After months of preparing the 2015 high school football season, Greene County sophomore Nick Schroeder is ready for the season to begin. Schroeder and his teammates began three days of camp on Monday at the high school in Jefferson. Camp continues today and tomorrow. Official fall sports practices for everyone in Iowa begin on Monday, August 11.

Schroeder was the Rams’ varsity kicker last fall as a ninth grader. He’s hoping to not only kick this season, but he’s hoping to see some time at wide receiver as well. The tall and lanky sophomore-to-be made 22 of 25 extra point kicks last season and he was one for two on field goal attempts.

When asked what he’s done in the off-season to prepare, he said, “I’ve lifted weights on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with my teammates and have gotten a lot stronger. I’ve done PXP training at the Jefferson Fieldhouse and have really improved my 40 (yard dash) time. I’m ready to go.”

Few freshmen have played football on the varsity level for Jefferson-based teams, and the sport stretches all the way back to 1898. Incoming Paton-Churdan junior Noah Juergensen started several games in the offensive line for Greene County in 2012 when he was in ninth grade. Prior to Juergensen, local historians could not recall another freshman playing varsity football for the Rams.