PUNTA GORDA — Charlotte High School head football coach Kevin Claxton looked out the window Tuesday morning with a look of dread.
Rain and rumbles of thunder roared in the early-morning dawn, threatening an outdoor practice. It was time the Tarpons could ill afford to lose.
Thankfully, the weather cleared somewhat and the Tarpons held their second practice of the fall season in shells.
The workout focused on fundamentals, ensuring the team did the basic things correctly, from footwork while blocking to swim moves for the linemen. The backs held 7-on-7 drills. Monday focused on offense, while Tuesday focused on defense.
The Tarpons, who finished 6-5 last season, were eliminated in the first round of regionals by Manatee. This squad needs to master the basics quickly. Without four- and five-star recruits, it will take a village to make the 2026 season a success.
Claxton knows this. It’s why he’s doing things differently this season.
“We just wanted to get the basics down and make sure they know their positions,” Claxton said. “When blocking we need to know where our eyes are. We want them to get comfortable.”
As for mastering the fundamentals, Claxton said that is the kind of team they want to be. Nothing too exotic. Just in-your-face football executed close to perfection.
“We won’t do a lot playbook wise, but we’ll be really good at what we do and have our fundamentals down pat,” Claxton said. “The guys will know what to do if they have rule breakers in the game and something we’re not prepared for, we can lean back on those fundamentals and have success.”
Another thing they’re doing is to stress togetherness.
The team will hold several post-practice events, such as a barbecue (which they did Tuesday). At the end of practice, players and coaches get in front of the team and talk about any adversity they faced in the past and how they overcame it.
“We want to coach the entire person. Not just football players,” Claxton said. “We want to know about each other and talk about the dark moments in our lives and how we got out of them. It will help us play for each other by knowing something about each other.”
Charlotte faces a difficult schedule in 2026. The Kickoff Classic is at Bishop Verot and the first two games have them hosting Fort Myers and Gulf Coast.
If the Tarpons are to have success, it will be up to quarterback Dylan Szych to run the offense. He said the team is excited to get back on the field and looking forward to the season.
“We’re ready for this opportunity and to get into pads instead of just helmets,” Szych said. “The shoulder pads go on Wednesday, then full pads next week and then our first game. We’re all coming together and trying to buy into the new culture.”
Obi Edeoga, a junior who will play tight end and defensive line this season, returned to football after concentrating on basketball the past few years. He said the fundamentals have been great in getting him back in the swing of the sport.
“I’m working on getting a pad level rushing move. These guys have played football their whole lives while I’m new to this,” Edeoga said. “I’m trying to catch up and learn the basics. We’re learning to become friends and getting closer as a team.”
The Tarpons are in a different district this season.
District 5A-11 will be an almost completely different experience. They will travel to Immokalee and host East Lee before traveling to Riverdale and hosting North Fort Myers and Cape Coral before ending with Port Charlotte.
The Tarpons will have six home games this season, which should give them an edge.
“We’re looking forward to each opportunity no matter who they are,” Claxton said. “We’re going to base things on our fundamentals and put our best foot forward. Our motto is to go 1-0 every week and win every day. It’s about fundamentals and playing together.”