Kody Reichert
Head Coach Matt Hoffert
John Sullivan
Although the 2015 football season is still five months away, Kutztown Area High School head coach Matt Hoffert is preparing for the upcoming 2015 Senior Classic All Star Game on May 31 at Exeter High School’s Don Thomas Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:15pm. This is the first time a Cougar Football Head Coach has been selected to lead one of the all-star teams and is one of the youngest Berks County high school coaches to be honored with this achievement. And he is not shy about showing his excitement at this opportunity.
The all-star game classic has been running for the last 15 years, which this year the format being changed to make it a more balanced game than in past years. Instead of east versus west, the format now consists of a Blue team with Kutztown, Hamburg, Governor Mifflin, Wilson, Conrad Weiser, Schuylkill Valley and Muhlenberg while the White team has Fleetwood, Berks Catholic, Wyomissing, Daniel Boone, Twin Valley, Reading High and Exeter with Fleetwood’s Head Football Coach James Martinez at the helm. Berks County Football Coaches Association, which runs the Berks All Star Football Classic, decided last year to change the format that although logistically made sense into a format that creates a game that shows off all the players involved.
Hoffert, who will start his second season at the helm of Cougar football, was picked by the Association due in large part to his strong defensive minded coaching.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to coach some of the best seniors Berks football has to offer from this past season,” Coach Hoffert said when asked about coaching the Blue Team. “As a Berks County Football alum having played in this game as a senior, I know how fun it is to get a chance to meet and play with other players in the county. I’m excited to start practices and give these seniors one last chance to play a high school football game.”
The Cougars will be represented by three seniors at the All-Star Game: Fullback/linebacker Kody Reichert, who learned earlier this month of receiving a football scholarship from Delaware Valley College – the same school that HFC Hoffert played his college football – and recently went to states for wrestling; WR John Sullivan who led most of the Cougar receivers this past season; and Bryce Santos, another Cougar standout receiver rounds out the Cougar contingent.
“It’s a pretty awesome opportunity to be able to play with some of the best players in Berks,” said Reichart. While Sullivan, Santos and I struggled in high school with a small team, we wouldn’t have traded our team for the world. Our team was one of the hardest working teams I’ve been a part of and they have an amazing amount of heart. To add to it, we had such a good coaching staff that backed us no matter what. I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to play in this game.”
His teammate John Sullivan views matched Kody’s statement.
“Despite all of the adversity we went through over my years at Kutztown I’m proud to get named to this year’s all-star game. I’d like to thank my teammates who never gave up on the team because it pushed me to become a better player. It’s just a shame we never had the chance to win a game together. The fact that three of us got named to this all-star game shows, in my opinion at least, our dedication, heart, and drive to make ourselves better. I look forward to one more game with some of my teammates.”
Senior Receiver Bryce Santos reflected on just what it means to him. “I’m very grateful to be recognized for my accomplishments and to play with my teammates and other athletes in the county. I appreciate all Coach Hoffert and the coaches have done for me and Kutztown HS football; stepping up and supporting the team. No matter what the final score was the team always stood by each other; that’s what a family does”
The all-star game is part of what the Berks County Football Coaches Association calls its “Berks County Football Weekend” which also features a football combine, a skills challenge for underclassmen, will be held at the Exeter Stadium on May 29, and the Hall of Fame dinner with induction of new members which is held before the game. Tickets for the All-Star Game are available at the gate.
The post FOOTBALL: Hoffert and three Cougars play at Senior Classic all-star game appeared first on GameTime CT.