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In the week before the season opener at Wetumpka, football coach Bear Woods’ message to his players is clear: Every step, every repetition on the practice field is taken with the intent to beat Beauregard on Aug. 22. If the Indians take one step without that purpose, it will be fixed. 

That clear message is part of a deep-seated culture at Wetumpka centered around its “one tribe” mentality. Ask Woods, and he’ll tell you it all starts with the players.

“I don’t necessarily need a buy-in out there,” Woods said. “Either you’re there or you’re not. And that’s why we just have a really good culture right now, and the kids created it, you know, I’m just facilitating.”

In these first practices with the pads in the sweltering early August heat, the Indians are striving to be contenders for the Region championship, and no less. With his roster and coaching staff, Woods believes in his football team more than anything. 

“The guys are ready,” he said. “We work hard. We really do work hard. We pride ourselves on explaining to the guys what we’re doing, rather than just yelling and running, and that’s a fine way to coach. That’s how I was coached. But there’s a thoughtful explanation of why we’re doing it.” 

That means hard work and dedication in every aspect of the game, including in the weight room, in team meetings, film sessions as well as on the practice field. Wetumpka’s coaches are just as dedicated as the players themselves, pushing their kids to get the best performance possible, because they believe in the system Woods has facilitated thus far. 

For every Indian that steps onto the field in gold and black, it all goes back to heart, humility, effort, attitude, reliability and toughness. If a player can show up with those five things, they can become a part of the culture; they can win the moment at Wetumpka.