Practice begins for defending state champs

It's nothing unusual for Blooming Prairie High School football teams to have a target on their back because of their repeated successes.
The Awesome Blossoms will be defending their first-ever Section 1A state championship.
Head Coach Chad Gimbel is entering his 24th year as head coach of the Blooming Prairie football team. He is also entering his 27th year as a business education teacher in Blooming Prairie.
Practice began for the 2020 Blossom football team on Monday, Sept. 14 and will continue until Oct. 3. Because of COVID-19, the Minnesota State High School League moved the fall sports seasons of volleyball and football to next spring from March 15 to May 15.
Shoulder pads and helmets were issued to the prospective Blossom football players last week.
Coach Gimbel said he expected about 40 kids out for football in grades 9-12.
This year's practices are far different than Coach Gimbel and his assistants have been familiar with over the years. "We have to practice in pods of no more than 25 and we must limit contact as much as possible.
Players must bring their own water bottles and must be screened for contact tracing.
The Blossoms graduated 11 seniors from last year's state championship team.
In spite of losing that many seniors, the Awesome Blossoms have lots of experience returning because all of their wins last year represented significant margins, thus younger players were able to see varsity action.
Returning this year are seniors Luke Larkoski and Charlie Heimerman on the offensive line. Senior Mitchell Fiebiger and juniors Bradley Simon Colin Jordison are part of the receiving corps.
Jordison is the team's kickoff specialist. Junior Carson Brennecke kicks extra points.
Larkoski and Fiebiger will anchor middle linebacker positions. Cole Christianson, a senior is returning as an outside linebacker. Simon will play on Defense also, holding down a free safety spot.
The Blossoms lost their starting quarterback in Kaden Thomas. Junior Drew Kittelson played quarterback as a sophomore last year. Tyler Archer will likely be in the backfield with Kittelson.
"It's way early and we have a lot to figure out," remarked Coach Gimbel.
"I think the kids are excited about beginning practice and they seek some type of normalcy," observed Gimbel. "They are chomping at the bit to get back into the weight room," he said.
Gimbel said he was very impressed with the attitudes of his students when returning to school on Tuesday, Sept. 8 for the first time in six months.
 
"Everybody is learning on the fly and the kids were very respectful and intuitive that first week," said Gimbel. "They were happy to be back in school and they were very engaged," he added.
Coach Gimbel will have his same team of coaches available again this year. Matt Kittelson is defensive coordinator and Nate Piller and Andrew Hardecoff handle the Junior Varsity duties. On the junior high level, coaching is handled by Justin Kiehene, David Lassahn and Carl Steckelberg. Volunteer coaches Elliott Herdina and Josh Johnson routinely attend practices.
The Blooming Prairie Quarterback Club will again be a supportive arm for the Awesome Blossom football team. The QB Club helps raise funds to purchase football equipment.
Gimbel said the pandemic has caused lots of uncertainty. "Our No. 1 concern is keeping these kids safe," Gimbel emphasized.
During the three-week practice time this fall, Gimbell said he hopes to get the offense and defense installed. "When spring comes around, there will be an urgency," he says. He said field conditions will also be an unknown.
There has been a drive by some parents and others to push for football yet this fall. Gimbel said he is busy teaching and coaching and will not get involved in this movement. He said he will leave these decisions to the school leadership.
"We will soon see what type of learning takes place during these 12 days of practice," says Gimbel. "It will give us a lot to think about," he smiled.