The Palmer Trinity Falcons do not bully opponents with physical prowess or speed, yet the football team finished with a 7-2-1 record, including ending the 2016 season on a four-game winning streak.
So how do they do it?
Second year head coach Mark Reese attributes the players’ success to their cerebral approach to the game.
“The one thing we can say is that we have smart football players. The system we run is very difficult; however, the players here have learned it. We are not always the bigger or faster team, but the players have bought into the program, the coaches, and where the program is headed.”
Reese coached junior college in San Diego in 2004 before he coached with the University of Miami as a graduate assistant from 2005 to2010.
He joined the Palmer Trinity coaching staff as a defensive coordinator in 2015 and in just one year was promoted to head coach.
Hailing from California, Reese was used to coaching high school teams that relied heavily on physicality. In order to develop a winning team, he implemented a complex system for the Palmer Trinity football program, and the student athletes have met the high expectations.
“Coaching at Palmer Trinity has been a different experience from what I was accustomed to,” Reese said. “However, with our offensive system, we use professional level terminology. If you turn on any NFL game, our kids can hear the same play calls that we use.”
Although Reese’s system yielded a more successful season, the beginning of the 2016 campaign had its share of losses and struggles.
Within the season’s first four games, the Falcons lost back-to-back blowouts of 38-0 and then 40-0 to Everglades Prep and Faith Christian, respectively.
“We took a beating early in the year,” Reese said. “We played some really good teams. Our kids saw what level they had to be at in order to compete. They took the losses, and worked hard to elevate their level of play to match their opponents’. Essentially, the failures led to success in the long run.”
Following the two losses, Palmer Trinity did not lose another game. They finished the last six games of the season 5-0-1 with one tie against Highlands Christian.
In addition to the complex system, the team’s success was a result of preparation and the will to compete.
“We do a lot of film work. We let them see what they are going to face the upcoming week,” Reese said. “We put them in tough situations similar to ones they will likely face throughout the season. There is one word we use: Compete.”
From a coaching standpoint, Reese was happy with the team’s evolution during the season, and he believes being organized was a skill that helped prepare the kids every week.
“Being organized is critical because you only get so much time to get everything done,” Reese said. “You have to account for every minute.
You cannot afford to have a single minute when you are not on task.”
However, the hard work isn’t limited to just the players and head coach.
“The assistant coaches do an excellent job of preparing the players each week by reviewing our opponent’s game tapes and utilizing our limited practice time wisely in order to teach the players to be in the right positions and to make plays,” he said.
Despite the team’s improved mindset and record, Reese would like to see next year’s team improve on tackling, and he hopes to improve his players through repetition and proper technique.
“Tackling must improve,” Reese said. “We had too many missed tackles. We need to get guys on the ground, and it boils down to discipline.”
As for expectations heading into next season, Reese is concerned with just one important date.
“My expectation for next year is just to be ready for the first game on Aug. 17,” he said. “My goal is for our players to get bigger, faster and stronger over the summer and then take each game week by week.”
