- November 23, 2024
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Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein talks to his players before they run through drills during indoor practice. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze football team practices in the cafeteria as a summer storm blows through Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze football players run drills in the cafeteria as a thunderstorm hits the area. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein (center) explains the drill to his players as they practice indoors due to inclement weather. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player James English is all smiles during indoor practice. The Sandcrabs had to move into the school cafeteria as a thunderstorm dropped tons of rain on the field and surrounded the school with lightning strikes. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze offensive coordinator Doug Pettit goes over details with his players before they run drills during indoor practice. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze football team practices in the cafeteria as a summer storm blows through Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze football team practices in the cafeteria as a summer storm blows through Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein goes over the route for wide receiver Caiden Smith during practice in the school's cafeteria. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein held practice in the high school cafeteria on Monday, Aug. 12, as an afternoon thunderstorm flooded the practice field. The team only had four more practice days until the pre-season kickoff classic against Astronaut High of Titusville on Friday, Aug. 16.
Klein said it was a very good indoor practice day. The players were focused on what needed to be accomplished even though they were in a confined space. Since becoming the head coach at the end of April, he said the players had made a lot of progress and were now working together as a team. He said they are ready to play.
“We got a lot of good stuff done,” he said. “We all know what we are here to do. It’s now game week. We all know why we trained all summer, why we’ve gone through weeks of camp, why we’ve been out in the heat running around and pushing ourselves — nearly dying out there. This is why. Today was a great step for us. We had a lot of growth today.”
Astronaut’s head coach is Logan Hallock who took over the position in January, 2023. Hallock was the offensive coordinator at DeLand High School when Klein was the defensive coordinator. Klein said he is familiar with Hallock's coaching style and usage of the Darlington sweep — a single wing offense named after coach Rick Darlington, formerly of Apopka High, who is in his third year at DeLand's head coach.
Klein had to make adjustments to the lineup following the transfers of quarterback Hayden Hayes and linebacker Jesse Shirley. Also, senior defensive end/tight end Brody Boda is out for the season with a torn ACL sustained at a football camp.
“I was looking forward to a good season at Seabreeze on both the offense and the defensive side of the ball,” Boda said. “I think the team will have a good season this year. They have a really bright future with Coach Klein at the helm.”
Going into the season, Klein said he will rely on new quarterback Zachary Voltaire, wide receiver Dylan Hayes, linebacker Brogan Kelly and offensive tackle Luke Cloer.
Voltaire, a junior, was a cornerback before taking on the challenge of becoming the team’s starting quarterback. He said the team has put in enough work all summer to take the win against Astronaut.
“Being around this environment makes me feel pretty good,” he said. “I love the enthusiasm. I am excited to be Seabreeze’s starting quarterback.”
Receiver coach Mark Lewis will also be relying on sophomore wide receiver Caiden Smith who led the Seabreeze junior varsity in receiving last year and was called up to varsity mid-season. Lewis said Smith is a complete athlete who plays baseball and basketball for Seabreeze, as well.
“Caiden is a great combination of size, speed and quickness,” Lewis said. “He’s also got those intangibles that I can’t coach. I believe that when his high school career is over, he’ll rank with some of the great receivers to have played in this program.”
This will be Cloer’s fourth year playing at Seabreeze. At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, he has the size and strength to anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Klein said he is a key player and a team leader.
“I feel great about this team,” Cloer said. “Mental-wise, ethic-wise, work-wise, we are one of the strongest teams in the county. I’m not saying this just because it’s the go-to answer. I seriously think this is one of the best teams in the county. Week in and week out, this team will be the team to play.”
Cloer has college offers from the University of Pittsburgh, Valdosta State and Highland Community College in Kansas. He said his goal this year is to be selected to the All-State team.
“I want to get All-State — not just for myself but for my teammates,” he said. “It’s a misconception that you need (a five-star rating) to be All-State. I want to give my teammates an example to follow.”
He said Astronaut is not a “push around” team.
“Astronaut is not one of the strongest teams and not one of the weakest teams, but we have been treating them as one of the top contenders because that’s how we have to beat everyone,” he said. “I want to talk about the Spruce Creek game (Seabreeze's season-opener on Aug. 22). I believe it’s been 13 years since we beat Creek. Let me just say it’s going to end there.”
