Former Perry student athlete Jackson Van Kirk is getting ready for the upcoming Luther College football season.  The former Bluejay and current Norse was in Perry recently helping out with the Perry Youth Football Camp.  Van Kirk has gained roughly 30 pounds from his high school playing days and his state runner-up finish at the 152 pound division at the Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships.  The increase in muscle and weight was needed to play at the next level.

“The competition within the team really pushed me in the offseason.  We have a lot of guys on the team who compete at a really high level and they push you constantly.  We have a hard working coaching staff that put together a solid off season weight training program.  We were lifting 4 to 5 times a week with cardio and other training on the days we weren’t lifting.”

Van Kirk is hoping to earn a starting spot this fall with the Norse.