When the Rotary Club of West Pine Bluff and Hooten’s Arkansas Football host their annual kickoff luncheon in Pine Bluff, it means football season is almost here.
“This actually is the jump off for me,” Pine Bluff head coach Micheal Williams said. “When this happens, I know my mind shifts. It’s game time now.”
Coaches and players from schools across southeast Arkansas gathered at the Pine Bluff Country Club to talk about the upcoming season with the community.
The head coaches and select players from all three Jefferson County high schools attended, as did coaches and players from Camden Fairview, Dumas, Fordyce, Hamburg, McGehee, Monticello, Rison and Star City. The offensive and defensive coordinators from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Arkansas at Monticello also participated.
New Rison coach Chris Vereen, who came from Star City, said the event is always great.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“It may not seem like it on Friday nights when people are in the stands, but there is a very tight camaraderie among Arkansas, especially southeast Arkansas, coaches,” Vereen said. “Just to get to see these guys one more time before we really get cranked up here in a couple of weeks is good, and some exposure for the kids, also. They love this. It’s a good meal, too.”
Barry Groomes from Hooten’s spoke about this year’s magazine, saying it is the biggest one yet. It includes feature stories on topics such as Warren head coach Bo Hembree, Sheridan hiring Kevin Kelley, and the rivalry between Rison and Fordyce.
Groomes also mentioned due to the size of the ever-growing magazine, Hooten’s must now have it printed in Denver and shipped back to Arkansas.
After he spoke, each of the coaches spoke about their teams. Some of the most interesting comments came from Fordyce coach Tim Rodgers, who mentioned dealing with the aftermath of last month’s shooting.
“I’m not going to deny, we met with our kids during the dead period,” Rodgers said. “We met with some of our kids during the dead period because of what happened. We just did that. A lot of us coaches, we’re some of their dads, their parents. We have a lot to deal with the kids, and we weren’t just going to turn them away because of something like that, something tragic. The good thing is, none our kids, parents, anybody like that was involved in it.”
After the event ended, some of the coaches agreed to speak with the media about their teams.
New Watson Chapel coach Steven Heard said the Wildcats have improved every day this summer as they look to build up the program.
“They have to get some terminology down,” Heard said. “They have to get used to throwing the ball a little bit more in a new offensive scheme and a new defensive scheme. But for the most part, I believe we’re ahead of schedule as far as the knowledge and the skillset.”
Official football practices begin Aug. 5, with benefit games allowed starting Aug. 18.
New White Hall coach Daryl Patton, a first-time attendee of the luncheon event, said after 33 years of coaching, he still gets excited for the start of fall practice. He said he tells his players to appreciate each day of the season.
“If you look at the big picture, you go all the way to December,” Patton said. “You’re talking three months. It’s going to be over that quick, and so you gotta cherish every day. Don’t waste a day. Our motto is TNT: Today, not Tomorrow. So, we’re going to try to live each day to the fullest and be the best we can be and play our hardest. Keep stacking those days up and see where we’re at at the end of the year.”