Sounds of the season

I always enjoy this time of year.

The excitement for the new season on the horizon is a huge draw to me.

It’s what keeps me coming back for my annual pilgrimage of visiting as many high school football practices as I can to photograph the start of the journey.

Along the way I often get asked one question: Who looks good?

However, I feel the question is misguided.

To me, it’s more about sounds than looks when attempting to give an answer.

I can usually tell who has a good team before I ever reach the practice field based on what I hear when walking up.

Are the pads popping at a fever pitch?

How are players communicating with each other during a drill?

Is there a steady shuffle of cleats that would suggest a strong pace to the practice?

These indicators sound like a symphony for the season when done correctly.

To me, the success of a team’s season isn’t about wins and losses. After all, just like music, there are bound to be highs and lows.

Teaching student-athletes how to handle the highs and lows are lessons that go well beyond the football field.

How do you spot the players that are ready to tackle life? Just listen.

The good ones are always encouraging teammates with positive feedback.

The good ones are also silent, and will look a coach directly in the eye when being spoken to.

When the season kicks off, it’s hard for most spectators to pick up on these vocal cues since there are so many other sounds mixed into a chorus of a game.

Still, the good teams rise above the noise.

My Preps Agenda: Year 3

I wish I could provide a soundtrack of what I hear in preparation for the season.

However, I hope you’ll like settling for the photo galleries I’ll be posting of practices I visit in the Green Bay area.

This marks the third year of my Preps Agenda.

I can’t thank everyone enough for the continued support. It’s nice to know there is still interest in something I’m passionate about doing.

As a reminder, I work a full-time job and am only one person. I do my best to cover what I can, and that’s all I can do.

Keep in mind that the articles and photos you view always start with a guy waking up at ridiculous hours in the morning to complete in his free time before the sun comes up.

If you appreciate what I’m doing with my Preps Agenda, here are the things you can do to help support

Contribute

All of my content is free to view. That being said, it still takes money to maintain a website, pay for camera equipment and travel costs. I have a GoFundMe set up if you would like to make a monetary contribution.

All of the funds go towards my costs for maintaining Preps Agenda. Again, I can’t thank everyone enough that contributed last year for football, wrestling and track. I nearly accomplished my goal of breaking even in 2018-2019. That’s what I’m shooting for this year.

Comment, Share, Like, Review

 If you’re not interested in making a monetary contribution, please take a moment to leave a review on Facebook.

The algorithm changes Facebook has implemented to business pages in the past year make it harder for my page to appear on your timeline, so leaving a review is a great help.

If you enjoy something I posted, please share it and leave a comment. That engagement also helps my organic reach in the Facebook algorithm.

What’s new

I’ll start posting photos regularly on Instagram this season. Look for details on that account soon.

I’ll also be offering a weekly e-newsletter that you can subscribe to for free. It will be a nice summary of what I’ve posted in case you missed it and some other items as well.

Job?

Lastly, if you know of anyone in Green Bay or the Fox Valley that needs someone with communication skills, please let me know.

I’m very thankful and fortunate to have a marketing position in Manitowoc, but would like to be working somewhere closer to the Fox River.

What I wrote above about how football teaches you life lessons is very true.

Life will knock you on your butt. You just have to keep getting up and find ways to get better to move forward.

A big part of why I started and continue to maintain Preps Agenda is because I enjoy covering high school sports.

However, it is also a networking tool for me to stay in contact with people. Just maybe it will help me land a role I’m working towards.

That would sound pretty good to me.

– AP