Cougars Continue Practice
The Piedmont Academy football team continued its march toward the 2006 season opener in recent days with productive practices, according to head coach Danny Camp.
The Cougars, who open the new season Sept. 1 at Nathanael Greene in Siloam, are preparing this week for a controlled scrimmage against Edmund Burke. Piedmont will host the preseason workout Friday at 7 p.m.
“Practice has been going well,” Camp said Tuesday. “We are getting a good effort from the players. School started this week so we have been dealing with that. It will probably take us a couple of weeks to get into a normal routine, but overall things are progressing well.”
His team’s seven seniors, who are showing strong leadership to the underclassmen, have also impressed Camp.
“We are getting the leadership we need,” the coach said. “We have some players who are vocal leaders.”
Camp said this Friday’s controlled scrimmage would be good for his players, who are looking forward to lining up against a different opponent.
Following this week’s scrimmage, the Cougars will have three additional practices before getting a stern preseason test against state power Brentwood next Thursday in a jamboree to be played at John Hancock Academy in Sparta at 8 p.m.
“At this point, I would say our summer workouts have really helped us,” Camp said. “We really got stronger this summer and in solid shape. The heat hasn’t been an issue for us.”
The coach also noted the timing of the offense has been much better during preseason this summer.
“Last year we got a taste of winning,” Camp said. “Our players want to experience more success. To win a championship is everyone’s goal and it is certainly ours.”
Piedmont, like most teams this time of the year, is battling some injuries and even some sickness among players. That allows younger players the chance to get more experience in practice and shows them they have to be ready when called upon during games.
“We are having to move some players around and put some others players in at certain positions,” Camp said. “We want all of our players to be prepared to step in at any time.”