Workouts keep players conditioned
Published 7:56 pm Monday, June 6, 2011
Selma High School’s Rodney Houser hits the bench Monday to build upper body strength for the upcoming season. Saints players will hit the weights and run throughout the summer to stay in shape. -- Chris Wasson
In the sweltering heat, the Selma High School Saints are already preparing for the cooler months of the fall.
Summer workouts for the Saints began Monday at 5 p.m. to great turnout while getting ready for the next football team.
“It’s very important,” Selma head coach Leroy Miles said. “You have to be in condition for the fall, and this is how we can take care of that.”
Miles’ team will work four days a week, both in the weight room and on the practice field, running and lifting weights to get to the fitness level they need to be at for the long season, in which the Saints hope to make their second consecutive playoff appearance under Miles.
“We have to maintain what we have done in the spring,” Miles said. “We have worked hard with the team to get to where we are now, and you can’t lose that. That’s what the summer is for, to stay in shape and hopefully get a little faster and stronger in the process.”
The short time working together also provides a chance for the younger players to continue learning during the summer months, instead of losing everything that they learned during the spring.
“It’s good for them,” Miles said. “It’s easy to lose sight of what we taught them, but this way they can keep up.”
The Saints aren’t the only team this weekend that will begin their workouts.
Today will see the Trojans of Meadowview Christian begin their preparations as well.
“In order to be a good athlete and football player, you have to train almost year-round now,” Trojans head football coach John Glasscock said. “During the summer you are building strength, endurance and speed because you can’t do it during the fall. You have to get ready now to prepare yourself for that.”
Glasscock said his team would work out three days a week at the school, in an effort to give players a bit of time to enjoy the summer.
“They are kids, so we want to give them the summertime to enjoy themselves at least a little bit,” Glasscock said. “But we are going to work this summer; it’s what you have to do if you want to succeed in the fall.”
