The Warren Central football team is gearing up for the upcoming season under new leadership, as Coach Jeffery Whitaker takes the role of head football coach after being appointed earlier this year on Jan. 5, following the retirement of Coach Michael Kirschner.
Following a successful season last year, Whitaker plans on challenging the young guys to high expectations and standards that have been set for Warren Central Football.
“Overall, I think the team is pretty young, but I think we are pretty talented,” junior running back Keyon Thomas said. “I feel like we got a chance to go all the way for sure. We just got to buy into the culture and the coaching staff.”
With the team being so young this year, it's all about “building the monster,” which means building back up the football team to be feared by other schools.
“To me, a monster is a team that other programs don't get excited about playing because they know it's going to be a long game, it's going to be a physical game and it's going to be a tough one to win,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker always emphasizes at practice to “do things right,” and he believes it even goes beyond the football field.
Whitaker is excited to build the football program back up to its expectations and is ready to get the boys ready to play against their upcoming schools.
“Coach Whit is a great coach and a very goofy person,” Thomas said. “Very fun to be around altogether, but you know he does have serious moments and when the time is right I know he will be a good coach and we will step up for him.”
This season hasn't quite started out how coach Whitaker would like it. Warren Central has played against Center Grove and Avon so far. They didn't come out on top, but these boys are ready for the upcoming game against North Central on Sept. 5 at home.
“I think we are going to beat North Central because we are more disciplined, skilled and better coached," sophomore quarterback Jack Quillen said.