Thunder ignores echoes, focuses on future

LAKEWOOD RANCH — The August sun inches its way up over the East County, bringing with it Florida’s oppressive summer swelter. The heat is heavy, almost debilitating.

But the elements don’t seem to phase The Out-of-Door Academy’s 2010 varsity football team. Despite helmets and chinstraps hugging their faces and pads hanging over their shoulders, the players’ focus is entirely on the task at hand.

The team is quiet, with ears open and brains digesting every word coaches utter. And as coach Brett Timmons dissects tedious drill after tedious drill, the mathematical equation printed on the back reveals ODA’s 2010 goal: “Talent + Want To = Greatness.”

“I got that from (Jacksonville Jaguars running back) Maurice Jones-Drew,” Timmons said. “People need to make sacrifices in what they want for what’s most important at the time. If we want to be great, it’s going to involve some sacrifice. What are we willing to do to be great?”

Greatness is a quality with which the Thunder already is familiar. One year ago, ODA enjoyed a historic season, piling up a 10-1 regular season record and continuing deep into the playoffs. And although the Thunder ultimately fell to Glades Day School in the Class 1B state semifinals, the season proved ODA football was for real.

“This is no namby-pamby school,” Timmons said with a grin. “These kids carry full workloads at school and then come out here and give it all they got.”

Last year, the Thunder built its offensive attack around running phenom AJ Strong, who graduated in the spring. And although Timmons knows his team cannot ignore the past, he’d like those days to stay just where they are.

“Obviously, we’d like to recapture some of that magic we had last year,” he said. “But this is a new year, a different team.”

This year also marks the Thunder’s first season with a true home stadium. ODA recently completed the second phase of its new athletic facilities project, which includes football, soccer and softball fields and an eight-lane track.

“We’ve been road warriors for the past five years,” Timmons said. “Now on Friday nights, we’ll be able to eat a pre-game meal together and then go out into our own backyard and play a game. We finally have our home turf.”

Unfortunately, that turf won’t help when ODA faces what Timmons calls Murderers Row. The Thunder will face Class 1B District 6 rivals Evangelical Christian, Bradenton Christian and Moore Haven all in October — and all away.

This year, Timmons will rely heavily on the play of brothers Brian Ragone (QB) and Chris Ragone (WR).

“That’s special talent,” Timmons said of the brothers.

On the defensive side of the ball, Timmons expects veteran Grant McCarthy (DE) to wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

Above all, Timmons said he hopes his players leave the football field with lessons they will use for the rest of their lives.

“I want them to have fun,” he said. “I want them to enjoy the game whether we’re 10-0 or 0-10.

“To me, this is a classroom out here,” Timmons said. “I’ve always found that if you capture their hearts, if you show them you love them, they will run through a wall for you. We love our kids, and we’ll go to the ends of the earth for them. And in turn, they will do that for us, too.”

ODA will kick off its 2010 season with a preseason match-up at 7 p.m., Aug. 26, at Berkley Prep, 4811 Kelly Road, Tampa.

Contact Michael Eng at [email protected].

SCHEDULE
All games start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Aug. 26: at Berkley Prep
Sept. 10: Cardinal Mooney (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 17: First Baptist
Sept. 24: St. John Neumann
Oct. 8: at Evangelical Christian* (7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 15: at Bradenton Christian*
Oct. 22: SWFCA (Homecoming)
Oct. 29: at Moore Haven* (7:30 p.m.)
Nov. 5: St. Stephen’s
Nov. 12: at The Villages (7:30 p.m.)
* Key games

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brian Ragone (QB)
Chris Ragone (WR)
Grant McCarthy (DE)