First-year coach Harry Hester will gather his troops next week for a football camp. Running from Monday through Friday of next week, the Bulldogs will practice from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hester also will have a middle school camp from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on those dates.

On Aug. 2, the high school will follow its camp with a lift-a-thon in the MHS gymnasium. Players will be visiting local businesses and residents for pledges at the lift-a-thon, which is open to the public.

Proceeds will go toward the general football fund to the weight room. Hester said $1,400 worth of weights was ordered recently for the weight room.

“We’re excited,” Hester said. “We’re getting things done over here.”

Hester has been encouraged by summer weightlifting numbers. The team has averaged 24 players for each session and has had a summer-high attendance of 32. That participation level creates optimism for Hester, who inherits a team that had just 21 players out last season and finished the season at 0-9.

“These kids want to win, they really do,” Hester said. “They’re working hard at it.”

This year’s squad again will be young as five upperclassmen are expected to be on the roster. The team, though, has gotten a little experience with 7-on-7 games.

Competing against Tonganoxie on July 12 in McLouth, the Bulldogs struggled in the first of two games, but played better in the finale.

“The first game was a little rough,” Hester said.

McLouth has a rematch with the Chieftains on Saturday in Tonganoxie. The 7-on-7 tournament will include MHS, THS, Perry-Lecompton and a team to be determined. The tourney will run from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Tonganoxie’s tournament will be the Bulldogs’ final competition of the summer.

After the football camp the week of July 28, MHS will be off until fall practice begins in mid-August.

At that point, the Bulldogs will prepare for the Sept. 7 season opener at home against Valley Falls, a place the Bulldogs haven’t been victorious at in some time.

“The kids haven’t won at home for three years, so we’ll see if we can change that,” Hester said.