Eagles shaping up nicely
Barry Faulkner
COSTA MESA - Most high school football coaches disdain the annual
three-day conditioning period which precedes the first practice in full
pads. So, imagine Estancia High head man Dave Perkins’ consternation when
it took more than a month for his players to get into football shape last
fall.
“We weren’t in shape until Game 3 of 4 last year,” said Perkins, who has
no such worries entering his second season with the Eagles.
“We made it a point this year to condition in the spring and summer and
have the kids do their own thing (during the annual dead period prior to
the start of practice), so they’d be in shape from the start. When they
came back (Monday), we had them run up and down a hill (on Placentia
Avenue) three times, without stopping, within a certain time to test
their conditioning. Every kid made it but two. We had a sign at the
bottom which read ‘The road to CIF starts here,’ ”
With only two having exceeded their allotted time, 42 of Perkins’ second
Estancia edition beat the stopwatch. This will enable Perkins and his
overhauled staff of assistants (only Jeremy Osso returns from last
season) to concentrate on more than aerobics as they prepare for the
Sept. 10 opener against Magnolia at Newport Harbor High.
Furthermore, Perkins believes the Eagles will be ahead of the competition
when they debut in full gear today. They aleady practiced and scrimmaged
in pads during a full-contact summer camp in June at Fresno State.
“Typically, the kids have to adjust to wearing helmets,” Perkins said.
“They complain that they can’t see the ball. But since they’ve already
worn full pads in the summer, we didn’t get that the first three days
(when helmets are allowed with T-shirts and shorts). And we don’t expect
as big of an adjustment when they put on the pads (today).”
The Eagles will continue to buck tradition by practicing just once a day,
a preference Perkins has maintained for most of his 18 seasons as a prep
head coach. Workouts, which include weightlifting, begin at 2 p.m. and
continue till as late as 8.
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