Hi, I'm Pat!

My name is Pat Gaitan and I'm a senior here at Central Michigan University where I'm majoring in sport management and minoring in communications.  

This past semester with the Coleman Comets has been a great experience.  I've worked with high school football teams before, but I've never been apart of something like this before.  Going to the games each week, meeting the players and coaches and reporting on the team has been amazing!  I've been given the opportunity to do something that most people haven't been able to do.

My favorite part about working with the football team is interacting with the players.  The players were so cooperative throughout the season when I asked them questions.  It was also great to chat with them because it made me think of my time as a high school football player and how great that drive and determination was when playing the sport.  

I was excited to work with the Coleman Comets and Coach Klopf because my little brother Karlos Moiser was on the football team.  I figured it would be a great experience to watch him play and also watch how competitive smaller schools are.  Coleman's conference is comprised of small schools, some of which are discussing going to 8 man football.  Watching how those teams manage and make adjustments throughout the season was pretty insightful.  

The season may be over, but from what I witnessed this season, the Comets will be back next year and will be better than ever!  It was a joy to be a part of the Comets season this year and I'm looking forward to watching them play next season.  Go Comets!

Football & Family

There are certain moments in life that occur where you are overwhelmed with pride and joy.  That moment could be the first time you drive your car, graduating from high school or getting accepted into that college you've always dreamed of attending.  I've had my fair share of those moments in my life.  Taking my mini-van for a spin when I was 16, graduating from Houghton Lake High School and getting accepted to Central Michigan University were all moments in my life when I was proud of myself.  However, no amount of pride I felt within myself could amount to how proud I am when I watch my little brother Karlos play football for the Comets.

Karlos has been active for as long as I can remember.  The kid was always so wound up and always wanting to run around and do something.  We would play catch in the yard when we were both younger.  I'll admit, I never really took it easy on him.  I would zip a ball right at his chest when he was 12, just to get him ready for football.  It sounds cruel, I know, but isn't tough love a good thing?  As he started to get older, he started getting a little power behind his throws as well.  He would tell me that he wanted to be a quarterback like me when he started to play.  Once I realized how well he could throw, I encouraged it.  It wasn't long before he started playing high school football and lighting up secondaries with his arm.  

It also wasn't long before he sprouted up six inches over a summer and was moved from quarterback to linebacker/defensive end.  That transition didn't seem to bother him any.  He's an athlete and is always willing to do anything to help the Comets win.  He has excelled at the linebacker and defensive end positions since he's switched to the other side of the ball.  He loves the contact that comes with the game of football.

Watching Karlos flourish and develop into a great football player is an amazing feeling and a great thing to witness.  I'll jump out of my seat in the bleachers when he makes a great play and scream at him when he doesn't stick to his assignment.  I feel like I'm some crazed father when I go to his games, but my emotions are overwhelming when I'm watching my little brother on the field blow up a running back or sack the quarterback for a ten yard loss.  

Football has always been a big part in our lives and watching my brother play the game that we love so much gives me an immense amount of appreciation for him.  I've always tried to lead by example for him and help him through anything that comes his way, but I know that he is more than capable of doing it himself these days.  Football has taught him a lot, but he has also achieved a lot to get where he is now.  Good luck on your senior season next year, Karlos.  Love ya, kid.

Hi, I'm Julia!

Hello everyone!

Here at the Coleman Comets Blog, we are wanting to get new and excited content out as often as possible. To accommodate that, we are going to start giving short little blurbs about all the authors that contribute to this blog.

To start, my name is Julia Cardon and I am a junior at Central Michigan University, studying Sport Management and Event Management. I am actively involved on campus, with my various student organizations and other volunteer work. 

I was very excited when our group picked Coleman High School football to follow because I graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, a school that is the same conference that Coleman is. I remember traveling to Coleman on away trips when I ran track and played softball. Being able to now follow and write about Coleman’s football team has been peculiar but also a great challenge.

As the semester comes to a close, I just want to take this time to thank everyone who has been following the blog! We aren’t finished yet writing on here, but it has been great to gain a new perspective on the high school football scene. Thank you so much and I hope you learned a little bit more about me!  

A Chat with a Former Comet

Coming from a high school that is also in the Mid States Activities Conference, I have been able to meet students that went to the other schools in the conference. One of these students is 2014 Coleman graduate, Lars Murray.

Through a mutual friend that attends Alma College with Lars, I was able to get in touch with him and ask him about his time as a Coleman Comet. He started his high school football career on the Junior Varsity team as a freshman, from there he moved to the Varsity team as a sophomore. He saw a lot of playing time, starting as a linebacker on defense and then wide receiver and running back on the offensive side. He was able to obtain all conference honors two years in a row the linebacker position.

During his 3 year stint, he play under Coach Chad Klopf; for their records he said, "During my sophomore year we went 7 and 3, 4 and 5 my junior year, and again back up to 7 and 3 for my senior year"

Lars and fellow teammates entering onto the field though a tunnel made by the cheerleaders 

His favorite memory from playing at Coleman: "making the playoffs my sophomore and senior year, while getting the opportunity to host a playoff game my senior year." Even though Coleman is a small school with a limited football program, the opportunity to host a home playoff game is a huge deal for the community.

Lars currently plays football at Alma College, where he is a two year starter at wide receiver. There he received an MIAA Academic Honor Roll award, saw action in ten games, has caught nine passes for 120 yards and scored one touchdown. He scored his first career touchdown at Hope College on October 24 where he recored a season-high 39 yards on three catches. He caught a pass in all of his last five games.

(curtesy of Alma College Athletics)

He says that because of his commitment to the football program, he hasn't been able to attend very many Coleman games. However, he "still talks to the coaches and follows the scores of the games very closely."

He went on the say that the last few years at the high school the football program has been a "rebuilding stage, which all programs go through at some point". He told me he is, "very confident that Coach Klopf will get the program back to the prominence because he is a very determined and dedicated coach with a great plan."

We finished up our conversation with touching on the possibility of 8-man football. His take was that it is a very real possibility because of the steady decrease of enrollment. He ended saying, "high school football is all about giving students an opportunity to be a part of something that is meaningful and teach life lessons." 

Thank you Lars for giving us the opportunity to get a new perspective on the Coleman Comets football program, we wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavors!

Comets Season Review

The Coleman Comets finished the Season at a deceiving record of 1-8. They fought hard in every game that they played in but in some games, the lack of numbers on the depth chart showed. They stared down the face of every game as a possible win, no matter what their record said they all believed  that every game that that they played in could have been a win. After talking to some of the players, even when they where well out of playoff contention they still played as if the state title was just beyond the game that they were playing. There are a total of 9 seniors that are leaving the program them being, Tristan Templeman, Al schimit, Jacob Monaghan, Kenny Ranch, Xavioer Snear, Patrick porter, Billy Rease, Jacob adams,  and Ben Kemp. As these young men start a new chapter in there lives I'm sure that all the fans students and alumni wish them the best on the respective individual paths. as they leave the program to 23 underclassman and 13 of the which are freshman and sophomores with limited starting experience. After talking with several of them they feel the experience from this season they should be just the building  grounds they need for a winning season.

         

           They Started they there season against the Farwell Eagles who got the win in convincing fashion with a score of 53-16 but failed to produce much after that because they finished with a 1-8 record. The next game on there schedule was the Merrill Vandals, the comets believed that  they were going to rebound on this game but the fell short with a score of 37-12 with a season ending record of 6-4. The third game of the season was against the Vestaburg Wolverines who gave the comets their third loss in as many games by a score of 42-14 and a season finishing record of 5-5. The forth game of the season came against The Carson city -Crystal Eagles the Won a very hard fought game to a score of 36-18 and finished with a season record of 5-4. the fifth game of the seasons came against the athletic Breckenridge huskies who won the game with a score of 68-18 and finished with a record of 9-1 with a playoff loss to Nouvel Catholic Central with a score off 21-6. the 6th game of the season Came against the Montrbell Mustangs who played the closest game of the season with a Score of 14-6 way of the mustangs, they finished with a season record of 2-7. The 7th game of the season came against the Ashley Peacocks, This gave Colman that first elusive win of the season by a score of 28-13 with a season record of a league low 0-9. The 8th game of the season come against the Colman’s biggest rival The 5-5 Sacred heart Irish that also made the first round of the  playoffs, The comets fell by a score of 48-12. The final game of the season came against  the 8-1 Valley Lutheran chargers who sole win came against the favored comets. The comets ended up 1-8 missing the playoffs for yet another year but many believe that the talent that is on this roster will be just enough to get them over this hump.