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Podcast Transcript:
Garrett: Hello Hilltoppers, this is Garrett French presenting you with Game Time on WGHS Radio Glenbard today. I’m here with the head coach of the Glenbard West varsity football team Coach Hetlet. I appreciate you taking the time to answer some preseason questions today.
Coach Hetlet: Thanks for having me on.
Garrett: So, my first question is you’ve got a tough, two-game stretch to start the season, hosting both Batavia and Loyola Academy, both non-conference opponents. In recent years the Hitters have put some tough, non-conference opponents on the schedule to begin the season, how have these tough battles help shape the core and culture of these Hitters?
Coach Hetlet: Well, what we call it is a “carrot game”, so in week 1 you want to have a carrot game. So all season you’re talking about hey we’re going to play this really good team to start the season off, we’ve done that since I’ve been here for 18 years, but recently we’ve been able to add an open week in Week 2, so last year we played De Smet who was a powerhouse out of Saint Louis and then this year we’re playing Loyola who’s the number one team in the state ranking. It really shows where you’re at and what we need to be if we want to be a state caliber team like we have been in the past so we look forward to the challenges.
Garrett: You talked about how this is your 18th year here and you being successful in each season. With high school being much more different than pro or collegiate football where you can just pay guys or transfer portal it’s much different, you just get what you have and you have to kind of have to work with that so how are you able to kind of keep success and keep on an upward trajectory with the different players cycling through each season?
Coach Hetlet: I think a big part of it is the coaching staff right, we’ve had so much continuity over that time with the same coaches being able to know our system so it helps a ton, the cultures in place so the kids know when they come into the program, and there’s an expectation to play at a certain level and then the wins just become a byproduct of doing all the right things in the offseason and training correctly. Right, like you’re not necessarily practicing to win, you’re practicing to be the best that you can be and then ultimately that becomes wins for the program. I think we’ve been fortunate to have a lot of really talented football players and kids that just have dedicated themselves to being the best version of themselves.
Garrett: Yeah at this point that’s become one of the prestiges of Glenbard West being able to play for the varsity Hitter team. So, for this year, who are some names to look out for as potential big-time contributors on either side of the ball?
Coach Hetlet: I mean you got to start off with Mason Ellen’s, Iowa State commit, he’s going to be a big time player on both sides of the ball, he’s the top returner in the state Illinois, he’s one of the top defensive backs in the state and he’s also one of the most explosive offensive players, so it starts with him. Michael O’Connell is going to have to be, the head of the beast for our offensive line. He’s committed Northwestern, 6 foot 7, 290 pounds. We’re going to have to be able to run behind him. Teyion Oriental returns as the offensive player of the league in the West suburban conference. He’s very dynamic. He can play running back, receiver, quarterback as well as DB. JaMarcus Kelly will be another great running back in our program as well. He’s come up through the ranks as a very strong running back. Peter Fanter in the passing game as far as catching the ball. You know we have a young quarterback right now, Oliver Valdez, as a sophomore. It’s the first time I’ve started a sophomore quarterback in my 18 years, so I’m excited to see what he can do…he throws the ball extremely well. So, those are some of the names right now.
Garrett: Yeah that’s big to have guys who were able to contribute last year and get some experience returning this year for the cycling through of a new season.
So, you talked about how there is a sophomore quarterback starting this season, how do you kind of keep and make sure his head stays in the game and he’s kind of at the right place mentally?
Coach Hetlet: Well, we don’t want to put too much on his shoulders, right. Let him know that we’re going to protect him we’re not going to put him in bad situations throwing the ball and just give him confidence that you know the passes that he’s been working on in the past, plays he’s been working on all summer long that he’s had success with will continue to be successful in the football game and let him know that there’s a lot of people around him that are going to be taking the load off of his shoulders.
Garrett: We talked about the passing game there a bit, but for years as being around this team for a while you’ve known to have a run heavy run mindset and game plan is that something you kind of implement based on the certain team strengths and weaknesses or would you consider staple of yours to have emphasis on running the ball?
Coach Hetlet: You know we like to impose our will from a physical standpoint in the passing game you really can’t do that, so we want to impose our will physically against teams it’s kind of our calling card on both sides of the ball, so our running attack is always going to be in the forefront of what we’re going to do from an offensive attack. But there’s years where we have quarterbacks and receivers and the personnel where we can throw the ball more than not, and this is the year, you know, we’re going to wait and see, you know, we have a strong arm quarterback and we have very capable receivers and a good offensive line, so we’ll see where the season takes us. But it’s always going to be run first. That’s not going to change, it’s our calling card and then that generally sets up the passing game for us.
Garrett: Yeah that’s big to be able to impose your will and kind of play at your pace in the game. So, one more for you, this this is the final week of practice before the season gets going, how have the practices ramped up this week to get the Hitters prepared for a long season grind?
Coach Hetlet: I think they’ve been good you know we had some heat at their early part of the week, so it kept us indoors on Tuesday over at Ackerman. But we didn’t really miss a beat. Monday we just kind of did our thing where we just worked out in the weight room and watched film, it was going to be what was planned anyway regardless and then we got back outside on Wednesday and Thursday, and we’re just fine tuning some stuff at this point. We’re not going as long as we’ve been and trying to shorten practice up to get the kids fresher and just more mentally and physically prepared.
Garrett: Thank you very much, that wraps it up. Thank you to listening to Game Time with Garrett French on WGHS Radio Glenbard. Thanks again for the time Coach and good luck week one against Batavia.
Coach Hetlet: Thanks French, appreciate you.
