Edgren high school football team is gearing up for its upcoming season

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Russell J. McBride
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Edgren high school football team is gearing up for its upcoming season. This is their second week of two-a-day practices in 90-degree temperature with 90-percent relative humidity.

Practices start with a dynamic warm-up, and then move to multiple drills. Practice includes offensive plays, kicking, punting teams, offence, defense line drills, tackling drill and some unique coordination drills. It also includes "first step, "which is moving to different positions diagonally left to right as they move from the back to the front of the field.

Head Coach Michael Gros, in his third year with the Edgren Eagles, and in his first as the head coach, said he expects varsity squad to do exceptionally well this year.

"We had a tough season last year, winding up with a record of 3-5," Coach Gros said. "I expect us to bounce back and have a good season this year; this can be done with the help of the seniors, who have been given more responsibility as leaders of the team."

The Eagles have 50 players; 24 returning from last year with eight of them being seniors. Eagles coaching staff consists of eight coaches, which some of whom are active-duty and a manager for the 2010 football season.

"We can build off last year's team with the return of last year's players and implementing some changes of plays, both on offense and defense," he added. The Eagles have two main goals this year; defeat the Trojans from Camp Zama twice and get to the championship game. The players know that in order to get to the championship game they must beat Zama, which is why the players want to work on the Zama offense.

Coach Gros told his team to think about their first opponent, Yokota Panthers, whom they'll play Aug. 27 at Edgren football field. "We just need to take one game at a time said Coach Gros," then we can start a game plan for the Trojans."