It doesn’t matter what level you play; football is a grind. It demands precision and focus, which should be reflected in every snap in game and in practice. Elmore County had their first few days of official practice last week, adding pads to the mix.
They start early in the morning with a team warm-up and then hit the weight room.
“(The guys look) pretty good,” coach Kyle Caldwell said. “We were able to get out here before it got really hot. We were able to manage the heat and take care of (our players), but also push them where they know that limit is. They know they have to get better, physically and mentally.”
Football is a mental game as much as a physical one. If a team has one but not the other, that could potentially cost them a game when it comes down to the wire. By demanding the best from every player, regardless of how many snaps they might see in a game or over the course of the season, Caldwell is preparing his team to maintain the level of effort and intensity required to win a close game.
“That’s kind of been our obstacle towards the end of the season,” Caldwell said. “Some of the big games we’ve lost comes down to how far (the guys) can push themselves physically and mentally that their bodies are going to allow them to do it for themselves. They’re trying to figure that out, this (conditioning) definitely helps.”
The preparation to play through physical and mental exhaustion is a key factor for a football program like Elmore County that is on the smaller side of Class 5A.
“It’s a lot more mental than physical,” Caldwell said. “You can have a timer, but finishing is the main thing. But, they’ll be thankful for it (during the season).”
Caldwell recalls a game a few years ago, one of the first of the season.
“We had some guys who didn’t push themselves in summer practices and fall camp,” he said. “They got out there that first week and they were exhausted after halftime. So being able to play for four quarters early (in the season) is important, especially when you don’t have a lot of depth.”
The first game of the season is only a few weeks away and approaching quickly. Caldwell plans to make sure his Panthers are ready to push through the mental and physical challenges once they take the field under those bright Friday night lights.
