Teamwork Stressed On Day One of Tech Football Camp
By Florida Tech // August 13, 2013
Course in Fellsmere challenges players
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech began training camp for its inaugural 2013 season away from the football field at the university’s Challenge Course in Fellsmere on Monday.
The Panthers confronted obstacles in the Field Leadership Reaction Course. They were given a specific task to accomplish and encouraged not to touch off limit portions of the obstacles. Problem solving, communication, leadership and teamwork were skills they had to use.
“Today was a success,” head coach Steve Englehart said.
“It wasn’t important to get right onto the field and start running plays. Instead, it was important that we grew together as a team. We utilized our ROTC to help us come together as a team and unit.
No one works better together than the Army. We can use a lot of what we did today, what we learned as a group and how we needed to come together this season. Hopefully, at the end of the season, we’ll look back and know the first practice was probably the most important one of all.”
TEAM LEADERS EMERGED
The coaching staff separated the players into 10 teams with every position represented on each team. The teams went through four obstacles. After a Florida Tech ROTC cadet briefed each team on the different tasks, the teams had 10 minutes to devise a strategy for success.
As they found out, sometimes their plans worked and other times they had to start over from scratch. Team leaders emerged and others took on roles to make it successful.
The coaching staff separated the players into 10 teams with every position represented on each team. The teams went through four obstacles. After a Florida Tech ROTC cadet briefed each team on the different tasks, the teams had 10 minutes to devise a strategy for success. As they found out, sometimes their plans worked and other times they had to start over from scratch. Team leaders emerged and others took on roles to make it successful.
FIT wore fatigue colored T-shirts with the words ‘Florida Tech Football’ on the front and the acronym ‘N.O.W.’ standing for no other way. It stems from the phrase ‘expect to win now and expect no other way.’ Helmets were the only piece of football equipment used. Not a single football was in sight.
The Panthers will practice at Panther Field on Tuesday from 8:30-10:50 a.m. Following the team practice, the newcomers will work out from 10:50-11:30 a.m. Practices during training camp this week are open to the public.
“Tomorrow, I’m looking for our guys to run around and be in the right spot,” Englehart said. “It’s another helmets practice, so there’s no contact. There are a lot of guys that we need to bring up to speed. There’s going to be a little learning curve on day one. Hopefully, the older guys will be able to lead the younger guys and get everyone going in the right direction.”
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors ages 65 and above, FIT faculty and staff with school ID, children ages 5-16 and active duty military with ID. Children under five years of age are free.
A section of seats has been set aside for visiting team fans in the west stands. These tickets, located in Section 8, can only be purchased in person and over the phone.
Premium season tickets are sold out as of Saturday, Aug. 10.
Single-game general admission tickets for the Panthers’ first season are now on sale at FloridaTechSports.com, or by dialing 321-674-8032
BELOW VIDEO: SpaceCoastDaily.com’s Declan Clifford sat down with coach Engelhart to discuss the approaching season with the Panthers. Englehart is only weeks away from leading Florida Tech onto the field for the program’s inaugural game on Sept. 7.
