Volunteers will be needed to help line and maintain the St. Max practice field this season.  Anyone interested in helping out, please contact Jim Walsh at jimjr@walshenvelopes.com

I hope that everyone is having a great start to their summer and that their spring sports/activities were successful.  Believe it or not, the start of football season is only two months away and  with that in mind I wanted to provide everyone with some key dates.  As Labor Day comes early this year,  CYO Central has allowed an earlier than usual start date of August 12th.  While this seems too early, it provides the same amount of practice time before the first game as in past years.  We will take advantage of this time and use the first few days for conditioning.  If you can be there, please make every effort.  If you are out of town, they are not mandatory.  Other key dates are listed below.

July 30 - Equipment Distribution, 4:45 - 5:45, CYO Athletic Equipment Shed

August 12, 13, 14 (Tuesday - Thursday) - One Hour Conditioning Practices, No pads and Not Mandatory

Monday, August 18 - First Practice in Full Pads - 6:15 Start, Mandatory Practice begins

Saturday, September 6 - Pre-Season Game v. St.Anastasia

Saturday, September 13 - League Opener

Saturday, November 22 - Parade of Champions

Thursday, November 27 - Turkey Bowl v. St.Agnes

Please read this important info:

* Registration is now available on the St.Max website (stmax.org).  The CYO at St.Max is not accepting paypal or credit cards so you will need to send in a check before equipment distribution.  With that said, please don't hesitate to register as you will not need to send your money in until late July.  You will be required to pay the registration fee and to provide a $100.00 deposit check for equipment.  The deposit check will be returned at the end of the season when you return all of your St.Max equipment.

*  If you are on this e-mail, we are counting on you.  If you know already that you will not be playing for St.Max in 2008, please let us know now so we can plan accordingly.  Our goal is to get at least thirty players so that we can again participate in the CYO B schedule.  The "B" league will be a total of six games and will now include special teams.  Last year was the first year that varsity played a B schedule and we barely had enough players.  All B games were played on our home field which kept it convenient for those involved.  It also proved to be a great way to get everyone well deserved playing time and fun.

*  In years past, there seems to be a trend of seventh graders skipping a year and coming back out in eighth grade.  While we would never hold this against a player, it really sets them behind their peers when they come back out.  I hope to see a strong seventh grade turnout this year because we do not have many returning eighth graders.

*  The past two years we practiced Sunday thru Thursday before school was back in session.  This year, we will be going back to Monday thru Friday and I expect that the Friday practices will be in the morning, allowing for an extended weekend.  There will not be a practice during Labor Day Weekend.

*  After Labor Day, we will practice Tuesday thru Friday.  Beginning the week of September 20, we will cut back to a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday practice schedule.

*  Thanks to a heads up from Larry Giacchino, who advised me that Stetson Middle School extended their football field to regulation size, Jim Walsh was able to secure the Stetson field for our home games.  This will alleviate many issues that we had with Thornbury Park last season, most revolving around parking.

I hope this info helps everyone.  Again, please let me know as soon as possible if you are not playing.  We will not pressure you as this goes against our philosophy, we simply need to gauge our numbers.

Stat tuned for more e-mails regarding conditioning, hydration, etc.

Best regards, Coach Antell, (609) 668 - 5937

 

• Varsity Games are first at time noted - JV immediately afterwards

• St Max home games are played at Thornbury Park

Look for exciting information and news soon including photos, schedules, standings, etc.

~ Varsity - Charlie Antell

~ JV - Mike Murphy

~ Flag - Perry Cozzone

  Tentative start date is Tuesday, August 12, 2008.  Check your emails, church bulletin and the CYO website football homepage (www.stmax.org/CYO/fball/football.htm) for actual start date.

  Each player should arrive at the St. Max field (above the school gym) in shorts, tee shirt and spikes for the first practice. Screw in spikes are NOT allowed, players may only wear molded cleats. Please bring plenty of water.

  St. Max will provide each player with game pants/jersey, shoulder pads and helmet; all of which MUST BE RETURNED at the conclusion of the season.

  Players will be responsible for all other equipment which includes but is not limited to: practice pants with pads, belt, cup, cleats.

HELMET AND SHOULDER PAD FITTING/DISTRIBUTION FOR THE 2008 SEASON WILL BE:

DATE – Wednesday, July 30, 2008.

TIME - VARSITY- 4:45-5:45PM

JV - 5:45-6:30 PM

PLACE - CYO SHED (SOUTH END OF ST. MAX PRACTICE FIELD)

  Players must wear St. Max helmets. Players may use their own shoulder pads if they choose. Players must arrive at the CYO shed with a deposit check in the amount of $100 (If they are using their own shoulder pads, the amount should be $60 for the helmet only) made out to "St. Max CYO.

• Checks will be returned at the end of the season if the equipment is returned in reasonable condition.

Note- This is a fitting so the player must be present to pick up the equipment.

No player will be issued helmet/shoulder pads if they have not registered for 2008 St. Max football.