NPAR | 25
Bobcat Football prepares
for upcoming spring season
Written by : Megan Hart NPAR Correspondent
As the North Port football team prepares for its spring games , Bobcat fans can expect a reprieve from the agonizing wait between seasons .
North Port High School will host its annual Blue & Silver Scrimmage as well as its spring football game against the Southeast Seminoles on Thursday , May 18 , at the Preserve . Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p . m .
North Port ’ s varsity football team has been doing speed and strength training for months , but it will not hold its first football practice of the year until April 24 . The Bobcats will have just less than a month to prepare for their exhibition match against Southeast High School . North Port Head Coach Brian Hatler said that spring football provides his staff with the opportunity to evaluate the players ’ progress .
“ We want to see good effort and positive attitudes ,” he said . “ We also want to see how they ’ re grasping our offensive , defensive and special teams systems .”
Though North Port ’ s varsity squad tallied one win last season , it appears the program is heading in the right direction . The freshman team finished with a 7-1 record last year , and many of its athletes will play on North Port ’ s junior varsity and varsity teams next season . Hatler said that some new players typically come out for spring football as well .
Junior wide receiver and cornerback CK Poulos said he cannot wait to get back on the field . He believes that North Port has improved over the off-season .
“ The spring is a good time to test ourselves ,” he said . “ I believe we ’ ve gotten better , stronger , faster and that we ’ re ready for Southeast .” - CK Poulos
“ The spring is a good time to test ourselves ,” he said . “ I believe we ’ ve gotten better , stronger , faster and that we ’ re ready for Southeast .”
Last season , the Seminoles finished the season 4-6 , after suffering a 33-24 loss to Dunbar High School in the first round of the playoffs . The spring game should give North Port the chance to see how its athletes match up against the competition . It will also be a chance for football fans to catch a little action .
“ It gets us back on the field , playing the game of football ,” Hatler said .
The Bobcats will kick off the 2017-2018 regular season against their rivals , the Port Charlotte Pirates , on Friday , August 25 . That is a long way off , so North Port football fans should make sure to get their fix at next month ’ s spring game .