Pioneers wrap up first week of drills
Through their first week of full-team practices, new Pioneer head football coach Chris Madewell describes his team as hard-working, in fairly decent physical condition, and eager to begin working in full gear this week.
The Pioneers worked out in shorts and helmets throughout the past week, going from 3 p.m. until around 5 p.m. each day as they concentrated on reviewing what they had already been taught during spring drills and summer 7-on-7 workouts.
“We spent most of the time refreshing what we’d already learned,” Madewell said of the past week’s work. “We had almost our whole offensive system installed in the spring, so we just put in a few plays, and on defense we focused on refreshing different schemes. Without the pads on you of course can’t have any contact drills, so the first week was mainly about focusing on technique.”
The WCHS squad, which Madewell said has already grown somewhat and is expected to number in the 30’s this week, will begin a short period of “two-a-days” in full gear Monday morning.
With school beginning just around the corner, and a scrimmage set for Aug. 6, Madewell noted his team will have just four actual days of two-a-day practices. But with a lighter than usual number of players, he said the extra repetitions that will provide his players should make up for the short schedule.
“We’re still not that deep,” he said, “but even with the low numbers I think if we can keep from having two many injuries, we can be competitive.”
The first-year head coach also said he was pleased with the overall physical condition of this year’s players.
“We had some good workouts this summer, and I’d say about 75 percent of the team is already close to, if not at, what I’d call ‘game shape,'” he said. “We’ve had some good weather, so we’ve gotten plenty of work in, and they’re definitely excited about being able to come out in full pads.”
The Pioneers’ attitude heading into drills was described as very positive, a fact Madewell attributes to finding some success during their summer practice schedule.
“They’re excited about being here, and I think that after having some success this summer in 7-on-7, that’s given them more confidence than I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” he said. “The boys don’t seem to be dreading coming out here, they’re actually cutting up and enjoying themselves.”
The Pioneers will scrimmage Grundy County Friday morning, where they will be reunited with former coach Gerald Tidwell, who is now an assistant with the Yellow Jackets. They also have scrimmages scheduled for Aug. 13 against Murfreesboro Siegel, and for Aug. 15 against Sequatchie County.