July 10, 2012

Ed Redmond calls it a "work in progress."

The new Western Albemarle head coach isn't completely settled in after his move from Ithaca, New York to Crozet, but the veteran coach says he has plenty of time to get his team prepared for the start of the season.

The Warriors were on the practice field Tuesday night for an optional player practice. There were a number of players missing but the Warriors expect a full house in a few weeks.

"I''ve enjoyed it a lot," rising junior quarterback Kent Henry said of the practices. "We got a lot more kids out here than last year. We still have a few more that can show up. I'll get on their case. But it's going to be a good year."

The optional practices are a vital part of the new coach getting accustomed to his players and vice versa.

Redmond believes once that bond is firm, the Warriors have a good chance of making a fourth straight Region II playoff appearance.

"When they get used to me, I think that's the biggest thing, if they get used to me," Redmond said. "And you have to develop a trust between player and coach, and then you have to develop a trust between players and then once you start getting that going, that's when you see your program take off."

The players themselves have noticed a progression from the first workout under Redmond back in June.

"Well we've come a long way from Coach Redmond first getting here to now. He's a very good coach. He's put in a lot of new schemes but they don't differ too much from what we were doing already and I think we'll have a very productive year both offensively and defensively," Henry said.

"(Redmond's) trying to get everyone to come in now so we have our team bonded and close together right now so when we hit week one we're all on the same page and we're all looking for a championship by the end of the season," rising junior receiver Nick Drapanas added.