Academy at the Lakes kicks off new football era

To know John Castelamare is to understand he's a creature of habit.

Practice begins promptly with a session in the weight room. Twice every school year, his football players will participate in his Ironman competition. During practice, at times, he'll dig into his pocket for a pencil and paper and begin scribbling notes. He still has those gold-brimmed glasses with the blue strap attached.

"Everything is the same," Castelamare admitted. "Everything. I just brought it right here and it's basically the same. It's just people have to adjust a little bit."

And then there's that whistle attached to that black lanyard, which displays his beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers logo.

Same as it has always been.

You know what else doesn't change? Castelamare's desire for perfection.

Time to work

Despite the ominous, low-hanging clouds distributing large raindrops outside the Academy at the Lakes gymnasium on this Wednesday afternoon, it was time to work.

He partitioned off half the basketball court in the gym and ran his handful of football players through a series of plays and formations.

"One Offense!" he yelled, prompting players along the coaching box area of the sideline to shuttle onto the makeshift field. After running a play or two against a scout defense, they returned to the sideline.

"Punt team!" Castelamare shouted.

Out marched the punt team and a scout return team.

The repetitiveness of the session has one purpose - to ensure that those changes and plays are second nature come game time. They'll find out tonight at 7:30 when they host Citrus Park Christian School in their season opener.

Sounds like business as usual, but it isn't.

Castelamare is indeed coaching the Wildcats, but not the ones from Wesley Chapel High. Nearly three months after having the final year in the Deferred Retirement Option Program denied in December following the 2009 season, essentially forcing him out of a position he held for 11 seasons, Academy at the Lakes hired him as its football coach.

'He doesn't allow you to do anything less than that'

No longer is there a roster of 50-plus players to plug in here and there. At the Academy, he has roughly a dozen for his six-man football team.

He has immersed himself into the new world of six-man football - the new rules, offensive and defensive sets as well as new philosophy - all while still demanding his players' dedication.

"He's got that personality where kids just listen to him and kids want to work really hard for him, so that's going to help," Academy at the Lakes athletic director Tom Haslam said. "That's going to teach our kids a little bit about dedication, commitment and hard work because he doesn't allow you to do anything less than that."

As Castelamare, 60, embarks upon his 39th year of coaching, he decided to add a staff member he has seen across the field for many of those years.

While players filed into the gym, Castelamare deliberately walked toward the window of the weight room.

"You know who that is?" Castelamare asked, pointing to a man exiting a truck in the school's parking lot. It was former Land O' Lakes football assistant and longtime softball coach Jerry English.

"You can add our years (of coaching) up and it comes to 80 years," he said with a grin.

When English got the call in early July about joining Castelamare's staff, he couldn't help but accept.

"I coached at Land O' Lakes for quite a few years and played against John quite a few times, and I've had a lot of respect for him as a coach," said English, who coaches the defensive line. "When he called me and asked me if I'd help him out this season, I thought it would be a great opportunity.

"I respect the man. He's a good character person and he's a hard worker."

Joining Castelamare in a volunteer role is Trevor DeGroot, a Florida State University junior studying sports management. DeGroot is familiar with Castelamare's system and style of coaching because he played receiver at Wesley Chapel.

DeGroot, who will return to Tallahassee next week, has helped the Academy at the Lakes team since May. Coaching six-man football at a private school has been a unique experience.

"It's a different atmosphere with these players because they're not just high-schoolers, there's middle-schoolers as well," said DeGroot, a 2008 Wesley Chapel grad. "It's like three schools in one, so it's tough. Some of the kids still have a lot to learn, especially the younger ones, but that's good for them because they get to learn his system. For the older guys, it's just a chance to go out there and play and have a chance to play football for him."

Castelamare understands things aren't exactly the same.

Inside the weight room and above the double doors is the same Ironman leaderboard, which hung inside the Wesley Chapel weight room. That board displays the times and amounts lifted by each participant of the Ironman contest. At Wesley Chapel, that board with 25 slots would be filled. At Academy at the Lakes, there are only nine names.

He considers that a foundation.

"I've been doing this a long time and it's still fun," Castelamare said. "I look forward to it every day. It's another challenge. Our goal is to get to 11-man football. I don't know how long it's going to be, but it's our goal to get there, but with a competitive team - not just have 25 kids.

"Also, the goal is to make them competitive now, so they understand what this is all about."