Fall sports was the topic of NCTC’s  Hot Topics this week, but attention drifted to sports training all year around and shifting athletic cultures.

Pioneer Athletic Director Matt Koehler said there were 50 kids per day involved in the weight training program.

Koehler: “This summer was the highest perfect attendance number of students that we’ve had in six years.”

First year volleyball coach Adam Kuntz said the whole body training not only benefits athletic production, but opens coaching opportunities.

 “It was very impressive on my end to have that taken off my plate, so I could focus on fundamentals, systematically, philosophy, what we were going to do in the gym and our kids bought in. Our goal was 85 percent attendance this summer.”

Softball Coach Amy Vonfeldt said girls were at the batting cages through the winter and began working together in June.

Vonfeldt: “They saw a lot of success over the summer with their summer program. They are very excited about getting the season started.”

Football Coach Dan Hempel said the team is in the midst of culture transformation.

Hempel: “The good thing, like I said, is the transformation of the culture in our program. We always preach our five core values of passion, respect, integrity, commitment and effort.”

He said little things like getting sports physicals in on time are a good sign.

“It doesn’t win you a football game, but what it does, it gets your team all on the same page. It gets them all on the football field. They don’t have to sit out any practices.”

Kylie Hein  is the first-year volleyball coach at Lourdes Central Catholic.

Hein: “I am super excited about this year’s team because we have over 90 percent of our varsity roster returning, but beyond that, we have five seniors and their leadership so far is just exceptional.”

She began as an assistant when this year’s seniors were sophomores and has been an eye witness to their development.

Hein: “As we progress throughout the season you’re going to see a new culture kind of established at Lourdes Central Catholic. That’s one of the things we’ve talked about in the past, is culture, but I think, when you see these girls on the court, you’re going to know that is Knight volleyball.”

Kuntz says he’s been in the volleyball culture for as long as he can remember.

Kuntz: “My mom was a high school volleyball coach and so I was kind of a gym rat. I just picked it up from that age. Being a high school male athlete in Nebraska it was really hard to find an avenue to stay in it, so when I went to college I figured the easiest way would be to become a teacher and that way I could be a coach.”

He said the kids have been consistently showing up this summer.

Kuntz: “Some coaches might look at that and be like 72 is a long way from 85. When you start so low, we were pretty close and  I think it was a great step in our learning process in understanding that volleyball isn’t an August to November thing.”

Lourdes Football Coach Clay Carlton said there are 28 kids out for Lourdes football and five starters back on both sides of the ball.