For a school as football-focused as Dripping Springs, athletes are practicing at all times of the year- especially now. The off-season is a prime opportunity for athletes to work on skill development, ranging from offense to defense. The football team is practicing together every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm during eighth period.
The practice begins in the locker room, where players dress out in soft shell helmets and either a maroon or white jersey: maroon for defense and white for offense. Afterward, they line up along the hallway of the fieldhouse for attendance. Though the space is cramped, they quickly drop to the floor to do push-ups at the sound of Coach Zimmerman’s whistle before moving on. This is a routine part of their practice, keeping the athletes disciplined.
After the roll call, the players head outside to start warming up. Warmups consist of dynamic plyometric stretches going from either sideline of the field. Once that is done the players break off into their position groups to work on drills specific to their place on the field.
The coaches play a crucial role during this part of the practice, breaking down and explaining each drill and paying extra attention to the player’s technique. Each drill practiced is intentional and mirrors real-game situations.
Towards the end of practice, the team splits up between Varsity and JV and runs through plays. This is when the players get to practice as if they were mid-game, a great opportunity to showcase improvement. By 4:15, the boys are back in the locker room, rushing to get home.
The off-season at DSHS is all about building a foundation for the upcoming season. There is much more training to come for these athletes this summer, creating smarter and stronger athletes. Catch them playing at Tiger stadium this upcoming fall season.