By LAURA BROOKHART / Community Columnist

It’s going to be an exciting evening for football on Friday, Aug. 22, when the Helena Huskies see their first game action, a jamboree, at Husky Stadium in a six-quarter scrimmage against Ramsey and John Carroll. On Aug. 29, the Huskies play Shelby County High at the first of three away games.

On a recent practice day, the team of 78 players was divided into special teams. The kicking team was working on punts, kickoffs, field goals and offensive and defensive drills.

“We’re throwing darts, not horseshoes,” floated a coach’s voice from over the field. “Even when you make a mistake, don’t think about it, keep going.”

“They are working on their skill set, the coaches change it up, doing it differently every day,” noted a coach from the sideline. “Everything is looking good; it’s coming together and when it does it’s going to roll.”

Athletic Director and head football coach Watt Parker recently mentioned his potential standouts: Quarterbacks Diondre Sackreiter, a junior, Riley Davis, a sophomore, and Lawson Peoples, a freshman. Parker also mentioned wide receiver Brett Grainger, a 200-pound 6-foot-4-inch junior, who will play both ways.

To senior Husky fullback and lineman Seth Kelosky, who works out at SNAP Fitness where he practices strength training exercises on a regular basis, I posed the question, “What have you learned about life from football?”

“Definitely a good work ethic,” Kelosky said. “How to have respect for other people. “I’ve learned how to be a good leader. You don’t just tell someone to do something and sit back on your high horse and yell at them; you have to lead by example and do it just as hard or harder.”

Kelosky plans to attend college next year. “Alabama is my dream,” he said. “But I probably will be going to UAB as I plan to study electrical engineering.”

The Helena Athletic Association is selling Helena Huskies season tickets for $125 each, and the season pass allows entrance to both varsity and junior varsity home games. For more information, visit Helenaathleticassociation.org.