Area quarterbacks shine at Jaguars high school skills challenge

JACKSONVILLE – On this past Sunday (April 23), scores of high school football signal callers – female and male – showcased themselves at the third annual Jacksonville Jaguars High School Quarterback Skills Challenge.

Assembled primarily by Adriel Rocha, the three-hour long event featured a series of drills that resulted in the participants enjoying themselves and getting better at their craft.

Our very own July Sanchez was there to capture the action. He provided us with a rundown of how it all happened.

From Sanchez:

The event started off with quarterbacks doing their own warm-ups at the stadium and then passing the ball to each other, as well as taking a group picture with all of them being together with former retired Jaguar QB Star David Garrard.

Afterwards they moved on to the more indoor stadium, where they were separated in lines due to the color wristband they were assigned to.

Later on, one of the people working there had them all do a few exercises.

It was then announced during the training that they would be counting up each group’s scores. Each group at the end of the training would have to choose amongst themselves who their best quarterback was.

The best quarterbacks from each group would go on to compete in all six stations against each other. Then they would receive prizes and giveaways such as mouth guards, limited made only for sideline towels, and lanyards.

Mason Brown Tradition Prep High School QB kneeled down as Adriel Rocha explains the rules of the challange

They were all separated into stations which were rotated throughout the day.

Station 1 consisted of throwing the ball at six targets.

Jake Whitley John Carroll High School QB in stance to throw the ball to the last target

Station 2 consisted of throwing the ball short ranged to six volunteer receivers.

Ava Wotipka Somerset Academy Canyons QB prepares to hike the ball

Station 3 consisted of long range throws to six volunteer receivers.

Gabriela Pastrana Centennial High School MLB/WR running small routes to prepare to receive for the short range throws

Station 4 was more of a deep throw into a net.

Adrienne Rivera Fort Pierce Central QB throws to land a dot on the net

Station 5 was a measurement of how far the quarterbacks could throw by therefore throwing as far as they could.

Phillip DeMarco Tradition Prep High School loads to throw for the deep throw challenge

Station 6 was an opportunity to meet with a coach who talked about how to improve the mindset when playing as a quarterback.

(left) Ava Wotipka and (right) Adrienne Rivera tune in on a lesson given by a coach as the mindset of a QB

After that, they all were riled up. The top quarterbacks chosen from their own group went on to face the other quarterbacks chosen in a small competition in all stations.

After the winners were announced, Rocha brought out Jaguars linebackers Devin Lloyd (No. 33 jersey) and Travon Walker (No. 44 jersey) so they could speak to the participants about their experiences in the NFL.

Afterwards the event had concluded with the green team winning the give away prizes as well as 2 QB’s one from each girls and boys division who had the best statistics receiving special gift boxes.

Here’s what John Carroll High School Jake Whitley and Fort Pierce Central High School Adrienne Rivera had to say about the event: