The Laramie Plainsmen football program had a fun 7-on-7 event inside War Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.

Organized by the Laramie Football Committee, the coaching staff, and the LHS Football Booster Club, the event gave the players a chance to have some game-type fun on the big stage that UW plays on.

Plainsmen head coach Paul Ronga was very pleased with what he saw from his squad with limited numbers available for this event.

“It’s always very difficult when you’re going against your own team because everyone knows what you’re doing, so the things that we saw tonight (Tuesday) were incredible. In the sense that, going against a defense that knows exactly what we’re doing but still being able to execute it.”

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Ronga said he tips his cap to the players because they’re valuing what they’re doing offensively. He also felt that a year in the system has created a better understanding which leads to better execution.

In the lineman portion of the competition, the White Team defeated the Maroon Team, 3-2.

For the backs, it was the Maroon over the White, 35-21.

Ronga added that what they’re seeing is a difference in excitement with this group of players.

“The players are excited about playing football again, and the players are excited about being part of this program again. They’re excited about the direction that we’re going in, and they are excited to go forward with what we’re doing.”

Ronga sees more confidence and points to more off-season work, which translates into the understanding factor he mentioned earlier.

“As a result of that, we’re seeing better performances on the field, better performances in the workout.”

What’s next? Ronga said continuing with what they’ve been doing this offseason, lifting weights and working out.

“We are in the weight room better than we ever have been before. We have hired a strength coach, and we’ve got players from the middle school working with us, as well.”

The team is preparing for standards testing before the season to help the coaching staff understand where a player is at for evaluation and training. They’ll be testing in the weight room with a bench press, squats, and a deadlift, plus, the broad jump, cone drills, and more.

Ronga has created some competition for awards with their training, saying, “That’s an extra layer of motivation.”

The next big summer offseason piece is the Plainsmen Camp on July 18-22, 2022. This is for anyone interested in playing football this fall that will be in grades 9-12.

Ronga said, “We’ll have our players in helmets and shoulder pads, and we will be scrimmaging and going full tilt.”

He feels that will give the coaching staff a barometer before the 2022 season begins.

It’s hard to believe but football season will be here before you know it. The start of practice is just over seven weeks away on Monday, August 8, 2022. The season debuts on Friday, August 26, 2022, at home versus Natrona County at Deti Stadium.

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