I’ll start by saying please come support the Ohio Valley Rise. You’re now probably wondering what is the Ohio Valley Rise? This is a 7 on 7 travel football team started by Jason Wade. They are having a dine to donate fundraiser at the Texas Roadhouse at the Highlands in Triadelphia this Monday October 10th from 5-8. This will help defray the costs of uniforms, travel, and equipment for their team.
Kids in this area have an opportunity to play “travel” baseball, basketball, volleyball, and softball. Now thanks to Jason Wade football can be added to this list. Wade started the Ohio Valley Rise last year to meet a need in the Ohio Valley. His son was playing for the PA Elite out of northern Pittsburg. After driving an hour and a half to practice weekly, they both decided that a change was needed. They enjoyed the time together, but the drive was getting to be too much. It was either just pass the ball around at home or start a 7 on 7 team here in the Valley. So, the work began.
Thinking he’d have players from Ohio and West Virginia, Wade came up with the name Ohio Valley Rise. His first obstacle was finding out the players from Ohio can only participate with their school teams and activities like 7 on 7’s with their respective teams. With half of his anticipated roster off the board, he went to work. But, with plenty of talent to choose from in West Virginia, he started to put together a roster. He found players from Brooke, Linsly, Sherrard, Wheeling Central, and Wheeling Park. Now, the on-field work would begin.
I had the pleasure of attending some of the Ohio Valley Rise practices. Jason and the staff worked on many different skills with the players. Coach Wade began by asking the players where they played on their teams, this helped him place players in positions that they would be playing with their school teams. The quarterbacks work on timing, drop backs, footwork, and getting the ball out of their hand quickly. Receivers fine tuned routes, hands catching over body catching, and the importance of running after the catch. On the defensive side, the cornerbacks and linebackers practiced both man to man and zone coverages. As the game becomes more and more pass oriented these offensive and defensive skills are becoming more and more important to the game of football. Next up would be participation in a tournament.
The Ohio Valley Rise traveled to Rochester, New York for their first and only tournament of the year. The Rise played well against teams that have been in the 7 on 7 game for quite some time. During this experience Wade and the players learned quite a few things. One that Wade told me about was that the skills needed, or rules followed to win 7 on 7 tournament games were not always the skills needed to win a conventional game of football. He told me he’s not willing to sacrifice teaching the kids poor or different techniques just to win some games. Instead, they will focus on skills that will win on Friday nights. Wade’s plans for this year are expanding the number of teams (age groups) and tournaments played.
Last year the Rise only had a 18U team. This year Wade will be expanding that to 14U, 15U, and 18U teams. Wade is also looking to extend the area, for which, the players are coming from including the Morgantown and Parkersburg areas. As far as tournaments this year the PA Elite are hosting a couple at the Highlands Complex. Along with this Wade would like to participate in a tournament in Detroit. Also, in the future, as early as next year, the Ohio Valley Rise would like to host a tournament.
If 7 on 7 football sounds like something your child would like to do, tryouts will be held at the Highlands Sports Complex on Sunday December 4th from 6-8pm. There is a $25 for the tryout, if your child makes that team it will go towards your registration fees. I close with a reminder about the Ohio Valley Rise dine to donate Monday October 4th from 5-8 at the Texas Roadhouse at the Highlands in Triadelphia, please come out to support them.
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