Mike Hastings and his associates are in the process of a major remodel job in Point Loma. But Hastings is not an architect and doesn’t own a construction company. He is Point Loma High School’s (PLHS) successful head football coach. As he must do every summer, Hastings and his legion of talented assistants are laying the foundation for what they hope will be another Western League championship team in the fall. This month’s graduation took its usual toll of skilled players who had matured through the meticulous planning and coaching that has carried the Pointers to three CIF championship matches at Qualcomm Stadium in the last five years — an accomplishment only dreamed about by most coaches in the county. And that is no accident. Hastings works year-round to teach leadership skills and help his players become the quality young men he envisions. He and his hard-working group of assistants have developed a vision of excellence and effective ways to communicate it to more than 100 teens who turn out annually in hopes of wearing the maroon and gold into battle at the varsity, junior varsity and freshman levels. The expectations of PLHS football players are clear. They begin with many hours of goal-driven weight lifting and physical preparation while learning the team’s offense and defense. But Hastings also demands that his players be good students in the classroom, helpful sons at home and that they serve as positive role models on campus and in the community. Many of his charges had that opportunity last week as they worked with local youth in a “Little Pointer Football Camp,” a skills workshop for kids who dream of someday playing Pointer football. And this year, the Pointers are hosting a multi-team “passing league,” in which other high schools square off in seven-on-seven competition — without pads — to work on their passing games and defense. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 16 through July 14, teams meet on Bennie Edens Field. Only quarterbacks, backs and receivers play offense, while linebackers and defensive backs make up the defense. On a recent Tuesday, the Pointers sent their units against Mission Bay, La Costa Canyon and Horizon Christian high schools. The field was divided in half, allowing all four schools to play at once. Games were 40 running minutes against each opponent, split between offense and defense. There are no referees and no score is kept, but play is intense and school pride evident. Action begins at 4:30 p.m. and runs until 6:30. The public can observe from the stands. “We schedule a variety of schools, big and small,” Hastings said. “We have a good venue and a lot of East County teams want to get out of the heat and come here.” The passing league is a win-win for both coaches and players. “We can work on our timing and running routes properly,” Hastings said. “The quarterbacks get a lot of repetitions and defensively we can work on some new schemes from a coverage standpoint.” Coaches from the four schools scurried from player to player, praising some while reinforcing assignments and pointing out errors to others. “It’s kind of fun,” Hastings said. “We get to experiment and tinker around. When the pads go on (in August) we get to play real football again.” While school was still in session, players attended spring practice, lasting 2.5 hours every day after classes. This series of drills ended with an annual “Maroon & Gold” game on June 7 and a pizza meal provided by the team’s boosters. Exactly one week later, on the first day of summer vacation, Pointer players and coaches  returned to Bennie Edens Field for five weeks of “TAC” (training and conditioning). Every drill and exercise is carefully designed to advance the team’s readiness for fall battles. Then, on July 15, varsity players depart by bus for a weekend retreat in Big Bear, where Hastings oversees activities that strengthen bonds between teammates that could prove critical during competition. Players also set goals for each game and the season while enjoying the mountain air and lots of food. CIF rules mandate a “no-contact time” for players and coaches from July 18 until players report for the 2011 season on Aug. 9. Two-a-day practices run Aug. 11-19 and the varsity and junior varsity will scrimmage at Mission Hills High School (San Marcos) on Aug. 25. JV begins at 4 p.m. with varsity following at 6 p.m. A freshman scrimmage is set for Aug. 26. Details are not yet finalized. The season opens Sept. 1 with a 3:30 p.m.freshman game at Orange Glen High School in Escondido. The next day, also an away game, a doubleheader matches the JV teams at 4 p.m. while the varsity teams square off at 7 p.m. Hastings and his assistants will continue to build, adjust and evaluate their work until another football season ends in December.