Stagg football hosts showcase ahead of 2023-24 season
It’s never too early for football in the 209. That statement stands true for Stagg football head coach Don Norton as he and his staff hosted the Stagg High School Showcase on May 17.
The two-hour showcase featured athletes from schools all over San Joaquin County including Edison, Escalon, Manteca, St. Mary’s, Lincoln, Kimball, Weston Ranch, Downey, Central Catholic, and host team, the Delta Kings.
“Showcases like this we just want our kids to come out have fun and do the best they can,” said Jess Watson, Weston Ranch’s line coach. “The valley is a great place for talent and this gives them an opportunity to show others and show themselves what they can do.”
Norton and a handful of other coaches from the area lead warms ups, footwork drills, position drills, and 7v7s throughout the evening. Athletes didn’t only get to take a temperature of the talent around them but they also got a chance to be face-to-face with college recruiters.
“My coach Andrew Beam sent me and a few teammates a text telling us what this was about and that a few college coaches were going to be out here so we came down,” said Jamin Miller, a rising senior running back and linebacker for Escalon. “This allowed us to compete so we did so.”
In attendance were NCAA Division I schools, San Jose State, Arizona State, Sacramento State, University of Nevada, Washington State, and Fresno State. Scouts from NAIA, NCAA Division II and III schools such as Lewis and Clark College, University of Redlands, George Fox University, and Lincoln University (Oakland) were also out checking out Stockton’s talent.
Locally, San Joaquin Delta College football personnel were also there representing the community college route along with American River College.
“I love to see all the kids from the area compete, work hard, and try to do more than what people expect,” said Terrance Hampton, Lincoln football’s head coach. “This keeps them off the streets and keep them away from my other line of work as a probation officer. So I got a lot of respect for Coach Norton and what he does for the community.”
At the close of the showcase, the coaches selected an MVP for each position giving everyone a play to keep a lookout for in the upcoming 2023-23 season. In the running back position, St. Mary’s Asante Carter stole the show earning him the MVP.
“It feels good getting the running back MVP it was a lot of competition out here so I had to work hard,” Carter said. “ I’ve been trying to get better all around; speed, strength, agility everything just to help me get better than I was last season.”
For Carter and the rest of the athletes who attended the showcases, this is just the beginning of their road to prepare for next season which is set to start on Aug. 18.
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stagg football hosts showcase ahead of 2023-24 season
