CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) The Clarksville Kiwanis Club hosted a meet and greet with guest speaker Will Healy Tuesday at First Baptist Church to touch on the state of the Austin Peay football program, and what the goals are looking forward this season.
This is Coach Healy’s second season at Austin Peay and he is excited to see some of the pieces finally coming together. “We have been really focused on recruiting in the last two years. We’ve won some key FCS recruiting battles and it’s starting to pay off,” Healy said.
With a new strength and conditioning coach in the mix, the team is addressing some of the size issues that have plagued the team in the past few seasons. Healy says the team is definitely showing improvement in that department. Coach Healy is also very excited on some of the position players and how they are projected to perform this upcoming season.
Outside the football realm, Coach Healy is very impressed with the community response and support despite what the record may or may not indicate. The personal connections that the student athletes have with the people of the community isn’t something you typically see at other schools in or out of the OVC.
Whether it’s interacting with community members when a player is at his part time job or when the team goes to a new church every Sunday during the season, it’s the personal bonds formed during those instances that really build a close fan base that will ride with you whether you are 12 and 0 or 0 and 12.
All in all Coach Healy is doing more than just teaching these kids into athletes on the field, but better men off the field as well.
Austin Peay will kick off the season on Thursday August 31 at Cincinnati, and the first home game will be on Saturday September 16 against Morehead State.