By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
RINCON – It's past dinner time with weather temperatures still hovering north of 90 degrees, but determined football players from ages 6-12 – all shapes and sizes – and their coaches are set to begin conditioning drills at Macomber Park in Rincon on July 6.
Rincon Colts coach Rob Collum already has a sweat going as he places cones for agility drills. He said the June 27 workout drew 64 kids – the recreation department's biggest turnout of the year.
"When you have kids working out in this heat, and it's voluntary, that's great," Collum said.
And it's the busy time of the season with fall ball (baseball and softball), cheerleading, and soccer also getting ready to start. Registration ends Aug. 4.
"We're moving on without them," Collum said about the program that field teams of 8-and-under, 10-and-under and 12-and-under players in the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association.
For Collum, football is a labor of love. He started by coaching his sons Robbie and Cameron when they were six. But after the boys were done with recreation ball, Collum continued to work with local youth programs.
Before he knew it, 26 years went by.
Collum said he started the Colts in 2017. He admits having a less than ideal childhood and this is a way of helping others.
"I do it because of (my) passion for sports," he says, simply, not wanting to talk about specifics.
But pride joins the conversation when he mentions his 2020 state championship team that finished 17-0.
And it's not always about wins and losses. Last year, his team started with 33 players and no one quit. Fourteen players scored touchdowns, displaying a concerted effort to share the ball.
Collum is self-employed with a trucking business, but finds time to get to Macomber Park early to set up the field for football practice.
He said many players from the youth teams have gone on to play for South Effingham High School, including potential 2023
Collum coached former Mustang baseball star J.B. Wendelken, who played with the Oakland A's and now plays professionally in Japan.
"It's a good feeling to sit in the stands, seeing kids you coached," Collum said.
To register your children for rec football or other fall programs, click on the Rincon Rec registration site at: http://rinconrec.com/register/.