By: Alyssa Rester

Walled Lake Central’s 2017 Varsity football team tackles their season with a one of a kind practice. The team’s practice began at midnight and lasted until six am on Sunday, August Sixth. With this being the team’s first official practice, the team was unable to pad up and began their season with some mild practicing.

The team started the long night off by running out from the locker rooms down onto the field through a path of lit tiki torches. Parents and previous Walled Lake Central football players like up along the tikis to watch and share this unique moment with the new varsity team. One of the team’s linebackers, Sophomore Jarrod Wilbur said, “It was really cool getting to run out like that, I’ve never had a football experience quite like put midnight practice.”

After making their way down onto the field, the football team was joined by the varsity cheer and poms teams. The three teams came running out onto the field after rocking the large Viking ship inflatable together. “We have never gotten to run through the tunnel with the boys before,” varsity cheer captain and senior Hannah Vickory said. “We were all so excited about it which made a fantastic start to the night.”

The team ran through the motions and learned some of their basic and most important defensive and offensive skills. Defensive line coach Justin Rester said, “Our midnight practice is about getting the just of things and perfecting some of the skills we will be using throughout the whole season.”

The varsity football team is now kicking their season into high gear and preparing to make this season one to be remembered. The team’s first game is August 24, which is also senior night. So go out and support your varsity football team when they take on Lakeland at 7pm at home.