7-on-7 competitions in the summer months don’t count in a football team’s record at the end of the year, for sure. Success in such games might not even equal success during the season.

But for Isabella, a team that has won three out of the four camps in which it has participated, 7-on-7 is definitely meaningful.

“I think it gives [the players] a little bit of confidence, knowing that whether it’s 7-on-7 or not, that we can compete with these teams and win,” Isabella coach Lanny Jones said.

The Mustangs’ latest 7-on-7 title came at Holy Spirit. This one might have been especially important because Isabella will play at some point in the future four of the five teams that participated in the camp. Isabella will face Brookwood and Northside in a jamboree on Aug. 21, and both American Christian and Shades Mountain Christian are Class 2A, Region 4 opponents.

Jones said his team has had to work hard in practice and to develop a frame of mind conducive to competitive success.

“If it just came, we would have won last year,” he said.

Next, the Mustangs will travel to Tishomingo, Miss., from Aug. 3-7 for their team camp. Aug. 4 marks the first day state high school teams can begin fall practice.

Jones, in his second year, said he sees a different attitude from his team this time around heading into the camp. That will allow the coaches to spend more time installing new schemes.

“We’re going to add some new stuff, some stuff that we weren’t ready for last year,” Jones said.

The camp won’t be any less physically demanding, though. Jones said the biggest reason his team has had success in 7-on-7 could be its conditioning.

“I think the guys are ready,” he said.