It's been a busy summer for the Whitehall football team as they prepare for the upcoming season.

While every offseason is busy, this one holds special significance since a number of roster spots are up for grabs, allowing players to seize the most of their opportunities as they participate in a number of camps leading up to the official start of football practice in August.

Only quarterback Gianni Sinatore returns as starter from an offense that racked up 4,417 yards last season. That means that every player wants to make a good impression, and that starts with their offseason programs.

The Zephs first traveled to Penn State in June for an overnight camp where they participated in a 7 on 7 competition. Zephyr head coach Brian Gilbert said that 44 teams were among those competing. A 7 on 7 drill features a quarterback and six skill players, with each team getting the ball at the 40-yard line while the quarterback tries to move the ball down the field via the air only for a score. The quarterback must release the ball within four seconds or the play is blown dead. The defense's objective is to stop the team from scoring, and they can also score themselves via interceptions and pick sixes.

Gilbert said that they finished among the top eight, but were knocked out in the elite eight round. They finished 5-2 for the day.

The following week they went down to Rutgers University and were part of an enormous gathering that featured 101 teams for their 7 on 7 Passing Camp. Gilbert said that some of the entrants sprinkled into that mix were teams that only participate in these 7 on 7 competitions, giving this camp a different flavor than either the Penn State or the Lehigh camps. Teams from five states competed and a number of athletes emerged with scholarship offers from Rutgers, including Maryland running back Tayon Fleet-Davis who has entertained offers from a number of Division I schools.

Gilbert said that the teams were put into different brackets to begin pool play, and although they went 3-1 and lost that lone game by a point, it wasn't enough to catapult them into the top 24 for a chance at the title which was won by Next Level Greats from New Jersey.

"I thought we played well," said Gilbert. "That's a huge camp, and we just weren't able to reach the top 24."

Their next stop was July 11 at Lehigh University where they once again competed in the 7-on-7 Shoot Out as part of their 14th annual Mountain Hawk Passing Camp. This camp also features an O-line and D-line mini camp which allows Whitehall to bring their full squad, an aspect that Gilbert enjoys.

In the Shoot Out, the Zephs entered two squads, their varsity team in the big school division, and their junior varsity squad in the small school division.

"It's good because it lets everyone in the program participate," said Gilbert.

The Zephs entered the Shoot Out as the reigning champs, and successfully defended that title among the 13 teams in the big school division. That gives the Whitehall varsity three championships in a row. The junior varsity lost in the semifinals to Saucon Valley.

"It was just a great day," said Gilbert. "Our offensive and defensive lines got to compete, and it was great to get everybody some work."

With so many roster spots available, a number of athletes are looking to stake their claim to one of those positions. With just Sinatore entrenched at QB, Gilbert said that "everyone else has to earn their spot."

"That's created some healthy competition," said Gilbert.

Gilbert foresees a lot of players stepping up and making the most of those opportunities. That list is long and includes Bryce Crum at running back, Nick Kovalchick, Devin Castro, Devin Martinez, Jake Snyder, Phil Reeves, and senior Brandon Jones who has emerged as one of their leaders.

Mixed among all those camps was their lifting regimen, along with speed and agility exercises run by Ed Ruisz's Speed Advantage Training, Inc. that features two former players on their staff who Gilbert coached while at Palisades.

Gilbert said that the SAT allows them to maximize their potential in those two areas, and it's something they now incorporate during the offseason.

Finally, last week Gilbert and his staff are conducting a youth camp. This camp is held at their practice field at the high school and involves kids from 6-13. Gilbert said that they learn about all phases of the game, offense, defense and special teams, and that each day's exercises ends with a special event such as the punt, pass and kick, three-cone drill, and the shuttle run, among others.