Faith Academy football makes the most of final week of summer program
CAPTION: Faith Academy of Marble Falls head coach Jay Silvers (left) and defensive coordinator Garrett Cole agree on the direction of the football program from how to get the athletes prepared to play to their beliefs on game situations that may be the difference in the outcome. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
Three days remain in the Faith Academy of Marble Falls football program’s summer strength and conditioning program.
After Thursday, July 24, the Flames, who play six-man football, will take a mandatory week off issued by the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools before embarking on the 2025 fall training camp that begins Monday, Aug. 4.
Head coach Jay Silvers, who is entering his second year at the helm, said the Flames have earned the time off in what has been a very productive summer.
He continues to handle the agility and conditioning portion of the program, while defensive coordinator Garrett Cole is in charge of the strength program.
Right now, Silvers is projecting 23 players on the roster for the 2025 season. Of that number, the summer program has been averaging 18 players a day. And the Flames are still able to enjoy their usual summer activities such as camps, Vacation Bible Schools and other events, Silvers said.
“This is showing us a commitment to finishing what we started last year,” he said.
What they started was having goals of winning championships. They accomplished one — winning the District 4 Division II title with a 3-0 record thanks to victories against San Marcos Academy 40-33, Bulverde Bracken 68-62 and San Antonio Lutheran 58-7. But the season ended early in the playoffs because of a 54-42 setback to Lucas Christian Academy on a cold and windy night in November.
Since then, the Flames have been putting in the sweat equity. And Silvers has been busy studying and watching film from last season with the intent of learning more – about the strengths of each Flame and the opponent’s personnel to implement more wrinkles in the playbook.
“Our goal was to win the state title,” Silvers said. “We want to change that up and make a run for state.”
That’s why attendance for summer training has been vital, and the coach has been pleased to see the number so high.
“I want to say these seniors have been there every day,” he said. “We have quite a few juniors and underclassmen. Almost every underclassman we have has been there. I’ve been pleased with the amount coming every day.”
One important task that remains this week is max-out day where each Flame will lift the heaviest amount of weight he can for one rep. Silvers said he knows each athlete has had gains in the weight room. That’s because they’ve been meticulous in adding more weight and he and Cole study the athletes as they work out.
“What we’ve seen up to this point is it’s looking too easy,” he said. “Coach Cole has been looking at and revising.”
The goal is to have six offensive starters who aren’t asked to also start on the defense. That allows each unit to get rest between possessions. But that doesn’t mean there’s not cross training where players are learning multiple positions. Some Flames may come in for a play or two on the other side of the ball in what may be a key down or possession in a contest that may decide the outcome, Silvers said.
“I’m excited for it,” he said.
