There are some familiar faces in new places among the varsity football coaches in Spotsylvania County, but one constant remains.
While four of the five coaches in the county have held their positions for two or fewer seasons, Courtland head coach J.C. Hall is entering his 23rd year at the helm.
Hall emphasized the number of quality coaches and premier athletes he’s worked with over the years when reflecting on his tenure with the Cougars.
“A lot of people have been loyal to the program and Courtland’s philosophy, and a great deal of lives have been transformed,” Hall said.
Hall’s relationship with his alma mater gives him a feeling of honor, privilege, and accomplishment. He said his philosophy is focused on his players because “when you stay somewhere this long, you will see coaches come and go.”
Hall and the Cougars are in full preparation for the upcoming season as they look to build on a 7-4 2025 campaign that ended with a 26-7 loss to King George in the first round of the Region 4B playoffs.
In earlier years, Hall conducted “two a days” in the summer, with the upperclassmen in the morning and freshmen in the evening. But in recent years, he shifted to one daily session uniting all players from freshmen to seniors.
“I’m trying to get freshmen involved and comfortable,” Hall said. “I think they can learn from the upperclassmen. High school football is new to freshmen, and this way they will have the opportunity for peer-level learning and encouragement.”
The Cougars practice from 6–8 p.m., spending 45 minutes in the weight room and the remaining time on the field learning fundamentals.
Press the Issue
A free youth camp will be held June 28 for children in grades 3-8 at the Fredericksburg Christian Elite Complex, located at 10200 Elite Street. Indiana University wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, a Colonial Forge graduate, and Hoosiers’ linebacker Aiden Fisher, a Riverbend graduate, will teach skills at the one-day event, which is called the 4:13 Youth Football Camp. To register, follow this link.
Despite his longevity, Hall said he still feels like he’s in his honeymoon phase at Courtland. He’s been around so long that he’s now coaching against his former players. Spotsylvania’s first-year head coach Vern Lunsford — who helped end Hall’s season a year ago when he was the head coach at King George — was Hall’s junior varsity quarterback in 2001.
Lunsford, a 2004 Spotsylvania graduate, spent seven years guiding the Foxes (and winning five straight Battlefield District titles) before returning to his alma mater.
“It was a great run during those years, but this move was good for my family,” Lunsford said of leaving King George. “And it allows me to coach at the school I graduated from.”
Spotsylvania’s summer camp is being held from 5–7 p.m. Lunsford said the Knights are making progress, as players arrived with positive attitudes and a strong work ethic.
“We are just looking for ways to grow and gain edges where we can right now,” he said.
Both as a player and as a coach, Lunsford said he’s learned that valuable life lessons can be taught at camp in addition to strengthening football skills.
“This is an exciting time of the year for the athletes and coaches,” Lunsford said. “Football is pretty much year-round now, and a lot of the kids are also doing college prospect camps during June.”
Lunsford is far from the only brand-new coach in the county. Chancellor hired former Culpeper High School and Averett University standout Adwela Dawes this past February. For Dawes, his summer camp is about teaching fundamentals and building mental toughness.
Dawes, who has international coaching experience in Australia, believes that his time overseas equipped him to work with a diverse group of players and their families.
“During the summer, some kids will go from the bottom to the top, especially those that choose to attend non-mandatory workouts,” Dawes said. “A lot of coaching opportunities also happen in the summer, and for me and my staff, it will give us balance.”
Dawes said he advocates for players to attend college prospect camps — but not at the expense of team commitments. He said missing summer camp is understandable for various reasons, including playing another sport. But he stressed that players should understand they can improve under their high school coaches.
“It’s a stronger relationship and there is more time for critiquing compared to a couple hundred players at a camp,” Dawes said. “Most importantly, I want my seniors to end high school with a great senior year.”
Since the school year ended more than two weeks ago, the Chargers have participated in prep 7-on-7 contests at Colonial Forge, Stafford, and Gar-Field. They’ve also competed against private school St. Michael the Archangel.
At Massaponax High, head coach Shane Ludden is entering his second season after replacing his father Eric Ludden, who directed the program from 1998-2023. Ludden is conducting summer camp Mondays through Thursdays from 8-10 a.m. The Panthers are focused on weightlifting and speed and agility drills.
Three weeks prior to the summer camp, Ludden and his staff installed offensive and defensive plays for the upcoming season.
“It’s all about getting physically ready,” Ludden said. “From what I see, successful teams are built in the offseason.”
Ludden looks to see his core players working together and demonstrating leadership, which they’ve done since January.
“They have been holding each other accountable and displaying a great work ethic so far,” he said.
This summer, Ludden will take his players to his alma mater, Ferrum College, for a three-day camp.
