

As the footage ends, Kellett breaks the silence.

“I think I’m good, you guys good?”

There is a collective yes.

“All right. Let’s go golf.”

It’s 12:32 p.m., and the coaches break.

6:50 p.m. Sunday

Coach Rob Wolff sits alone in the silent LGI. The hallway outside is dark. The coaches are gathering for an offensive film session that will pick apart New London’s defense, which faced a tough Menasha team in a 41-7 season-opening loss.

The rest of the coaches arrive: Joe Gangl, Austin Gueths, Phil Rizzio and Tomow.

Last through the door is Steve Zais, carrying an eight-pack of Gatorade. He looks at the other coaches sitting in the front row of the large room.

“You never sit in the front row of a movie,” he says loudly. “I am moving up a couple of rows.”

He walks up to the front table, placing the Gatorades between the other coaches.

“I got orange for everybody.”

“That’s pink,” Rizzio says.

“Pink? It looked orange to me,” Zais objects.

Tomow hands out play sheets as Zais takes his seat in the second row and jumps right into the discussion.

“You know, if we get those three interior linemen to go on titan (a play call), we would blow people up like crazy,” he says.

Tomow draws formations on the board, green marker squeaking.

“I think the cat’s out of the bag that Sousek’s a pretty good player, and he is going to draw some attention on that side,” Tomow says. “So we need the other guys to step up. It doesn’t have to be much, but it just needs to be those three or four passes a game to keep New London honest.”

He sits down at the computer again and begins watching plays, both legs bouncing up and down.

“With the balance and the tight end, we really need to run … something,” Tomow ponders, the cursor scrolling over New London players.

The session continues as the coaches casually toss play calls and football jargon back and forth. Anyone listening from the hall would hear a word-association test gone awry.

Snag, release, titan, bubble, slant, mouse, Indiana, wheel, swing, 49er, stitch, 31-Orlando-Z-slant, laser-Denver option, 12-strong-titan-fake-option-left. The coaches write on note pads, marking adjustments they will have to make, and start debating a new offensive play.

Twenty minutes pass. Tomow erases his marks on the board, drawing up new paths for the new play. There is a pause.

“I like it,” Tomow says, scanning the board. “I kind of like it. What are we going to call it?”

The coaches all chuckle as they look at the scribbles.

Tomow jots down the play in his notes.

It’s 8:05 p.m. The session is winding down.

“We will take a look at other personnel stuff,” Tomow says as the other coaches put away their notes. “We will see who the guys are that will give us bigger problems. I will send out the practice plans for the week.”

The projector goes black.

3:30 p.m., Monday

“Where is coach Tomow?”

“Has anyone seen coach Tomow?”

Football players slide up and down the hallway in socked feet, ducking in and out of the locker room. Every time the door swings open, a pungent smell of shoulder pads, shoes and workout clothes escapes aboard the growling sound of a radio. The smell is beginning to take over the hallway, which is busy today.

Junior varsity players are preparing for their first game. Teachers finishing their first day of in-service stroll by. Assistant football coaches talk with the remaining players, who are becoming increasingly scattered, unsure of where they are supposed to be.

“Are we in the LGI? No, wait, are we in the weight room? Where is coach Tomow?”

Tomow suddenly appears from around a corner followed by an entourage of players. He is wearing his bucket hat with khakis and a polo, carrying a duffel bag.

“Freshmen are in the weight room, varsity is starting in the LGI. I am going to change quick, be right out.”

Tomow disappears into the noise and odor of the locker room.

He emerges a few minutes later from a different doorway, only to disappear again at the sound of his name being called. The Lakeland JV team has arrived and needs a locker room.

SCHS Athletic Director Charmaine Schreiber and team manager Erin Cerveny approach.

“What time are you guys done with practice? We are looking for someone to film the JV game,” Schreiber says.

Tomow starts going through the list of available players when junior Jared Tavernier comes strolling down the hallway. Tomow stops him.

“We need a favor of you.”

Tomow is approached by the Lakeland coaches, who strike up a friendly conversation.

“Coach Tomow!” Schreiber is waving from the end of the hallway, trying to tell him she found someone to work in the press box for tonight’s game.

“Coach, do you think we could get some tape before the game?” asks one of the Lakeland coaches.

“Let me see. Sally?”

Athletic trainer Sally Egan emerges from one of the locker rooms.

“Sally, can we get some tape for their players?”

“Sure can, I will come right with you guys,” Egan says, following the coaches to their locker room.

Tomow pauses as the hallway finally clears.

“Crazy day,” he sighs, and heads for the LGI, where film review has already begun.

4:16 p.m. Monday

Tomow enters the LGI, motioning for Kellett to wrap up reviewing the special teams film.

Schmalz jumps in for a quick defensive review.

“Fellas, this team is not bad,” he says. “You have to bring the same level of intensity into this game as Menasha did against them. If you don’t, they will march up and down the field on us.”

He goes through his plays.

“The more we prepare, the better chance we’ll have of being successful on Friday. Study your positions, study the guy over top of you, and see what you are going to be facing. Coach Tomow is going to talk offense now.”

Tomow steps in.

“Expect them to come out really fast and really strong to try to impose their impose their will upon us,” he begins.

He talks through a few plays, then quickly draws up the adjustments from the coaches’ meeting Sunday night. After he explains the play, it’s quiz time.

He tests a few players, eventually checking the time when he has gotten sufficient answers.

“All right, head to the weight room.”

The weight session lasts about 30 minutes.

“Put the weights away and meet on the practice field,” Tomow shouts.

5:25 p.m. Monday

It’s muggy outside. The air sticks to players as they shift from one side of the field to the other, listening to every scenario Schmalz throws at them for defensive strategy.

“If they run a trey to this side, where do my safeties need to be?”

The players adjust.

“When the option comes this way, backers, what’s your responsibility.”

The whistle blows, and it’s time for specialized drills. Linebackers, secondary players and linemen go their separate ways, scattering across the field.

Tomow goes from one group to the next, closely watching the progress of each player and taking notes. He has made just as many laps around the field as the players.

Practice continues at a high pace. The team comes together for full-squad work and then breaks again for drills. Passing routes, blocking form, ball carrying.

By 6:09 p.m., practice is done.

The players take a knee in front of Tomow. The assistant coaches stand behind the group.

“New London thinks they can come in here and beat us,” Tomow says. “I guarantee you they are going to bring some fans, because this is one of the games that they think they can get. I don’t want them to have this one. Keep working and understand we got a long way to go. This is a nice step for us to get us in that direction. Nice effort today. Questions?”

No questions.

2:30 p.m. Thursday

Dylan Hintz strolls into the school before the start of practice, duffel bag swinging in his hand. It’s walk-through day for the Hawks, last practice before New London. A walk-through sounds more leisurely than what Tomow has in mind.

The players are ready to begin in the LGI by 3 p.m. but are more talkative than usual. Tomow quiets them down as he gets the projector going, the overhead lights dimmed.

“Listen up. I want a nice and fast-paced day today. Then we can get out maybe a little early and you guys can go take care of your … freak out, or whatever, at the fair.”

The players laugh at Tomow’s failed joke.

“All right. To start, I want you guys to watch this play that sealed the deal for us against New London last year.”

Color commentary from last year’s 32-26 win over New London blasts from the speakers.

“Cole Huntington drops back to pass. He gets it off. It’s caught by Bryce Bergner, and he’s got room! He breaks it outside and he is going! Unbelievable, with 57 seconds left, Shawano pulls off the unthinkable.”

Tomow pauses the film.

“Remember how that felt? That was probably the one of the most special football moments I have been a part of. It was special for me and it was special for this team, because that was our first win together.”

He looks around the room at the players.

“I want more of those. I want more of that with this group. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity. They are coming into our house, we have got a new look, we have got a new attitude, and we can take care of business. So let’s get to work.”

Film wraps up early today and the players head for the field, cleats clomping over the pavement of the parking lot.

Kellett pulls up to the stadium in his car, slowly cutting off the path of a few players as he grins through the window. He parks and climbs out, joining the team.

As the players reach the field, Tomow starts directing people to their positions.

Kellett and Schalz walk players through their assignments, pointing out key matchups.

Tomow watches carefully as his offense maneuvers through each and every play, face masks grinding together on the line of scrimmage.

It’s 4:55 p.m. and practice closes. A little early, as promised.

Tomow begins his end-of-practice speech as players take a knee.

“The opportunity is right there in front of us. We only have a couple of home games, so let’s take advantage of them,” he says. “Make sure you get to bed early tonight. Don’t be hanging around the fair all night eating all that junk.”

The players smile.

“You know what I mean. Good practice tonight.”

3:10 p.m. Friday

Shawano Community High School is silent. No music. No chatter. No lockers being slammed.

Tomow sits alone in his office, printing out the team’s schedule for the night.

“Hope we get it in, not sure what the weather is going to do.”

It’s been humid all day, and rain is in the forecast.

He checks the time and starts printing play sheets for his quarterbacks’ wrist bands.

Zack Sousek and his freshman brother, Seth, are in the commons at 3:30, surrounded by empty tables. They scroll through their phones as they wait for the team dinner, which starts in a half hour. The other players will be trickling in soon. For now the Sousek brothers sit in silence.

By 3:50, the chow has arrived.

Tomow’s mother, Cheryl Jones, pulls up to the high school, the back of her SUV piled with plastic containers of spaghetti. She prepares all of the team’s pregame meals.

Junior linebacker Alex Vandrisse and junior defensive back Marty Ready come out of the school with boxes to help her carry the food.

“Wow, there’s a lot in here!” Ready says.

They fill up their boxes and head back for the school.

As Jones begins unloading the rest of the food, she notices the crock pot containing the spaghetti sauce has overflowed, filling the back of her vehicle.

“Oh…”

Tomow walks up to her as she points at the mess, rolling her eyes.

4 p.m. Friday

“OK, guys, grab a bowl. Forks are over here. Coach Gueths, want to serve it up?”

Gueths pulls the lid off the slow cooker and raises his eyebrows. He gestures at the quantity of sauce.

“Make it last,” Tomow says as the players fall into line.

Gueths dumps the sauce into the players’ bowls.

“Thanks, coach,” junior lineman Isaiah Moesch says. He grabs a cookie and starts to walk away.

“You get two cookies, you know,” says Schmalz as he watches the players file through.

“Really? Awesome!” Moesch snaps up a second cookie and takes a seat by his teammates.

The coaches sit at their own table as the players eat. Conversation is minimal as the spaghetti disappears rapidly.

Hintz holds up his unfinished bowl.

“Sousek? Want it?”

Zack Sousek shakes his head.

“Other Sousek?”

Seth Sousek shakes his head.

As the meal wraps up, Tomow stands.

“Guys, you have about an hour until we meet in the gym at 5:20 p.m. You can hang out until then.”

The players clear out and the coaches start to clean the tables.

5:20 p.m. Friday

“Let’s get them coached up,” Schmalz says.

The team is lined up for defensive review in the gymnasium.

Schmalz steers JV players by the shoulders, setting up different formations for the defense to assess.

“We have got to hit it tonight and meet them at the line of scrimmage,” he says. “If we don’t, we are in for a long night.”

Tomow lines up his offense.

“Guys, we know our duties, we know what needs to be done. So let’s get after it. This is what we worked for all week.”

6 p.m. Friday

Zack Sousek walks with the specialists to the field, passing fans tailgating in the parking lot. He spots his biggest fan running up to him and stops. It’s his 4-year-old cousin, Daniel Meyer, who has been asking everyone where number 11 is.

He smiles down at Meyer and gives him five.

New London players jog around the field as Hintz calls out the stretches. It does not take long to get warmed up in the humid air.

The players break for individual drills.

6:30 p.m. Friday

“Team captains!”

Hintz, Gueths and Huntington walk to midfield for the coin toss as the offense does final run-throughs.

“Look sharp, guys, we gotta get this right tonight,” Tomow calls out.

6:55 p.m. Friday

Tomow gathers the players in the end zone for a final talk.

“Remember what we worked on. Let’s come out hard and fast against these guys. Let’s get it.”

The team lines up along the goal line as the national anthem blares from the sound system. As it finishes, the team forms a tunnel extended from the end zone, and the starters are announced one by one. The team forms a tight circle at midfield.

Tomow watches from the sideline as the players break it down.

“I believe! I believe! Can do! Can do! Will do! Will do! Go Hawks!”

The Hawks line up to receive the opening kickoff. Zack Sousek is ready to return.

The whistle blows.

7 p.m. Game time.