Spring Football: Choctaw begins learning process
By TRAVIS DOWNEY
travisd@nwfdailynews.com
FORT WALTON BEACH - Robby Keefe spent much of Thursday paying particularly close attention to the hands on the closest clock nearby.
From the time Keefe first stepped onto the Choctawhatchee campus until the final bell finally sounded, his mind was set solely on one thing and one thing only - football.
"In school today you could tell it was the first day of spring practice," Keefe said. "All the players were excited today."
Meanwhile, first-year Indians head coach Greg Thomas shared his players' anticipation to at long last step out onto the Choctaw practice fields.
"I was excited," said Thomas, who arrives at Choctaw after guiding Greenville-Rose (N.C.) to four straight Class 4A state titles from 2003-2006.
"You have to be excited by now," added Thomas. "Your kids, you're coaching for them. You're trying to be a leader for them and you have to be just as excited about it as they are; that's what coaching is about."
Choctaw worked out for just over 2 ½ hours on Thursday, the first day high schools across the state could officially begin spring football.
For Thomas, the days and weeks between now and the Indians' spring scrimmage with Fort Walton Beach on May 29 will be spent not only implementing new offensive and defensive systems but also trying to put players - many of whom he is still learning their individual strengths and weaknesses - in the proper position.
"We lost a lot of talented players from last year from what I've seen, but our kids have been tremendous in their work ethic," Thomas said.
Having already spent the past four months working under Thomas in the Indians' weight room, Keefe said it was clear with Thursday's practice that he and his teammates had ushered in a new era in Choctaw football.
"It's different," Keefe said. "A lot different. Better."
"I think the players have connected to him," Keefe added. "Everybody is on-board and in the boat."
Those players remained on-board and in high spirits even after a marathon ending to Day 1.
In a period dubbed "County Fair," Thomas split the team into six different groups and proceeded to rotate the groups through six different agility drills, each designed to test the players' mental and physical toughness.
The Indians passed the test.
"The kids had great effort and great attitude," Thomas said. "I think everybody enjoyed getting out there."
Much of Thursday's practice was spent with Thomas and the rest of the Choctaw coaching staff stressing the fundamentals, from how to properly align in the huddle to breaking down the exchange between quarterback and center.
"It's repetition," Thomas said. "We have to get them the best they can be. It's going to take time, especially at the quarterback position because there is so much going on, but we're excited about it.
"It's going to be a lot of fun."
