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Sep. 11—There was something that isn’t necessarily football related that stood out to Joplin head coach Curtis Jasper following Friday’s Week 2 comeback victory over Lebanon at Junge Field.
The Eagles trailed 14-0 at halftime and turned things around to score on three of four offensive drives and claim a 21-17 win.
In order to do that, Jasper says his players had to have trust in one another. That’s something he has preached — and especially this offseason when talking to some specific players.
“It’s a fun group. They really enjoy playing together and we had a lot of fun this summer and preparing for the season and I think a lot of that time and effort is showing up,” Jasper said. “Those senior in-home visits, I talk about trust. It can’t just be players trusting coaches and coaches trusting players. It has to be player-to-player as well.”
That trust comes from spending time with one another and growing in friendships with teammates. Jasper talked about knowing that some of those come naturally and players are always going to spend time with those who share similar interests.
But he sees the importance of going beyond that. He likes for his team to connect beyond their everyday friends that they do things with on a regular basis.
“You have to build those relationships outside of your normal friend groups. I think we’re doing a good job of building those relationships,” Jasper said. “It has to be intentional, it can’t just happen.”
He can see it happening among his athletes and how they mingle at practice, on the bus or in school — wherever they may spend time together.
“It means a lot to me to be able to witness that and see that. It’s awesome,” Jasper said.
FAMILY FUN
Tight end John Jasper, coach Jasper’s youngest son, caught a touchdown pass in the game as well. It was the final touchdown to put the team ahead…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/joplin-football-team-builds-chemistry-223100529.html
Author : The Joplin Globe, Mo.
Publish date : 2024-09-11 22:31:00
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