Published: July 18, 2008 10:41 pm            

No Offseason: A stronger, faster version

Cronan is growing into role as Lion workhorse

larryfleming@daltoncitizen.com

Jarred Cronan is going places these days. Faster.

Cronan, the two-sport star at Christian Heritage School, has taken full advantage of the Lions’ first summer weight program to put on added pounds and drop a few tenths off his 40-yard dash time as CHS prepares for its 2008 Georgia Football League season.

Cronan, who will be a senior in the fall, helped the Lions reach the GFL semifinals in 2007 where they lost to eventual runner-up Georgia Force, 14-9. So, coach Mike Vaden’s Lions are working hard this summer in their bid to reach the GFL championship game.

Vaden said the leadership from the team’s 10 seniors, most in school history, is key to CHS’ success this season.

The extra 10 pounds Cronan has added — that puts him around 175 — and his 4.6 time in the 40 are signs that the running back has committed himself to improving his football skills.

“I’ve grown some, gotten stronger and faster,” the 6-foot-1 Cronan said. “Those arm-tackles that tripped me up last year, I’ll be able to push right through them this season. I can stiff-arm better. I’m a more well-rounded athlete.”

That’s bad news for the Lions’ GFL opponents.

As a junior, Cronan, who also played linebacker and punted, led the Lions in scoring and total yardage. Later in the school year, he played first base and pitched for the Lions’ baseball team.

Vaden already has seen the benefits of the summer conditioning program.

“We’ve been working out three nights a week,” Vaden said. “We purchased the weight equipment this year and set it up where the bleachers are in our gymnasium and went right to work after spring practice. We’ve seen some significant improvements.”

Players were tested at the beginning of June and again near month’s end and the workouts were supervised by assistant coach Terry Gant, who will coach offensive linemen this season. Cronan benched 185 pounds once at the first test, but six times at the second. The team will be tested again on the first day of preseason practice.

“It’s been a fun summer,” Vaden said. “We’re in better shape at this point in the season than we’ve ever been and we’re much stronger than we were when we started spring practice.”

There is more intensive training in CHS’ future. The school has received a $600,000 grant from a foundation in Atlanta to build a new fieldhouse. CHS must raise $300,000 in cash or in kind service toward the construction.

All CHS sports teams will use the facility scheduled to be 8,000 square feet with 2,400 of that devoted to weight room space. It will also include dressing rooms, offices, a laundry room, classroom and exterior storage space. The weight equipment already being used is about two-thirds of what will go into the weight room when construction is completed.

Back on the field, Cronan is one reason the Lions will operate from the veer offense this season after experimenting with it in 2007, although backs Parmelee Ward, Michael Lane and Emery Brown figured into the decision as well. The Lions open the 2008 season on Aug. 30 at home against the Northside Christian Athletics Lions.

Cronan’s already looking forward to that opener. In CHS’ 34-14 win over NCA last season, Cronan scored five touchdowns.

There is another key aspect to Cronan’s contribution to the Lions.

“The thing Jarred provides to our team, more than anything else, is leadership,” Vaden said. “He encourages other players. He’s a hard worker in practice, he leads by example and there’s not a whole lot of talk. He does it with his actions. That’s an excellent characteristic he provides to our younger players.”

Cronan, who arrived at CHS prior to his sophomore season after playing his freshman year at Calhoun High School, is confident he can handle his leadership role.

“I can do it,” said Cronan, 17. “I’m a better athlete than I was last year. I can do a better job on the field, and I’ll lead mostly by example. I play hard, give 100 percent and other guys pick up on that.

CHS baseball coach Noah Stokes is looking for much of the same from Cronan in the spring.

As a junior, Cronan had a home run and triple among his hits but his biggest contribution came on the mound. He was 7-1 with a 1.48 ERA and had 47 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings. He walked only 16.

“Pitching, he won half our games,” Stokes said. “He’s not overpowering, but he’s got a pretty good pitcher’s IQ. We’re going to need him even more this year. We’ve got a chance to go deep in the GISA (Georgia Independent School Association) playoffs and the health of his arm will be key to that.”

Cronan enjoys playing both sports, but admits that football is his favorite. He hopes to play football in college and has interest in Shorter and Carson-Newman.

“I think football is my best sport,” Cronan said. “I believe I can play at the NAIA or Division II level, but I would really like to play in college.”



Daily Citizen sports writer Marty Kirkland contributed to this story.

        

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