Goshen football putting in summer work on and off the field

GOSHEN, Ind. - For those anticipating the kickoff to another high school football season, there’s still a bit of a wait.

But for teams like the Goshen Red Hawks, the work has already started.

“We’ve been at it since the middle of January with our off-season workouts," said head coach Kyle Park. "We have so many players that are multi-sport athletes, which we encourage, so to get everybody together finally is nice.”

For now, as summer workouts begin, the focus is simply on the fundamentals.

And without a game Friday night game on the horizon, it’s a chance for Park and his coaches to find what truly motivates their team.

“We’re looking to see where kids can fit and help us within our scheme, but you’re also looking to see who’s putting for the effort and who wants to lead the team.”

One hallmark in a leader is the effort off the field as well.

Thursday, Goshen’s team will host a blood drive in partnership with the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Blood Center, and the Red Hawks have jumped at the opportunity.

"The summertime is the highest demand for blood and it's also the hardest time to collect it," said Park. "We decided to partner with them and hold a community blood drive and try to get parents and others in the community to donate."

The blood drive will take place in the high school's cafeteria from 4 to 7 p.m., and Park said his players have been involved every step of the way.

“Our players are out soliciting, and trying to encourage participation from our community. We’re excited to be able to give back. This is a big deal and we’ll see how it goes tomorrow night. It’s the first time we’ve done it.”

It’s busy schedule for all teams in the area, but one the coaches want to ensure mixes the work – with the pleasure that should accompany this time of year.

“They’re kids," Park said. "You try to find a balance between getting what we need to get done in this short amount of time, but not taking up all of their time to where they can’t enjoy their summer.”