Leaders on and off the field

August 27
Leaders on and off the field

Abignton’s new captains are having no problem motivating their teammates.

By Don McGlynn dmcglynn@theabingtonjournal.com

CLARKS SUMMIT - No matter how much practice or preparation a team gets, a coach can never be positive that one team member will step up and take the lead. Thankfully for the Abington Heights Comets their newly appointed captains are fitting into that role comfortably.

At left, returning senior, quarterback Pat Griffin.

Above, from left, team captains Paul Ofcharsky, Carm Pawelzik, Ross Cadman and Eric Ofcharsky.

Abington Journal Photos/Stephanie Walkowski

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Each year, the team votes on which seniors they want to represent them on the field and off. This year, the team has selected Eric Ofcharsky, Carm Pawelzik, Paul Ofcharsky and Ross Cadman.

“I’m very happy with the four they selected, I can’t say enough about them. They are four people who exemplify what it is to be a captain,” said head coach Joe Repshis.

And, the while four young men said they were honored with their new title, they didn’t have to wait to be nominated to start acting like leaders.

With a goal of making it to the playoffs and possibly a championship this season, the boys, along with the rest of the returning seniors, got the team motivated in the off-season to help those dreams come true.

“All the seniors got all the underclassmen into the weight room and we all gave it 100 percent so we can do 100 percent on the field,” said Eric Ofcharsky.

“It was a yearround thing, we encouraged everyone because we wanted a bigger, faster, stronger team,” said Cadman.

The speech convinced the team as Paul Ofcharsky said, “It was the best attendance in the weight room we’ve ever had.”

But, it takes more than just telling someone to do something to get them going, and according to Repshis it was the positive example his captains set that sparked the fire in his players this off-season.

“To be here in the off-season, it’s not a mandatory thing, and they were here every day in the weight room, lifting weights and encouraging others to be there as well. And, that’s what we need, someone who leads by example,” said Repshis.

“You don’t have to be someone who’s vocal or verbal, just someone who shows how to do things the correct way, and that’s what they’ve all done in the weight room, the playing field, the classroom and the community.”

Both the players and the coaches started to notice an improvement almost immediately as a result of the weight training, “Practice is going better, blocking and making tackles a lot easier,” said Pawelzik.

The Comets will get a chance to see the work pay off when their season kicks off August 29.