football

New football team hosts first meeting

Karan MunsLeave a comment

Texas Wesleyan University’s new football team’s head coach, Joe Prud’homme, held the team’s first meeting Tuesday afternoon in the McFadden Lecture Hall.

Football has been controversial at Wesleyan, but the program should speak for itself by producing well-rounded athletes, Prud’homme said.

“I want a program that Texas Wesleyan is proud of,” Prud’homme said.

Prud’homme held the meeting in order to get the team acquainted, and let them know that he has high expectations for them as students, athletes and people, he said.

“First of all you’re going to be a student, athlete second; but you’re going to represent us, you’re going to represent each other,” Prud’homme said. “It is critical the way you carry yourself, people judge all of us by one of us.”

The team will begin practicing on Tuesday, Sept. 6 and will practice Mondays through Wednesdays and Fridays on the campus mall. Practices will be 2 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., Prud’homme said. The players will also be in the weight room this semester, focusing on gaining strength and stamina.

In the spring, the team will begin practicing plays at Herman Clark Stadium in Fort Worth.

The assistant coaches support all of these high expectations along with performing typical coaching tasks, Prud’homme said.

The players are expected to be polite and courteous of everyone they come into contact with and behave responsibly at all times, offensive coordinator Paul Duckworth said.

“The fact is we are a clean program,” Duckworth said. “We are a drug-free, alcohol-free program.”

It’s extremely important to the whole staff that the football players strive for greatness and live up to expectations on the field, in the classroom, and in their everyday lives, Prud’homme said.

“I like the standards and expectations the coaches have,” student coach Andre Dawkins, sophomore education major, said. “I think it’s what will make the program great.”

Fullback Zack Lanham, a sophomore criminal justice major, said the program is supposed to make the players more mature.

“This program is meant to take boys and turn them into men via academics, character, and overall integrity,” Zack Lanham, a sophomore criminal justice major, said. “It’s time for us to grow up, enhance our skills, and put our bodies to the test, for most of us, at the highest level possible.”

Most of the players are used to being held to a higher standard on the field and off, said tight end Logan Butler, a sophomore biochemistry major.

“The rules are pretty fair and common. If you break it, you should expect to pay for it,” Butler said.

Prud’homme said the high expectations don’t just encompass the athletes’ character but their football abilities as well. He wants the players to be great people, but also excellent football players.

“We expect you to play this game the way it’s meant to be played – smart, aggressive, and relentless,” Prud’homme said. “When we hit spring it’s time to compete.”

Head football coach Joe Prud'homme addresses players at first team meeting.
Head football coach Joe Prud’homme addresses players at first team meeting.
Offensive coordinator Paul Duckworth addresses new football team during first meeting.

Football team holds first practice

Karan MunsLeave a comment

Texas Wesleyan’s football team held its first practice Tuesday on the campus mall.

The team endured an almost three-hour practice, but head coach Joe Prud’homme felt it was a good “kickoff” point for the team.

“It’s a starting point,” Prud’homme said in an interview during practice. “It’s a little warm, it’s the first time they’ve done it, and it’s the first time they’ve ever been out here together.”

The 116-player team ran through warmups quickly, then began a series of rotating workout and conditioning stations to gain strength and stamina. Thirty to 40 people watched, including university President Frederick Slabach.

“They got after it,” Prud’homme said, “their attitude was good, and their enthusiasm was up.”

Strength training and conditioning are the team’s main focuses for the fall, so that by the time they need to scrimmage in the spring, the groundwork is already there, Prud’homme said.

“Our conditioning level has got to go way up,” Prud’homme said, “but it’s only the first day. I kind of expected this.”

Many players were taken aback by the heat, said fullback Zack Lanham, a criminal justice major.

“I think a lot of players were in for a big surprise,” Lanham said. “It’s hot outside, the coaches worked us, and we have a lot of work to get to done.”

But the players and coaches were excited to begin working out together, and even welcomed spectators to watch, like Jeremy Johnson, a sophomore at Cedar Valley College.

“I decided to come up and take a look,” Johnson said. “I’m very excited. I can’t wait to actually get in pads and make something happen.”

Johnson came to watch the practice to see if Wesleyan is worth transferring to.

“The main reason is to be able to go down in history at Texas Wesleyan,” Johnson said.

Prud’homme said he expected the players to be polite and respectful to all of the spectators in order to create a positive image for Wesleyan football.

“You’ve just got to set a high bar, and they’ve got to be the ones to meet it – and they want to meet it,” Prud’homme said.

The spectator turnout was great and everyone was excited for the practice, Prud’homme said.

“Thanks to everybody that came out,” Prud’homme said, “and everybody that showed a lot of support for us.”

A football team that lifts up Wesleyan is a high priority for the program, Prud’homme said.

“We know that it’s our job to do a good job of representing the school,” Prud’homme said. “We just want to have something everybody is proud of.”

According to a schedule provided by Prud’homme, the team will be practicing every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on the mall for the remainder of the semester.

The team will begin its 2017 season on the road in Kansas on Sept. 2; the first home game will be 2 p.m. on Sept. 9, when Wesleyan plays Millsaps College, according to a scheduled released Friday. The full schedule is available at txwes.edu.

New football team holds first meeting

Karan MunsLeave a comment

Texas Wesleyan University’s new football team’s head coach, Joe Prud’homme, held the team’s first meeting Tuesday afternoon in the McFadden Lecture Hall.

Football has been controversial at Wesleyan, but the program should speak for itself by producing well-rounded athletes, Prud’homme said.

“I want a program that Texas Wesleyan is proud of,” Prud’homme said.

Prud’homme held the meeting in order to get the team acquainted, and let them know that he has high expectations for them as students, athletes and people, he said.

“First of all you’re going to be a student, athlete second; but you’re going to represent us, you’re going to represent each other,” Prud’homme said. “It is critical the way you carry yourself, people judge all of us by one of us.”

The team will begin practicing on Tuesday, Sept. 6 and will practice Mondays through Wednesdays and Fridays on the campus mall. Practices will be 2 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., Prud’homme said. The players will also be in the weight room this semester, focusing on gaining strength and stamina.

In the spring, the team will begin practicing plays at Herman Clark Stadium in Fort Worth.

The assistant coaches support all of these high expectations along with performing typical coaching tasks, Prud’homme said.

The players are expected to be polite and courteous of everyone they come into contact with and behave responsibly at all times, offensive coordinator Paul Duckworth said.

“The fact is we are a clean program,” Duckworth said. “We are a drug-free, alcohol-free program.”

It’s extremely important to the whole staff that the football players strive for greatness and live up to expectations on the field, in the classroom, and in their everyday lives, Prud’homme said.

“I like the standards and expectations the coaches have,” student coach Andre Dawkins, sophomore education major, said. “I think it’s what will make the program great.”

Fullback Zack Lanham, a sophomore criminal justice major, said the program is supposed to make the players more mature.

“This program is meant to take boys and turn them into men via academics, character, and overall integrity,” Zack Lanham, a sophomore criminal justice major, said. “It’s time for us to grow up, enhance our skills, and put our bodies to the test, for most of us, at the highest level possible.”

Most of the players are used to being held to a higher standard on the field and off, said tight end Logan Butler, a sophomore biochemistry major.

“The rules are pretty fair and common. If you break it, you should expect to pay for it,” Butler said.

Prud’homme said the high expectations don’t just encompass the athletes’ character but their football abilities as well. He wants the players to be great people, but also excellent football players.

“We expect you to play this game the way it’s meant to be played – smart, aggressive, and relentless,” Prud’homme said. “When we hit spring it’s time to compete.”