Small numbers, but solid work ethic in Seven Springs
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on August 2, 2012 1:49 PM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek football hit the field this week with a few less bodies than expected.
Head coach Aaron Sanders hopes the Gators hard work in the offseason and their dedication to growing the program can overcome the short sidelines.
"The first day we had about 24 guys come out," Sanders said. "We have a few more today, but we still are in a position where a lot of guys are going to have to be ready to play both sides of the ball."
After presiding over the most productive offseason in the weight room of his tenure with the Gators, Sanders expects his returning players to be up the challenge.
"One thing I can say for this group is that they had a really good summer," Sanders said. "We had some guys make big gains in the weight room and I feel like we are going to be able to show that on the field."
The challenge for the coaches at Spring Creek will be to fit together line units on both offense and defense over the next 15 days. A scrimmage against North Johnston should help Sanders and his staff get a better feel for where the team is on both sides of the ball.
Two of the Gators' top performers from 2011 are back in the mix in the form of quarterback Devonte "Ray Ray" Faison and tailback Tre Hammonds.
"Those two guys are going to have to be leaders on the offensive side," Sanders said. "Ray Ray came in last season during the year and took over at quarterback and did a pretty good job. Tre showed flashes as a freshman of his ability and we hope that we can get even more out of him as a sophomore."
Over the next few days, while the team is limited to helmets only, Sanders and his staff will be focusing on fundamentals. Once the shoulder pads come out next week and live contact begins, the tone of practice will shift to physical matchups and finding players ready to start on Friday nights.
"The guys we have all want to be a part of Spring Creek football," Sanders said. "As a coach, you can work with guys who want to be a part of the program and are willing to work hard every day."