Before, rising football players had to train on their own and wait until mid July to start training with their team. But now players are working with their coaches as early as May to get in shape for the coming fall season. After a shaky season, coaches and players are ready to get back out on the field and improve, in hopes of getting far in the season and becoming District Champions next year. This year’s season was not what anybody wanted, so these extra practices are made to give the players more time to work on their skill, strength and endurance needed for football. The extra practices the players are  enduring will last through May, the summer, and will carry into the season.

Players are both anxious and excited for the upcoming practices. “I’m scared for the green days, but I want to get better so I just have to go out there and give it my all,” junior Hawar Yousif said.

Green days are practices that sports teams hold before the start of each season to get extra practices. Even before some spring sports had finished, the rising football players were doing drills on the field near the track. It is obvious that the workouts have been getting harder as coaches are trying to find players that will  hopefully become their new star player.

“Our workouts are specific football workouts, there’s lots of strength stuff,” assistant coach Ron Abrigo said. “The workouts test a players mental and physical strength. It’s all about how you work alone and with the team.”

This year, many key seniors are leaving, including Ali Musa, Tony Hysjulien, and Adam Wattenburger, along with many others.

Since so many senior players are leaving, it also gives underclassmen and freshmen a chance to make varsity and get more playing time in games.

Workouts are expected to be harder, and the blazing hot summer sun is not going to help the players. Despite this, players are willing to do anything  to get better and maybe even lead the team up to Districts.

“This year, I’m hoping to get better because of the green days, it’s going to be hard but if it makes me a better player, I’ll do it,” junior Hari Mizouri said.

No matter how much they want to get better, some students dread the extra practices because it takes away from their summer plans.

They also have to spend long hours in the sun wearing pads and helmets while running tough drills, and that is definitely not something that students think of or hope for when they think of their summer vactions. Another factor is the fact that players need to eat right in order to stay in shape along with their workouts. That means they can’t eat whatever they want like most people do over the summer; they have to stay on a strict diet to keep in shape for the upcoming season.

For the new year, coaches are looking for players who have heart and can endure many things. Since the practices are long and require a lot of work with minimal water breaks, the players need to be able to handle it. They also want players who are reliable and play multiple sports. Keeping grades up is a key factor in being a succesful athlete, and coaches want players that can manage football and schooling equally.

Along with the rising players that have made junior varsity or varsity in years before, coaches are also looking forward to the rising freshman class hoping for new players that will be willing to give it their all this season. With a lot of hard work and long pracices, they hope to make it to districts and make it even farther.

“The main thing I want is to have a good season and make it far,” Yousif said. “That’s what matters the most.”