ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Hub football team is back in action for the start of its summer program, which kicked off with the first day of skills camp for returning and incoming players on June 9. After a stellar 2024 season in which the Hubs went 10-2 and won 10 games for the first time in over two decades, Rochelle will field a new team and aim for more success in 2025.
The skills camp runs three days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 10 a.m. for returning sophomore, junior and senior players. The skills camp, which runs throughout the month of June and into early July, is the first of many summer events on the schedule as the team continues its march toward the start of the 2025 season. Rochelle’s annual one-week lineman camp for sophomore, junior and senior players runs June 16-19 from 4 to 5:15 p.m.
“The opportunities to make an impact in our program are everywhere,” head coach Kyle Kissack said. “The message for us this summer has been about seizing the moment and finding a way to have a big role and allow us to have the opportunity to be successful. I think our kids have responded well and we have a lot of work to do, but we’re off to a good start to the summer.”
Seniors Brode Metzger, Roman Villalobos and Gavin Neale are among the returning senior skill players for the Hubs, who will kick off the 2025 season with a home game against Geneseo on Friday, Aug. 29. The skills camp, which runs from 10 to 10:30 a.m. for incoming freshmen, allows players to get back into football shape and compete in both rushing drills and 7-on-7-type passing drills. Competition will be the theme throughout the summer for the Hubs, who’re aiming to replace a deep and talented 2024 senior class that included eight All-Interstate 8 players.
“I think the competitiveness of the group is critical because we’re going to have to develop some of those younger kids or kids who haven’t received much varsity experience,” Kissack said. “There’s going to be a significant emphasis on the competitiveness within those position battles and there are a lot of them to be had this summer… The challenge is to create our own history. Every year is different and every team is different. My challenge to the kids has been to create their own history and don’t live off of someone else’s success or someone else’s history.”
Junior Dylan Manning, a two-time All-Conference running back, will be another key piece back in the mix for the Hubs, who will hold team camps with Forreston, Woodstock and Sterling next month. Rochelle will begin its team padded camp on July 14 and compete in 7 on 7s at Sterling on July 17. The Hubs will hold their annual Lift-A-Thon and Team Together Night on July 24.
“The foundation of our summer program is about making each group special,” Kissack said. “It’s about progress over perfection, daily growth and continued development. We’re identifying the kids who have the necessary skills to fit into specific positions and we’re fundamentally growing everyday. As a staff, we’re going to develop our kids throughout the summer, into fall camp and even into the early part of the season. When our kids are coachable in those moments and vulnerable to growth, that’s a great combination. We just need to get a little better everyday.”
Rochelle will hold its first official practice of the 2025 season on Monday, Aug. 11. The team will practice Monday through Saturday for two weeks before entering Week 1 against Geneseo on Aug. 25. Among the special events set for August are the annual Dad’s Night Out, Mom’s Night Out and Rochelle Junior Tackle Night, where the Hubs will welcome families and members of the football community to attend practices and learn more about the RTHS football program.
“I think our younger kids are hungry,” Kissack said. “They’ve watched successful football here for the last three or four years and they’re hungry. They want to create their own history and that’s what it should be about.”
