SKANEATELES - After winning two of its first three games last season, the Skaneateles football team went on to lose its last five games.
Following the 2-6 season, the school district felt a change was needed and dismissed head coach Greg Michaels.
Michaels did not argue with the decision, and is eager to cheer on the Lakers.
"I've been a player or coach for 40 years," Michaels said. "But this will be nice. I can be a fan again."
Enter Michaels' former assistant coach, John King, who was promoted to head coach last spring to right the Lakers' ship.
"I don't know that coach Michaels was actually doing anything wrong," King said. "He was a heck of a coach that the kids liked."
King said that he learned plenty from Michaels about being a coach.
"His knowledge on the field was excellent," King said. "He could see the other team's defense and know how to exploit it with the Wing-T offense. His ability to call a game was outstanding."
King said the Wing-T formation will still be a staple of the Lakers' offense.
There have been changes, though, the most significant of which was a sort of mini-camp for the Lakers.
"We had a two-week practice this summer," King said. "We wanted to make sure that the players came into camp prepared. We wanted to show them that this isn't just a two-month sport."
Among the players lost to graduation last year were Tom Cunningham, Marcus Richards, John Marino and Andrew Wood.
But all is not lost for the Lakers. King has a good core of 16 returning players from last year's squad. He has a strong backfield, which includes Greg Trenti, Bill Delaney and Dan Hunt.
He also has two players, Dan Murphy and Kyle Doctor, vying for the starting quarterback position and a more-than-capable receiver in George During.
Greg LaForte will play on both sides of the ball, anchoring both the offensive and defensive lines.
King knows that this season is not going to be easy for him or his team.
There are the usual rivalry games against Westhill and Marcellus, and the Lakers also have a crossover game with Class A New Hartford in week four.
Michaels did not argue with the decision, and is eager to cheer on the Lakers.
"I've been a player or coach for 40 years," Michaels said. "But this will be nice. I can be a fan again."
Enter Michaels' former assistant coach, John King, who was promoted to head coach last spring to right the Lakers' ship.
"I don't know that coach Michaels was actually doing anything wrong," King said. "He was a heck of a coach that the kids liked."
King said that he learned plenty from Michaels about being a coach.
"His knowledge on the field was excellent," King said. "He could see the other team's defense and know how to exploit it with the Wing-T offense. His ability to call a game was outstanding."
King said the Wing-T formation will still be a staple of the Lakers' offense.
There have been changes, though, the most significant of which was a sort of mini-camp for the Lakers.
"We had a two-week practice this summer," King said. "We wanted to make sure that the players came into camp prepared. We wanted to show them that this isn't just a two-month sport."
Among the players lost to graduation last year were Tom Cunningham, Marcus Richards, John Marino and Andrew Wood.
But all is not lost for the Lakers. King has a good core of 16 returning players from last year's squad. He has a strong backfield, which includes Greg Trenti, Bill Delaney and Dan Hunt.
He also has two players, Dan Murphy and Kyle Doctor, vying for the starting quarterback position and a more-than-capable receiver in George During.
Greg LaForte will play on both sides of the ball, anchoring both the offensive and defensive lines.
King knows that this season is not going to be easy for him or his team.
There are the usual rivalry games against Westhill and Marcellus, and the Lakers also have a crossover game with Class A New Hartford in week four.
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