Waldorf football focuses winter and spring on classroom first

The Waldorf football team finished their spring football on Friday with a spring game in front of a mid-sized crowd at Bolstorff Field. Though new head football coach Chase Paramore is more focused on his team’s work in the classroom this spring.

“The Spring started for us back in January when we upped the amount we were lifting during the week along with our study hall. We lifted four days a week and had study hall three days a week – we really demanded a lot from our guys this spring”, said Paramore, who got the job in mid-January following the departure of Will Finley.

College athletics has dual accountability. Athletes must not only be able to play the games well but must stay eligible academically throughout the year to saw off their hard work in the weight room and on the gridiron on Saturday afternoons.

“I thought they had a really great spring offseason, several guys showed great improvement in their grades, and that’s a big part of what (his coaching staff) is trying to do here in the spring. For the first time, we just want everyone on our current roster eligible and ready to rock n roll for the fall”.

The offseason isn’t totally over, and Paramore mentioned they still have a recruiting trip planned in California coming in the recent weeks. Still, he stresses from what he saw on Friday if the current roster is eligible – he’s excited about the fall.

“You’re always going to bring in new pieces, and we will be heading to California Junior College, but if we could just have the players we had on Friday this fall, we would be in a really good spot this fall with something to build on. That’s what we’ve tried to make an extreme focus – academics”, said Paramore.

Taking over a new program in January can be challenging for the NAIA’s youngest coach. Paramore, an Alabama native, spent last year as Waldorf’s offensive coordinator. Many of the guys on the roster, neither Paramore nor some of his staff recruited to the university, added another challenge.

“I think the buy-in has been great; they’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do,” said Paramore. “From a workout standpoint, we demanded more this offseason has been a little bit more grueling than offseasons in the past,” he continued.

The end of the semester is approaching for the university, and Paramore highlighted he stressed to his team that spring practice has ended though they have two weeks of classes and finals to finish the semester where they need to be.

“Your not just going to wake up and be conference champions. They are processes, and you have to follow those processes”. – Coach Paramore

The Waldorf football schedule is not yet public. Two of Waldorf’s opponents, Presentation and Iowa Weslayn’s schools, are closing following this academic year.