OPENING DAY: Brooks gives 2016 team motto to live by

By Ben Coley
Published in Sports on August 2, 2016 1:48 PM

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bcoley@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- As the C.B. Aycock football players broke their huddles Monday morning, the united chant of "1-2-3-Dream!" could be heard from across the practice field.

It's a tune that Aycock head coach Steve Brooks has been pushing all offseason. And on the first day of practice, it was time for the young Golden Falcons to start turning dreams into reality.

Senior lineman Zack Mott said that the team looked good overall and that the opening practice was mostly dedicated to learning the small, precise details.

"As we were out there, it was a lot of just sitting and taking in everything that they were teaching us so that we could come out later in the week and know everything," Mott said.

At the beginning of practice, the players had to complete a mile test. The test was comprised of four laps around the track, and they had to be completed in no more than 10 minutes -- a reality check in its own respect.

Mott, to his credit, set a personal best in the early-morning time trial.

Brooks said that he observed plenty of excitement during practice and that the team came more prepared and in better shape compared to previous seasons.

"I liked our attitude initially," Brooks said. "I think it was just getting back into the swing of things, and I think going at a little bit faster tempo kind of caught them off guard once we got done with the conditioning. But I think overall it was a good day."

For the rest of the week, the fourth-year head coach said he wants to sure up the depth charts, get the special teams unit in order and find more playmakers.

And throughout the whole process, the Golden Falcons will be inching toward what they hope to be a dream season.

"Coach Brooks came up with our own little motto this year, saying 'dream the dream'," Mott said. "He said we've always been talking about winning conference championships. And this year, he's pushed the saying 'dream the dream' as saying, do the things you've been talking about."

The Golden Falcons will play host to a four-team jamboree on Aug. 10 that includes Union, perennial 2-A power Ayden-Grifton and North Johnston.