Cub Football - Coach Pedroarias talks about Camp Dawson, team culture
Camp Dawson begins today
Loyola's varsity football players will be moving into Leavey Gymnasium today as Camp Dawson gets underway. During camp week the Cubs participate in night practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Camp Dawson is the continuation of a tradition that began in 1973 with the arrival of head coach Marty Shaugnessy and assistants Jon Dawson, Lyle Egan and Bill Herman. In just their third year, Loyola won the CIF Southern Section AAAA championship and was crowned National High School Champion by the National Sports News Service.
Camp week was part of a remarkable run of unparalleled success from 1974-2005 that saw the Cubs amass an overall record of 292-82-6, win three CIF Large schools titles and play in an additional four CIF championship games. Legendary Cub head man Steve Grady won an average of nine games per season for three decades after he took over the reins in 1976.
The days and nights spent on campus not only allow squad members to focus on preparing for a challenging schedule, but also to bond and build team chemistry. The camp took on the name of former defensive coordinator Jon Dawson following his passing several years ago.
"JD", as coach Dawson was known, was not only the best defensive coordinator in Loyola annals, but probably the best defensive architect in the history of the Southern Section. In over two decades on the defensive side of the ball, Dawson's famed 'Wolfpack' stop units relinquished an average of less than 10 points per game, an incredible statistic unmatched in CIF history. Head coach RICK PEDROARIAS '84 is making defense a top priority of his program. The level of unbridled physicality with which Dawson's defensive platoons played was literally breathtaking. If Coach Pedroarias and his defensive coordinator MIKE GILHOOLY '88 can recapture the ethos of Dawson's troops, the Cubs should begin turning the tables on the defensive side of the ball.
Loyola's varsity football players will be moving into Leavey Gymnasium today as Camp Dawson gets underway. During camp week the Cubs participate in night practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Camp Dawson is the continuation of a tradition that began in 1973 with the arrival of head coach Marty Shaugnessy and assistants Jon Dawson, Lyle Egan and Bill Herman. In just their third year, Loyola won the CIF Southern Section AAAA championship and was crowned National High School Champion by the National Sports News Service.
Camp week was part of a remarkable run of unparalleled success from 1974-2005 that saw the Cubs amass an overall record of 292-82-6, win three CIF Large schools titles and play in an additional four CIF championship games. Legendary Cub head man Steve Grady won an average of nine games per season for three decades after he took over the reins in 1976.
The days and nights spent on campus not only allow squad members to focus on preparing for a challenging schedule, but also to bond and build team chemistry. The camp took on the name of former defensive coordinator Jon Dawson following his passing several years ago.
"JD", as coach Dawson was known, was not only the best defensive coordinator in Loyola annals, but probably the best defensive architect in the history of the Southern Section. In over two decades on the defensive side of the ball, Dawson's famed 'Wolfpack' stop units relinquished an average of less than 10 points per game, an incredible statistic unmatched in CIF history. Head coach RICK PEDROARIAS '84 is making defense a top priority of his program. The level of unbridled physicality with which Dawson's defensive platoons played was literally breathtaking. If Coach Pedroarias and his defensive coordinator MIKE GILHOOLY '88 can recapture the ethos of Dawson's troops, the Cubs should begin turning the tables on the defensive side of the ball.
Coach Pedroarias, in advance of Camp Dawson, said, "We are looking forward to the upcoming work of camp week. This is the most mentally and physically challenging time in our preparations for the season. We are going to continue to develop a culture of hard work and focus on execution. We are also working to instill the mentality developed by longtime University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach, Ara Parseghian, who believed his teams would never have a breaking point. As such, our Loyola team will never have a breaking point. Our opponent will break before we do."
Welcome words, indeed.
Coach Pedroarias invites all supporters of Cub Football to attend the night practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week.
Blue- White Day
The Blue-White scrimmages are on Saturday at Hernandez Field in Shepherd Park on campus. The freshmen start off at 9:00 a.m., the sophomores go at 11:00 a.m. and the varsity scrimmages at 1:00 p.m. Coach Pedroarias is hoping for a huge turnout by Loyola football supporters. It is a great opportunity for all supporters of Cub Football to show they are all in with the new era of Loyola football.
Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to Cub Football and Loyola athletics news: