HS football: Weird setting aside, practice brings normalcy to Lowell

LOWELL — With rain pouring down on Lowell’s brand-new turf field at Cawley Memorial Stadium Monday afternoon, the only indicators of a late-February first day of football practice instead of one in August was the cold-weather apparel and the six-foot banks of snow on the sidelines.

That sense of normalcy also seemed to be the energy of playing for a new head coach, despite entering the most irregular football season in modern history.

Rob Pike — hired to man the helm in March after seven successful years in Salem, N.H. — already knows what it’s like to establish a culture and expectations with a new group of players. He assured that no matter the circumstances, those expectations are the same — prepare to improve every day and win games. Every one of the almost 80 players at Monday’s practice performed under that mindset, while Pike and the other personnel coached them the same way.

A mere two-week preseason certainly provides its challenges when teaching a new system to an entire Div. 1 program, but COVID-19 has hit every program in the state with a sense of adversity.

“High school football is high school football,” Pike said. “I’m sure everyone is just psyched to be out here. … We just want to keep improving as individuals, become better football players, and as a team; come together and have some camaraderie, have some unity and play tough, Lowell football.”

Players came out like it was any other preseason practice, an achievement itself considering the uncertainty of the season over the last four months, the difference in opening day, and the shortened season. For Lowell, football practice is more normal than any day over the last year as classes are still remote.

Pike is optimistic that finally having the ability to spend time with each other, along with regular competitiveness, is enough motivation to excel despite no state tournament plans.

Ben Zaim, a senior defensive end who played all four years, agreed.

He admits that Pike might face some adversity as he adjusts to fresh faces mostly hidden by masks, but even then, everyone is still committed to ensuring daily improvements. Monday’s practice contained all the regular components of a normal preseason practice, and Pike coached like he’s known the players for their whole careers.

“It’s definitely going to be different (but) we just have to stick together and make stuff happen,” Zaim said. “None of us really knew what to expect, even the captains. But I think a lot of people are just reassured that football is back, everyone is happy to be here.”

And if anything, Zaim looks at the unique nature of the season in a positive light for he and the rest of the seniors.

“When this season is ending, we’re going to be (close to) graduating as well,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty cool. We get to go out playing football.”

New coach or old, that doesn’t change.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3kl7sVd