Frequently Asked QuestionsBelow are questions and answers relating to various Irondale football topics. The answers may be especially helpful to first year players or parents. If you have additional questions, please send them in an email to goknights@securecomputing.com. Q: What is Acceleration Minnesota and should my son participate? Q: How important is participation in the Summer Weight Training program? Q: Is there weight training in the winter and spring? Q: How and when do the kids sign up/register for football? Q: Is there a calendar showing all the important dates? Q: What is equipment issue day? Q: What equipment is each player/parent required to provide? Q: What is a spirit pack? Q: What is a two-a-day? Q: What time are practices once school begins? Q: How do the boys get to the away games? Q: What is blitz night? Q: What is the Watermelon Run? Q: What is kick-off night? Q: What is a pasta feed? Q: What is (Parent) appreciation night? Q: Is there a party or banquet at the end of the year? Q: What events does the Huddle Club sponsor each year? Q: How do I join the Huddle Club or volunteer to help with team support activities? Q: Do I need an account on the web site? Q: How do I get those tiny black rubber particles from the new turf out of my son's socks? Q: What is Mom's Coffee with the Coach? Q: What is Acceleration Minnesota and should my son participate? Acceleration Minnesota is a facility located in Arden Hills (3808 Dunlap Street North) near Super Target that provides concentrated specialized training for athletes. The player sessions involve using a high-tech treadmill to increase their overall speed and agility. Irondale athletes who have taken the Acceleration MN training have noticeably improved their speed and conditioning. And for students not participating in other sports, the training is a good way to stay in shape between off-seasons. There is a cost associated with taking the training. Irondale's use of Acceleration Minnesota has diminished since the purchase of our own high-speed treadmill. If interested in taking an upcoming session, or would like more information, please contact Coach Geisler. Q: How important is participation in the Summer Weight Training program? There are a couple of huge benefits for all the players who participate. Incoming freshmen get to meet each other before the school year starts, and they get to learn their way around the school and grounds! Another benefit is that players who are strong don't tend to experience as many injuries. While the coaches expect students to be there if they have signed up, they understand that families take vacations; just send a note so they know ahead of the absence. Weight training is usually held four days a week (M, Tu, Th, F) for a couple of hours in the morning starting in June shortly after school ends and running until two-a Days begin in mid-August. Q: Is there weight training in the winter and spring? Yes. Weight training is typically M-W-F after school. If you would like more information, please contact Coach Geisler. Q: How and when do the players sign up/register for football? Registration for all fall sports begins in late summer. Registration forms are available at the high school or by printing them from the school website at www.moundsviewschools.org/irondale/athletics/. Fill out the forms carefully and note that the player and parents need to sign in several different places. If your son has not had a physical in the prior three years, he should have one done over the summer. The physical form is also available from the same web site. (And your doctor's offices may have them available.) If you get your son in for a physical the summer before his freshman year - he won't need another routine physical to participate in sports until his senior year. Obviously, there may be extenuating circumstances where some individuals are required to have more frequent physicals or physician's release. Have your son armed with the completed registration form, a check for the appropriate amount, and the physical form signed and dated by the doctor. Turn these in at the school's Activity Office during the fall sports registration hours. The student athlete will be issued a piece of paper (equipment authorization slip) that will allow him to receive his equipment during Equipment Issue Day. Q: Is there a calendar showing all the important dates? Check the Calendar page on this web site for updated information. Also watch for newsletters from Coach Geisler. Coach Geisler has been mailing out informative newsletters that include important dates and events. The coaching staff also holds the mandatory Spring meeting (usually in March) and the Football Kick-off night in August to share information and dates with you as well. Q: What is Equipment Issue Day? The boys will be advised of this day when they register for football. The seniors go in early that morning (times for each grade are assigned) and are issued their equipment. When they are done, the equipment manager will begin issuing equipment to the juniors and so on until the freshmen have been issued their equipment. Your son must bring the equipment authorization slip they received when they signed up. Also, the boys will be issued a sports locker at this time. Encourage them to leave their equipment at school in their locker! The other important thing to send with your son that day is a padlock. Players should padlock their locker to assure the safety of the equipment. Q: What equipment is each player/parent required to provide? Each player is responsible for bringing a padlock for locking up equipment, a mouth guard, cleats, under garments, and a spirit pack (gym shorts and t-shirt). Q: What is a spirit pack? A spirit pack consists of Irondale-branded gym shorts and t-shirt. Each player is expected to purchase a spitit pack (for cost). Q: What is a Two-a-Day? The official football season starts in mid-August and during the first two weeks of practice the players typically work out twice a day. The players report to the weight room area in the morning and should bring a bag lunch and Gatorade. Players need to arrive early enough to get dressed and ready by the designated starting time (typically 8:00am). Most days follow a repeating schedule of conditioning, chalk talks, play book review, and practice on the field. The end of the day is usually right around 3:00. The first few days are "non-contact" days (as mandated by the Minnesota State High School League) and the players do not wear all the pads and gear. After the non-contact days, they can begin hitting and scrimmaging. The managers are there making sure there is water available, and there is a trainer on staff too. Q: What time are practices once school begins? While starting times for Summer Weight Lifting and Two-a Days are fairly predictable, practices after school may be a bit less predictable. The coaches will communicate a basic schedule, and they depend on the players to communicate with their family. The after school practices may vary on length, so the key in scheduling rides home is flexibility and patience. Try to work out a car pooling scheme with other players/parents. Q: How do the boys get to the away games? It is expected that the athletes ride the team bus to and from all away games, for all football games for all football games (freshmen through varsity). Q: What is blitz night? This night is in reference to the biggest fundraising event that the team conducts during the year. In recent years, the team has sold "Discount Cards" sponsored by local merchants. Blitz Night is the evening in August where the players (and kindly parent volunteers) get most of the leg work done for this fundraiser. Blitz night occurs during the first week of practices in August. Q: What is the Watermelon Run? This is a simple Irondale football tradition that celebrates the end of the two-a-day practices. After the first week of practice, the coaches send the players on a long sweaty team run plus a series of uphill training sprints. Upon returning to IHS, players are served cold watermelon. Q: What is kick-off night? This is the evening all parents and players gather at Irondale High School for mandatory meetings and other events. Kick-off night occurs during the second week of practices in August. Individual and team photos are also taken care of during the evening. Q: What is a pasta feed? During the season, players in grades 10-12 are invited to attend a weekly informal dinner in the school cafeteria. The purpose is to build team unity within the upperclass and load up on carbs. There is a one-time fee to participate, and players can sign up at football kick-off night. Freshmen are invited to attend the last pasta feed (for free) to see what they can look forward to the next year. Look for details about when the pasta feeds occur in newsletters and team communications. Q: What is (Parent) Appreciation Night? This event has changed from year to year but the Huddle Club traditionally has sponsored recognition for the devotion and time investment we parents (including other relatives/guardians/significant adults) make to support the players. This event occurs at one of the home games. Parents for players in grades 9-12 are invited for a picnic style meal before the varsity game. The parents of all senior players will be introduced with their sons prior to the game.<br><br> Q: Is there a party or banquet at the end of the year? Yes, there is a season-ending celebration at the end of each season. Parents and players in grades 9-12 gather at a place such as the Mermaid banquet room. Following a nice meal, all 10-12 grade players are introduced and the coaches hand out football achievement and academic awards. The Huddle Club arranges the facility, decorates, plans for the meal, sends out the invitations and collects the money and reservations. Speeches and awards are planned by the coaches. Note that while freshmen and freshmen parents are encouraged to attend, the focus is on the upper classmen. However, this is another opportunity for freshmen to see what's in store for them in the future. Q: What events does the Huddle Club sponsor or help sponsor each year? There are several events and projects the Huddle Club sponsors each year, here is a summary of the some key events or project brought to you by the Huddle Club.
Q: How do I join the Huddle Club or volunteer to help with team support activities? If you have a son playing Irondale football, you are automatically in the Huddle Club! And you are welcome to attend planning meetings and become more involved. The positive energy brought to the Huddle Club by parents of younger players is a benefit to the organization in many ways. The consistency that experienced members bring helps make planning better. Recognizing and including freshman and sophomores in events/projects we sponsor helps with retention of players. We welcome parents of all grade level players to join us at our meetings and/or volunteer to be a part of the events we sponsor! See the calendar for meeting dates. Q: Do I need an account on the web site? The web site shows two links in the upper left corner called "User Login" and "Create User Account". But you do not need an account to view or enjoy all the features of the web site. However, some pages on this site may be restricted and require you to have an account to view them. For example, the Huddle Club Minutes menu requires you set up a user account and be granted permission from the webmaster. If you are a parent of an Irondale player, you will be granted access to the minutes page once you request a user account. Other pages may also require a user account, but typically you will not need a user account to follow the team's activities. Q: How do I get those tiny black rubber particles from the new turf out of my son's socks? Any one out there figured it out? Q: What is Mom's Coffee with the Coach? This semi-regular event is just for Moms! Many of you may want to support your son's in their activities, but maybe you are a little nervous about the contact... or maybe you just do not understand parts of the game... or maybe you do not understand how it can holistically improve your son socially, physically, and even academically. If you have any of these concerns or questions, or just want to talk football with Head Coach Geisler, you are invited to the next Moms Coffee with Coach. These informal and fun meetings are typically held once a month on a Saturday morning. Check the calendar for the next date. No need to reserve a spot, simply show up for some coffee and discussion about Irondale football. |
