One of the most engaging weeks of the entire season takes place before the football campaign even starts. The week-long Star Valley Braves football camp caps off the last time the program will see each other in organized activities until the start of practice on August 17. Now entering his 11th season as head coach, McKay Young has maintained that it is a vital part of the success they enjoy.
“It’s been an awesome week,” he answered. “This is always something we really look forward to. We feel its incredibly important for our season and what lies ahead.”
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What lies ahead is a 3,000 mile airplane ride to perhaps one of the few places even more rugged than the western Wyoming mountains as Star Valley travels to Soldotna, Alaska to face the powerhouse Stars. The actions of camp will be a big part of such an endeavor.
“I truly believe its the magic sauce that has led to the success that we’ve had,” Young said. “We do the football and install and evaluation but way more than the football is the bonding and the comeradarie, the time together. They stay at the school and spend a ton of time together and they make relationships with guys that maybe they don’t hang out with regularly. We do service projects that builds trust in one another. Then in the team room we talk about things that are not football. Addiction , attention to detail, excitement and celebration. A lot of different topics that we don’t have time to take on during the year.”
A program riding a 33-game winning streak and four straight 3A state titles gets prodded regularly and Young has been asked many times about the culture of the Braves.
“I was asked that question during Coach Clove’s presentation on how they would complete that sentence of what Star Valley Football is,” Young replied. “I said it was family. Forget About Me I Love You. We’re not perfect but that’s the culture that we try and cultivate.”
The Star Valley family will be tested like never before which is a bold statement considering the program is almost ready to embark on their 98th season in their history. The Stars are a machine riding a winning streak of their own as well as the last three Division II Alaska state championships. They have won 15 state championships under coach Galen Brantley. Following up that trip will be a battle in the mini dome of Idaho State University against Raymond, another powerhouse team from Canada. Then after that, a road trip to the Diggers of Sugar-Salem who have often been the biggest test on the Star Valley schedule.
“You’ve heard me say we want to get exposed in August and September, not in November,” Young told SVI. Soldotna plays a very physical brand of football that is all power. Saturday we will be at Idaho State and we’re not even sure what rules were playing in that game against Raymond, Canada. So we’re going from football in a telephone booth to a bunch of guys in motion.”
A total of 24 seniors were at the camp, part of a record number of 121 with players freshmen through seniors.
The MaxPreps Comparison
MaxPreps.com came out with their top programs for each state and Star Valley topped Wyoming while Soldotna was the best team listed for Alaska. It’s likely the only matchup of these 50 teams, especially in the opening portion of the weekend.
“What a fun thing right?,” Young noted of the article. “You think of Wyoming and Alaska; there are differences but also a lot in common in the DNA of these two states. I wouldn’t be surprised if these were the only two teams who play each other at all. We’re pretty excited about what lies ahead. I hope the community is excited. I think there’s a lot of interest and there should be.”
On The Shoulders of Giants
Young and his staff have emphasized the expectation and success of previous teams and generations as they try and build their own legacy.
“There is so much groundwork that was laid before the current staff and players got here,” he explained. “It’s part of Star Valley’s identity and a rite of passage for boys to become men. It’s an expectation of what you do. It’s important that we do all we can to treat these kids right and make it more than just football. When it’s a mission that’s bigger than the scoreboard there’s power in that. I think the kids and their parents appreciate that it’s more than what we do on Friday night.”
Young praised his staff both current and past.
“I love the guys I get to go to work with,” he concluded. “Every one of them brings something special to these boys. We start every Monday with the phrase who’s got it better than us? I would say who’s got it better than me?”
