While the halls of Katy High School are getting a makeover, the initial work on the future of the football team is just beginning.

Coming off its fifth state championship, the Katy Tigers pride themselves on playing strong and fundamentally-sound football. But to achieve that takes days, months, and even years of learning the system and repeating it until it’s second nature. So for freshmen who want to be a part of the tradition of Katy football, the Katy Freshmen Orientation Camp is a big factor in learning and understanding how to become a champion.

“Expectations have gone way up for (the freshmen class), so they’re excited about (playing for Katy),” Katy head coach Gary Joseph said Thursday. “We got kids coming from three junior high schools, and you have to mesh them together. And we have to let them know that these guys are your new friends and teammates so that they can start bonding together.”

More than 140 freshmen joined up for the week-long orientation camp at the school to not only get a small taste of being a Katy Tiger, but to learn fundamentals, from how to line up on offense and defense to huddling correctly.

A lot of fans always ask the question, “How does Katy stays strong in football with a small pool of talent?” The answer could be a commitment to do the small things right all the time. That’s what Joseph and his staff tries to install to the freshmen at camp so they won’t fall behind when full practice begins Aug. 11.

“Technically, we’re teaching them the football terminology, and that’s the one thing you have to teach these kids is how to communicate,” Joseph said.

Also, some of the upperclassmen players serve as assistant coaches in the camp to help the newcomers understand the new system that they are learning.

“A lot of our players come up here and help out in the camp, trying to give back something to the program,” Joseph said. “The young kids look up to them and how respected they are, and being a part of a program like this is expectations.”

But freshmen aren’t the only ones that can attend a Katy football camp. Joseph and the coaches also have a Home of Champions camp for kids ages 8-13 that gives younger kids a chance to have the Katy experience.

“It’s just to teach the kids that football is just a game,” Joseph said. “Our coaches have a good time with it, so it’s fun for everyone.”

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