It all starts here

Jason Simcoe / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: August 1, 2007

They grouped together at one end of the CCHS track. Some looked sleepy. Some looked nervous.

Everyone looked excited.

One-by-one, 110 Culpeper County High School boys stepped to the line, ready to run sprints in front of the CCHS football coaches. After a long summer, Wednesday was football tryout day.

"(Wednesday) is basically to see what kind of kids we have and where they're at," CCHS coach Gregory Martz said
Throughout the day the athletes worked through a series of drills to give Martz and his coaching staff a chance to see what they're working with. Initially, players can choose what position they want to try out for, but Martz says that is subject to change once the coaching staff has a chance to think about the needs of the team.

Martz's challenge is finding enough roster spots to go around. The team has the equipment to field about 66 players. Since over 100 showed up for Wednesday's tryout, cuts could become a necessary evil.

"We've had periods here where we haven't had to make a cut. Recently we have," Martz said. "Numbers are good, but if you get 80 (defensive backs) out, we obviously can't fit 80 DB's."

After tryouts, Martz and his staff begin the task of filling out the varsity and JV roster. He has more to worry about than improving his 2007 team. He has to keep one eye on the future.

When a younger player is close to varsity level, Martz has to consider the individual's long-term development. Even if a freshman is a capable player, sitting on the varsity bench isn't going to help him improve.

"If they're not going to get a whole lot of playing time varsity-wise, its better to have them play freshman — they get more (repetitions) that way," Martz said.

These early August practices offer another opportunity for the CCHS coaching staff. They're looking for things beyond 40-yard dash times and bench press repetitions. It's here, in the summer heat, that the foundations for a successful season are laid.

"They have to put in the effort and the work," Martz said.

"They have to be attentive. They've got to be paying attention. Anything that's left away from details is going to hurt us in the long run."

The Blue Devils open their season Sept. 7 when they host Orange. Now that Martz has had the opportunity to evaluate his 2007 roster, he's eager start prepping for the season ahead.
"That starts tomorrow," he said Wednesday morning.

Jason Simcoe can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or .