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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2017)
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Outlaws JV program builds football players By Jim Cornelius News Editor The Outlaws junior var- sity football program is working hard to lay the foun- dation for future success for the Outlaws. Twenty-four student ath- letes were on the roster of this year’s JV squad, which compiled a 2-5 record. Matt Wessel, one of four coaches for the program, told The Nugget that, while the team plays to win, the focus is on development. “We’re more concerned about getting the kids out there than we are about win- ning,” he said. The key goal is to make sure athletes have “a really great football expe- rience. The only way those things are going to happen is if they’re on the field.” Playing time and good technique are foundations of the program instilled by coaches Wessel, Doug Hull, Paul Patton and Alex Ludwig. Wessel noted that Outlaws Head Football Coach Neil Fendall is closely involved with the JV squad, helping to ensure that the values and systems of the program are consistent. “I think Fendall has done a great job in that respect,” Wessel said. Safety is a critical con- cern, Wessel said. Players, coaches and parents are much more aware of concussion concerns than they were even a couple of years ago. Proper tackling technique is vital to prevention of head injuries. “We teach rugby tackling techniques,” Wessel said. “We teach it the right way. We really focus on safety and injuries and how to prevent them through proper tackling technique.” Since rugby does not use helmets, tackling is done with the shoulders and arms, with the head up and off to the side to avoid impact. That tech- nique is pervasive in football now, all the way up to the NFL, as the game seeks to minimize brain injuries. Concussion protocols are now well understood, and a strong effort is made to com- municate the importance of being aware of and reporting any concussion symptoms — from everyone involved in the game. Wessel said another key factor in injury prevention is having enough players on the roster. Playing time is important, but too much time on the field leads to fatigue; fatigue leads to breakdown in technique; breakdown in technique leads to injury. “The numbers actually help the overall health of the program and the health of the individual player,” Wessel said. Asked to point to a high- light of the season, Wessel recalled a game against Cascade, which the Outlaws lost by one point, 16-15, when their opponent converted a last-minute two-point play. Author will read essays on Coast Range PHOTO BY MATT WESSEL Patrick Dingeman scored his first career touchdown for the Outlaws JV squad this year. The Outlaws were excited to have played so competitively, but also angry at seeing the game slip away. “To me, that was a sign that they were becoming football players,” Wessel said. He also recalled a 33-18 victory over Junction City, which featured a touchdown run by Patrick Dingeman — his first in a four-year JV career. For Wessel, football offers important opportunities for student athletes to learn, to test themselves and adapt and overcome adversity while working together toward a goal. With a proper consid- eration of safety, he believes that parents should be com- fortable putting their young Outlaws out on the field, where the benefits outweigh the risks. “I don’t think there’s a sport that creates unity like football,” he said. On Friday, November 17 at 6 p.m. at Paulina Springs Books in Sisters, debut author Nick Neely will read from his collection of essays in “Coast Range: A Collection from the Pacific Edge.” Neely’s essays thought- fully explore the intersec- tion of the edge of the land with the edge of the sea, set in the California and Oregon coastal ranges. He spent six months living off-the-grid focusing on the interactions of humans and the natural world. With reflective and thoughtful prose, his essays share observations of nature and the records of human history. Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave. Call 541-549-0866 for more information. Classifieds are online at NuggetNews.com — Search them anytime! — WHY Aveda? ™ Organically derived plant-based for a healthier you and healthier hair. Saturday, November 4 • 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Bend Elks Lodge • 63120 Boyd Acres Rd. (North end of Bend, at Empire Avenue) SISTERS DENTURE For more information call 541-221-4426 DENTURES: Partial, Full or Implants for all ages. 541-549-0929 — 36 years experience — LOCALLY OWNED 15 hair | massage | nails | facials | makeup 541-549-1784 161-C N. Elm St. House-Smoked Turkeys for Thanksgiving g g Day y Fully cooked • Limited quantity E RIB l Reserve yours today by calling, stopping g PRIM ble v o a a i il l a by, or emailing sistersmeat@gmail.com. a ls 541-719-1186 • 110 S. Spruce St. Open 9 AM -7 PM Every Day MEATS • CHEESES • EATERY • DRINKERY
