When are successful football teams made? Try during the months of January, February and March if you are looking for the correct answer.
While that time frame may seem odd to some, for those who truly understand the sport, success is earned during that time.
Just take the Apalachee High School football program as a prime example. The Wildcats won yet another state weightlifting title Saturday. In fact, AHS won two state trophies, capturing not only the AAAA one but also the All-Classification honor.
Shane Davis will tell you there are some things in football coaches cannot control. However, one thing Davis knows he can control is how hard — and how much — his team works in the weightroom. It’s where champions are made. The Wildcats know something about that as they captured the Region 8-AAAA title with a perfect regular season in 2009. By the time all was said and done, AHS had advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs, making school history each step of the way.
While large crowds showed last fall during the team’s historic season, the large crowds aren’t there when the players are working, sweating and pumping iron. It takes an inner dedication to push yourself when no one is there cheering you on. It’s a level of dedication the AHS athletes have shown they have, year in and year out.
“You may not always be the most talented team on the field,” Davis said. “However, you control whether you are the strongest. We push these weightlifting competitions for a number of reasons. It gives the players something to work toward during the long offseason and it also helps them reach our goal of being the strongest team on the field each Friday night. Games are certainly won in the weightroom.”
Since arriving at AHS several years ago, Davis has made it a point of emphasis for his athletes to excel in weightraining. He firmly believes the program’s success through the years (four consecutive trips to the playoffs) can be traced back to the grueling work done during the offseason.
As much success as the Wildcats enjoyed last fall, Davis knows the 2010 team cannot use those accomplishments as a way of winning games. It will take more hard work, more dedication and more sacrifice to get the job done when the new season rolls around.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people who follow football don’t fully understand the importance of offseason work. They think you just practice during the season and show up on Friday night and win.
Oh, if it were only that simple.
Davis understands, however. He understands better than most that’s for sure. Success is gained in the cold, dreary months of January, February and March. The work that is not seen by fans, or even parents, is what is required to be successful.
How will AHS do when the 2010 season arrives in a few more months? Only time will tell. However, work has already begun at a time when most minds are not on the Friday Night Lights. It’s a successful formula Davis has with his Wildcats. A formula which shows why he has become one of the top football coaches in this state.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
