Local football passing tourneys air it out
Published 11:33 pm Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Summer passing tournaments appear to be more than a passing fad.
As more high school football teams switch to pass-focused spread offenses, the interest in 7-on-7 passing competitions continues to increase.
For example, Lakewood High School head football coach Dan Teeter organizes the Cougars Championship Passing Tournament. The third annual edition took place Saturday at Lakewood’s Dick Cardinal Stadium in Marysville and drew 14 teams. Just five teams participated in the inaugural event in 2008.
“I think (passing tournaments) are definitely becoming more popular,” said Teeter, who noted that in addition to high school tournaments like Lakewood’s, many colleges offer passing tournaments.
The Lakewood tournament — which does not include linemen and uses a one-hand-touch, non-contact format, among other special rules — is a fund-raiser for the football booster club.
Last month Teeter took Lakewood players to the University of Washington’s 7-on-7 passing competition in Seattle. The UW event attracted a few dozen teams, Teeter said.
The trend isn’t limited to Western Washington. The annual Nike 7ON passing tournament at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., attracts some of the best prep players in the nation. On the East Coast, ESPN RISE put on a 64-team high school passing tournament in July at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Why are passing tournaments so popular? Teeter offered several reasons.
“I’m sure the increase in spread offenses has a ton to do with this,” he said. “Also, in order to keep up with the competition, more seems to be required during the (offseason). Long gone are the days when you can just show up and play football on the first day of practice and expect to be competitive.”
Other factors that make a passing tournament useful, according to Teeter: it gives coaches a chance to teach zone and man-to-man defense coverage principles, improves offensive timing and provides an opportunity to compete against top-notch opponents.
Plus, the tournaments are simply a good time, Teeter said: “They are very fun for the players.”
One big downside, of course, is that linemen can’t participate. But there are other ways to keep them active. For instance, Teeter took Lakewood linemen to a three-team competition earlier this summer at Sedro-Woolley High. The big boys participated in weightlifting contests and tug-of-war battles.
Without its linemen, Lakewood fared well at its passing tournament. The Cougars, led by senior-to-be standout quarterback Justin Lane, advanced to the title game, but the Issaquah Eagles drilled Lakewood 62-14 in the championship. Issaquah also won it all in 2009.
Beyond being a positive on-field experience for Lakewood players, the event generated money for the team’s booster club. Not including profits from concessions, Lakewood made nearly $2,300 from team registration fees. A great group of volunteers — six officials and about 20 parents — made the tournament run smoothly, Teeter said.
Five teams have attended the Cougars Championship Passing Tournament every year: Lakewood, Issaquah, Kamiak, Bothell and King’s. Lakewood’s 2011 competition is scheduled for July 30 and several coaches, including Issaquah’s Chris Bennett, already have verbally committed to play.
Although Teeter plans to limit the tournament to a maximum of 16 teams, he expects interest in the event to grow.
“Word,” Teeter said, “is getting out.”
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.
