Coaching for Pizza: IT'S SUMMER!

Fri. & Sat., June 12-13, 2026

Friday was the last day of school for Mary, Jacob and Michael, thus, it was unofficially . . .

SUMMER!

Vanessa's school year ended the week before so, as of this afternoon, the entire family was on vacation.

Let the fun begin and new memories begin.

On Saturday Moorpark H.S. was

hosting a 7-on-7 Passing Tournament

This Camarillo H.S. Scorpions Facebook poster listed their three morning Pool Play schedule.

The tournament was composed of 12 teams playing in two nearby locations, Moorpark's game field and the fields at Arroyo Vista Park.

The high schools in the tournament on this BEAUTIFUL day for American 7-on-7 football were:

Agoura Chargers

Buena Bulldogs

Camarillo Scorpions

Hueneme Vikings

Moorpark Musketeers

Oxnard Yellowjackets

Saugus Centurions

Sylmar Spartans

Taft Toreadores

Thousand Oaks Lancers

Ventura Cougars

West Ranch Wildcats

The scene at Arroyo Vista Park

There were four fifty yard fields set up with four games going on simultaneously.

Buena on Offense vs. Oxnard

Thousand Oaks WR about to make

a cut vs. Camarillo

Camarillo receiver in the

open but . . .

. . . everyone needs to re-read the

instruction manual on these soft caps

There were ballet-like elements

to the action today

Also a lot of dropped passes.

Two man Camarillo pattern developing

TOUCHDOWN Camarillo . . .

. . . uh, no

Camarillo Gunslinger

Great effort but incomplete again

Tight Coverage

Great job getting down to

make the catch

Turn and SCAMPER!

Hand down drill paying off

About to violently chop this

defender's hand off from re-routing

TD Ventura!

Saugus WR with a spectacular

one hand catch

Another incompletion about to happen

After this round of games, I opted to check out the first of the knock-out round of games in the Moorpark H.S. Stadium.

Incomplete passes were

happening here too

Agoura CB vs. Camarillo WR

TOUCHDOWN Camarillo!

Football and DB both closing quickly

Agoura QB with solid form

Interesting Agoura shotgun

snap technique

All of the teams that I watched today used a version of this unorthodox technique.

Old Man Rant Time: When I was coaching, we ALWAYS used one of our Centers in these passing games. I felt that practicing QB-Center exchanges under semi-game-like situations all Summer long would pay dividends in the Fall.

This could have been a great play

if the WR caught the ball

"Slips count in a bear fight"

These footballs can often be elusive

Hand-to-Hand Combat

As I said earlier, there were

ballet-like elements today

It was good to get out of the house to see the action today and rekindle friendships with some coaches today.

The Moorpark H.S. Tournament is a nice segue into today's . . .

. . . Spanish DII Championship Game

No Contest

Alcobendas Cavaliers (7-3) - 35

Alcorcón Smilodons (10-0) - 0

The Cavaliers handed the Smilodons all three of their losses this year having swept their two highly competitive regular season games, 13-10 and 21-14.

Not so competitive today though.

The victory means that the Cavaliers will be promoted to Spain's DI for the 2027 season replacing the Gijón Mariners (1-6-1) who are relegated to DII next season.

The 2024 campaign was the last time that the Alcobendas Cavaliers were in Spain's DI. Their record that year was 0-8 leading to the next two seasons in DII.

Speaking of Spain . . .

Tried them all, LOVE them all

Because of my Spanish Abuela, Catalina, I'm going with #5, croquetas.

Our old club in Switzerland, the

Thun Tigers, looking for more fans

French DI Semifinal Game was . . .

. . . another No Contest affair

Thonon-les-Bains Black Panthers (10-1) - 27

Marseille Blue Stars (7-5) - 0

The Black Panthers will now face the Cannes Iron Mask (11-0) for the French DI crown.

World Cup Football Tournament

Mexico vs. South Africa

I'm taking Team Mexico and the points.

More food talk

No #10 Bubblegum or #20 Matcha Green Tea for me, thank you.

How about you?

On to Italy . . .

Italian DI Wild Card Result

Torino Giaguari (6-3) - 42

Ferrara Aquile (3-6) - 10

Italian DI Wild Card Result

Ancona Dolphins (6-3) - 45

Legnano Frogs (5-4) - 31

Italian DI Semifinals

Ancona Dolphins (6-3) at

Firenze Guelfi (8-0)

Torino Giaguari (6-3) at

Parma Panthers (6-2)

During the regular season, the Guelfi steamrolled the Dolphins, 51-17, and the Giaguari edged the Panthers, 23-21.

There were no Italian DII playoff games this weekend but there were four DIII Conference Semifinal playoff games.

Italian DIII North Conference

Semifinal Result

Piacenza Wolverines (7-1) - 40

Trieste Muli (5-2) - 35

Great pre-game poster

Italian DIII North Conference

Semifinal Result

Cagliari Crusaders (7-0) - 26

Verona Redskins (5-3) - 14

Italian DIII South Conference

Semifinal Result

Formigine Honey Badgers (7-0) - 28

Pisa TFU (5-3) - 14

Another solid pre-game poster

Italian DIII South Conference

Semifinal Result

Ravenna Chiefs (7-1) - 21

Bari Navy Seals (6-1) - 10

Italian DIII Conference

Championship Games

The North Conference Championship Game will see the Piacenza Wolverines (7-1) against the Cagliari Crusaders (7-0).

The South Conference title contest will be another good one with the Formigine Honey Badgers (7-0) trying to take the measure of the Ravenna Chiefs (7-1).

Both games will be contested next weekend.