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Comets hold first football practice; unwrap ‘presents’

  • Press photo by John Burbridge Charles City senior Kelly Ward, left, intercepts a pass while taking a linebacker pass defending role during Monday’s practice.

  • Press photo by John Burbridge Though still not dressed in full gear, several Comet players turn it up a notch while drilling with new shiver pads during the first high school football practice of the season.

  • Press photo by John Burbridge Comets players hit the blocking sled in unison during the first practice of the season on Monday.

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Was it the first day of football practice?

Or was it Christmas morning?

For the newest edition of the Charles City Comets football team, it was both.

“These are the best investment this team has ever made,” an ebullient player announced after Comet head coach Darren Bohlen — acting in the role of Santa Claus — emerged from the team’s equipment shed with some still-wrapped-in-the-package presents.

These were spanking-new shiver pads to be used to shield forearms during contact drills.

It didn’t take long before they were broken in.

“They are something we decided to purchase for this season,” Bohlen said of his team’s new practice gear. “We usually don’t have big numbers, so we always had to be extra careful not to have anyone get hurt in practice. So we were always going at half-speed or at ‘thud’ contact.

“But we have found that doesn’t always prepare you for a full-speed game. These will help us go a little faster and harder.”

In reference to the foreboding phrase “the only easy day was yesterday”, the Comets’ first practice of the season was relatively light.

“This is our big fundraiser night,” Bohlen said of the players selling discount football cards to raise money for the program — as you know Christmas doesn’t pay for itself.

“So we didn’t go for too long,” Bohlen said. “Tomorrow you can say will be our first real practice.”

With the Iowa High School Athletic Association limiting football teams to only one practice a day, the Comets — as well as other Iowa teams — don’t have much time to get ready for the season opener. For Charles City, it will be an away game Aug. 24 against traditional conference rival Crestwood — now in the same district as the Comets.

“We did have a skills camp last week, so we were able to go through some fundamentals,” Bohlen said. “That helps, but not everyone here was at that camp, so we’ve got to work to bring those guys up to speed.”

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