Men's Head Baskebtall Coach Dave Balza - Division I Men's Basketball Naples High School Football - Football

Naples High School Eagles went undefeated in 2007 and ran thier way through competition to the 3A state title. Name: Naples High School Eagles Sport: Football sportsDrive Product: SPI Advanced Recent Record: 15-0 3A State Championship  Hometown: Naples, FL

Naples High School Football

Life for the Golden Eagles football team at Naples High School isn't your typical play-to-win team. Although winning of course is a big part of the game, head coach Bill Kramer makes his team focus on the bigger picture: being a good citizen.

Since 1998, Kramer's team boasts a winning record of 96-27 with a playoff record of 19-6. In 2001 the Golden Eagles won the 5A football championship, making them the first-ever state winners in southwest Florida. In 2004 the team finished the regular season undefeated and ranked #16 in USA Today and #7 in the Associated Press national prep rankings. The 2007 playoff run continued the unbeaten streak as Naples High became the first school in the history of southwest Florida to finish the season undefeated state champions.

In order to win so many games this season, Kramer said that the senior leadership made the difference.

"The poise and confidence that they brought...the work ethic...it didn't matter if they were up or down. They didn't always agree but there was an integrity to their relationships that was undeniable," he said. His team proved that "there are no degrees to integrity-you either have it or you don't," and for this, Kramer is most proud.

"It's about making a whole person and maintaining whole commitments," he said.

It's this emphasis on keeping commitments and being a good person that has made the Eagles a team of what Kramer calls, "superstars." And although his quarterback was named Player of the Year and various other players have signed contracts to play in college, Kramer said that his team doesn't look at standout players to win games, but instead they look at a superstar as someone who makes those around him better-not someone who just runs high and jumps fast.

In order to make the team of "superstars," Kramer has a 17-man coaching staff that he describes as the "best in the business" and "could coordinate at any level because they are great communicators." These former head coaches of high schools and college programs could have fame, but Kramer says they believe in the mission of the team-to use football as a tool to create good citizens, good fathers, and good husbands.

"They have turned down [higher] status [positions] because it doesn't matter-it matters who you are working with and the integrity of those relationships. Communicating with the kids and loving on them and investing with them is what's most important," he said.

In addition to getting support from his coaching staff, Kramer said the Naples community has been outstanding.

"When I first came here ten years ago it was tough, but now we sell out every week," he said. "Everybody likes a winner-and the community judges us by the scoreboard and win column. [But] parents that have been in our program and have kids that have gone on see the bigger picture."
In order to keep their winning record for next season, Kramer plans to use sportsDrive's one-of-a kind athlete assessment and development tool the Sports Performance Indicator to help his team get even better. He said he looks forward to helping players identify their strengths and weaknesses and using those strengths to improve the weaknesses.

While last year's team had incredible strengths, a majority of the defense and special teams were made up of graduating seniors, so Kramer says this will be key to a winning season in 2008.

"We've got to get bigger, stronger, faster-and go to work in the classroom. I tell [my players] everyday to work hard for your goals and have a positive attitude while doing it," he said. " And the [SPI] assessment test can help us get there!"