In August 2014, select members of the Pomperaug High School (PHS) football team returned to their Pop Warner roots to assist the coaches and the seventh- and eighth-grade boys on the practice field.
PHS senior varsity football Captains Michael Foschi and Wade Prajer; seniors Troy Sullivan and Dylan Calo; and juniors William Foschi, Doug Schmiedel, Jimmy Christiano, Austin Post and Griffin Namin, took time out of their busy schedules to assist the Junior Midget Coaches Jim Christiano, Jim Post, John Fairbairn and Earl Harwell. The coaches said all the PHS players are fantastic examples of not only great athleticism, but dedication to supporting the organization and its members physically and mentally.
“I truly can’t say enough about these boys,” said Christiano, who coached many of these players in Pop Warner from the age of 7. “Their dedication to assist us with the up-and-coming players is impossible to articulate and can be felt on the field, watching them in action.”
Kevin Maxon, a familiar face in community sports, returned to assist the coaches and players. Maxon, a PHS graduate and currently a second-year college student, gives back to the community in numerous ways. He is a strong athlete, not only in football, but in baseball and basketball as well.
“Kevin is a positive and respectful role model to these boys, both on and off the field. He comes back faithfully to the Pop Warner organization, never missing one practice to help work on conditioning and basic skills of the younger players,” said Christiano.
Coach Christiano extends a very special thank you to PHS varsity football Coach Jamie Reed, new to the Pomperaug High School football club this year.
“Jamie is a devoted father and husband who still finds time to dedicate copious amounts of time to assist Pop Warner in preparation of the promising young players. Coach Reed joins us in his belief that the Pop Warner Junior Midgets is more than just a team … its a brotherhood!”
As a show of respect and appreciation to the members of the PHS varsity football team, members of the Pop Warner Junior Midgets will be in the stands at Arum Field Sept. 19 to cheer on their role models as the team faces Weston in its first home game of 2014. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.
