By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
The first official practice of the 2026 football season might still be ahead, but for Saugatuck coach Bill Dunn and his players, the preparation for that season is already well underway.
Players in grades 7-12 recently took part in the Saugatuck football program’s annual summer camp, giving players and coaches an opportunity to get a head start before the season officially gets underway.
And that idea of preparation is no accident.
In fact, the camp’s annual motto is a simple one: “Preparation is the Key to Success.”
“The purpose of the camp is to get a head start on the season,” Dunn said. “The goal is to improve technical skills and knowledge, and to improve athletic performance in order to build confidence as a player and as a team.”
While developing those skills is an important part of the camp, Dunn said this year’s turnout was one of the things that stood out most to him.
Players from throughout the program—from the middle school level through the varsity level—took part.
“Participation at all three levels of our program, grades 7-12,” Dunn said when asked what impressed him about this year’s camp. “The number of kids attending was outstanding for the middle school and high school levels.”
Just as important to Dunn was what he saw from the players at the other end of the age spectrum.
“The seniors demonstrated excellent leadership skills, which is so important to the success of the program from year to year,” he said.
That interaction between the younger and older players is one of the benefits of bringing the entire program together.
For the younger players, it provides an opportunity to learn not only from the coaching staff, but also from the older players they will eventually follow through the program. For the high school players, meanwhile, the camp provides a chance to continue developing as a team before the start of official practices.
“It’s a great way to develop a rapport with the kids prior to the start of the season, build trust and confidence as a team, for the younger kids to co-mingle with the older kids as role models, bond as a team, and to establish the expectations for the season,” Dunn said.
Those are concepts Dunn has seen play an important role during his more than two decades leading the Saugatuck program.
Dunn took over the program in 2003 and has since guided Saugatuck to numerous playoff appearances, including trips to the state championship game in 2010 and 2017.
So when Dunn talks about preparation and building a program from the younger levels up, those ideas have been developed through years of experience.
And while wins and losses will ultimately determine how the upcoming season is remembered, Dunn said the summer camp is about putting some of the building blocks in place well before the first game is played.
That includes learning the system.
“First, it’s a great opportunity to share time together and build camaraderie as a team,” Dunn said of his favorite aspects of the camp. “Plus, the educational side, whether you are an experienced player or a first-year player, teaching and learning the system is a key to our success.”
The camp also provided Saugatuck with an opportunity to begin turning the page from last season.
The Trailblazers finished 3-6 in 2025, navigating a season in which roster numbers and injuries presented challenges.
A new season, however, brings a fresh start. And before Saugatuck can concern itself with what happens on Friday nights this fall, Dunn wants his players to put in the work that comes first.
Judging by what he saw at camp, Dunn was pleased with that part of the process.
“It was a great week of energy and effort at camp this week,” he said. “Lots of learning and growth prior to the start of the season.”
