Schuylkill League football teams gather for 23rd media day
· Yahoo Sports
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — In an unofficial start to the football season, the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association hosted its 23rd annual Schuylkill League Football Media Day on Wednesday morning at the Schuylkill Haven Sports Performance Center.
The event has grown exponentially over the years and has become a staple of the local high school athletic scene, offering one of the few opportunities when all 14 coaches in the league are assembled in one location.
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“I think really the true benefit is, from the players’ standpoint, getting them exposed to the media and to this type of setting and situation, I think helps them grow as leaders,” said Mike Farr, Schuylkill Haven coach and leader of the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association.
“From the coaching standpoint, we have a lot of stuff going on. We have our physicals and all kinds of paperwork. All these media outlets coming after us every other day for information,” he continued. “So, being able to get the media and the coaches in one place where we can kind of sort through the majority of that, I think, is really where the benefit comes in.”
While it serves as an opportunity for student-athletes to get comfortable with interviews, it also allows first-year head coaches an opportunity to meet the media.
“I’ve always been a behind-the-scenes type of guy, so this is the first time that I’m speaking for the program and getting interviewed and stuff like that,” North Schuylkill first-year head coach Joe Tomtishen said. “So I’m learning how to manage everything. It’s just something I’ve got to do on the fly, but I am excited about it.”
With media day now in the past, the coaches and players now get to look towards finally getting the pads on in just under two weeks.
“As far as summer goes now, I feel like our team has grown tremendously (throughout the) summer,” Tomtishen said. “We’re excited to get pads on and start hitting people.”
“Media day always is like that kickoff for all of us where we say, ‘It starts getting real, and it’s time to get to work,’ Pine Grove coach Dave Shiffer said. “Our kids are excited—very excited this year to get started. We have a lot of new guys this year, a lot of young guys, and a core group of returners. And for me as a coach, I’m excited to see how they all come together.”
The upcoming season will bring changes to the Schuylkill League, including the end of its partnership with the Colonial League.
The league will be split into two divisions, one consisting of six teams, the other eight.
Division I will include Blue Mountain, North Schuylkill, Panther Valley, Pine Grove Area, Pottsville, and Tamaqua. Division II will include Mahanoy Area, Marian Catholic, Minersville, Nativity, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, Tri Valley, and Williams Valley.
Heat acclimatization begins on August 10, the first padded practices are set for August 17, and scrimmages can begin as early as August 22. The first week of the 2026 season is set for August 28, while the first Schuylkill League matchups will begin on September 18.