By Naomi Smoot-Kimble Rappahannock News Staff Writer It’s a

By Naomi Smoot-Kimble

Rappahannock News Staff Writer

It’s a hot August day and the 33 boys trying out for this year’s Junior Varsity Football Ifeam are covered in sweat as they leave the field.

The team started practice five hours ago at 8 o’clock in the morning. Time is not the only thing the players and their families have invested in the*team.

One mother walks up to Coach Kemp Pullin to pay for her son’s cleats and hands him additional money. “What’s this for,” Pullin asked. It’s a donation, the mother responds, one of many others have given to the school’s newly formed team.

Rappahannock’s football program is now in its second year. Last year, Pullin said, their inaugural team started out by winning its first game 30-20.

Pullin, a veteran coach who has led numerous teams to championships in independent travel leagues said this was a proud moment for him. “For Rappahannock to beat Madison last season in their opening game was a thrill for the whole community,” he said.

Now the school has a new Junior Varsity team in addition to the existing freshman team, with 25 of last year’s 29 players returning, many with high hopes for the coming season.

The freshman team hosts its first football game of the season on Sept. 3 against Madison.

According to Coach Pullin the season’s outcome rests on one thing: educating his team about the essentials of the game.

“Our success this year depends on how much they want to think. I have more athletic ability out there this year, a lot more athletic ability. When you actually play the game of football though it’s a lot more complicated then anybody thinks. It’s a whole lot to learn,” he said.

When Pullin said a whole lot, that is exactly what he means. The play book, which both teams use, consists of a total of 91 plays. He said this book is probably somewhat larger than most high school’s