Starting their season off earlier than ever, the Timber Creek football team hopes to further their progress after seeing the program’s positive results within the previous two seasons. With a shortened break and high expectations for this upcoming year, the team has been training all throughout the summer, developing key players and helping build upon the fundamentals of the team. For coaches like Kevin Golden, the shortened break isn’t viewed as a hindrance, but a small obstacle to overcome in order to pursue a favorable season.
“[Starting school early] complicated things at first, but then after we started [training] it [helped get] us back into the flow quicker,” Golden said. “I think it worked out fine; we didn’t have to compromise practice and we still got in all the work [that we needed to], so I think we’ll be in good shape.”
With their first home game of this year against Nimitz High School on Sept. 2 at 11 a.m., the team hopes to see even more progress as they enter the new football season. The game was previously scheduled for that Saturday night at 7 p.m., but was moved to the morning as a convenience to the coaches as they usually spend the weekend in preparation for the next week.
“The coaches work Saturday and Sunday, preparing for the next opponent and getting a game plan ready for the guys on Monday,” Golden said. “Since we have a Saturday game, [our weekend is disrupted], you don’t have any stats or film to look at [until later], so we’ll work some on Friday and go scout the other team. [The schedule change] gives us a little more time to do that.”
Using the same training plan as they have for the previous two years, the coaches have pushed these student-athletes to further their strengths and potential, only tweaking the program in minor ways. With key players such Erik Ezukanma and upcoming athletes like Blake Irving, Gage Haskin and Dylan Mccary as well as several key defensemen, Golden expects to see big contribution from them as they earn more playing experience. Training both in their off time as well as throughout the season, the team as a whole sets the standards for their season, setting goals that they can achieve.
“In the season, it’s all about the team…in the off season, it’s more about the player,” said Golden. “We set goals for them for lifting, running, speed and agility depending on what position they play. We try to make [these goals] realistic; a guy has to see where he fits in the scheme of things. There’s goals that you can control, and there’s goals that you can’t control [that] are wishes. Everyone can control their effort and how hard they go at practice. We want to compete for district championship, [we want] to play in December, and we want to get more GFB’s. Those are things you work for…those are result oriented, so hopefully the controllable [goals] will get us through.”
Timber Creek Sports Network will broadcast the Sept. 2 game via NFHS Network and TCFM.
Click here to watch the game with video and audio commentary.