MN All-Star Game to Feature Minnetonka Coach, Player

The 2011 Minnesota High-School football season won’t begin until mid-August, but for Minnetonka head coach Dave Nelson, the coaching season is already underway.

Nelson will be roaming the sidelines in the 38th annual Minnesota High School All-Star football game, Saturday, as head coach of the South All-Stars.

Nelson—who served as an assistant coach in the 1987 All-Star game—was picked to coach the South squad by the All-Star committee of the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.

“I’m really honored and excited about the opportunity,” said Nelson.

Adding to the excitement of this year’s contest is the new location—The University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank stadium. Previous sites have included Parade Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Macalester College, and most recently, St. Cloud State University.

“It will be a great thrill for all of the players,” said Nelson of the new site. “It gives the game credibility.”

The change in venue is not the only change 2011 will bring to the All-Star contest. The traditional “Metro” versus “Non-Metro” format has been changed to a North All-Stars versus South-All stars format for the first time since 1979. Now players from suburbs such as Minnetonka will team up with peers from all over the state.

While Division I bound athletes won’t participate in the game due to summer-school enrollment, a common process with Division I programs, the game will still feature Minnesota’s premier prep football players. Thirteen Minnesota All-State First-Team members will participate in the contest, as well as the 2010 Minnesota player of the year—Reggie Gandy of De La Salle.

“It’s an opportunity for us to showcase some of the best players in the state of Minnesota,” said Nelson.

Nelson knows first-hand, as the South roster boasts one of his own players, Minnetonka’s Josh Colville, a Second-Team All-State selection at offensive guard.

Colville—who’s bound for North Dakota State University on a football scholarship—has spent the past week on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College with his fellow All-Stars, participating in the traditional week-long all-star training camp.

“It’s been a nice conclusion to high-school football,” said Colville of the all-star experience. “It’s fun to stack up against the other top high-school players in the state.”

And while it’s been an enjoyable week by all accounts, both Nelson and Colville emphasized that a win for the South All-Stars would be the week’s ultimate culmination.

“We want our players to have a fun week and we want to win the game,” said Nelson. “At the end of the day, we want our kids to say it was a great experience.”