Article on Bluefield's June practices...

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http://www.bdtonline.com/localsports/local_story_174215621.html

 

Football in spring

 

By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD  It’s hot, it’s muggy, it’s the time of year to either soak in the sun or stay inside with the air condition.

 

It must be ... football season?

 

Not quite, but  believe it or not  the first day of high school football practice is only 37 days away. Twenty-four days later, Bluefield and Graham will kick off the season.

 

Bluefield head coach Fred Simon can’t wait.

 

“We’re just looking forward to getting the season started with,†said Simon, who is heading into his 22nd season at Bluefield. “We have some players that have good attitudes and hopefully we’re going to have some really good leadership.

 

“We think we’re going to so we’re real excited about this year’s team.â€Â

 

Simon and the Beavers have been able to get an early start on the upcoming campaign through spring practices that are allowed in West Virginia during a 21-day period in June.

 

All players who aren’t on vacation or involved in other camps are expected to be there. Simon said the team is basically working on fundamentals so when the calendar turns to August, the Beavers can turn to more pressing matters.

 

“Fundamentals, that’s it, and that’s all we’re really working on right now,†Simon said. “Just fundamentals, we’re just working the basics and we’ll throw the plays in there in August.â€Â

 

Seniors like Ansel Ponder and Aaron Bowes understand the importance of these two-hour practices that have been held twice a week since June 10 and will run through the end of the month.

 

“It shows a lot,†Ponder said. “I don’t know what other teams are doing, but as you can see, we are out here working and trying hopefully to compete and make ourselves better as the season gets closer.â€Â

 

“I feel like it’s very important as far as helping us get into the mood,†added Bowes, “and get everything ready and making sure we’re ready to go for this next season and take it straight to the top.â€Â

 

The top would be another state championship game. That is always the goal at Bluefield, and Ponder wants nothing less.

 

“I want a state championship,†Ponder said. “That’s why I’m in there working right now is trying to better myself as well as the team so we can get up to the state championship and hopefully win it.â€Â

 

Unlike when fall drills begin, spring practice is taken at a leisurely pace, especially in heat that has already reached the nineties this month.

 

“We’re not killing them, we’ve just going through fundamentals and we’ll give them breaks whether they want it or not and make sure they get water,†Simon said. “We just want to go out there and have some fun.â€Â

 

The 2006 season didn’t end in fun. The Beavers finished 7-4, dropping a 15-14 state quarterfinal loss on a sloppy field at Tolsia. That stopped a string of four straight seasons of playing in the Class AA state championship game.

 

Bowes, who was on the 2004 squad that won the school’s eighth state title, thinks the Beavers can get back to Wheeling, and summer practices and workouts are part of that plan.

 

“This is where we really get down to the real little stuff and what counts and that is fundamentals and just getting used to everybody before the season and practices really start,†Bowes said. “We just have to come together as a team again and work through all the hard points and make sure we do what’s got to be done.â€Â

 

Bluefield did lose several seniors who have contributed to Bluefield success, including All-Star game invitees Matthew Carter, Julian Morton and Allen Carter. Simon has some ideas about who will replace them, but the drive for playing time will really start when fall practice begins.

 

“You’ve got some people in mind, but really all positions are open and you work with the players you have,†Simon said. “That’s why we’re working with fundamentals to make sure they’re all learning correctly and then we’ll focus on who deserves to be there when we get into the practices and the scrimmages.

 

“By the Graham game hopefully we’ll have a good idea who that is going to be and if not, we’ll make changes after that too. We’re always looking to make sure everybody is giving it their best and if we’ve made a few mistakes then we’ll correct that.â€Â

 

In Ponder, Bluefield has one of the area’s best athletes, no matter whether it’s football or basketball.

 

“We’ll say this about him, he’s got a great attitude to go along with athletic ability and that’s what makes Ansel special,†Simon said. “We’re hoping that there’s a few others that hop right in and join him and we think we have that combination with a few other players.

 

“That’s why we’re looking forward to this team getting out and performing.â€Â

 

Ponder, who has received attention from West Virginia, Marshall and Illinois, plans to focus on football at the next level.

 

“It is kind of rough being out here, but I’m used to it, I’ve been doing it for the last three years,†said Ponder, of spring practices. “I’m used to working out so it’s nothing I don’t do on a regular basis.

 

“We’re working on a lot of fundamentals so when we go into the season we’ll know what we’re doing at our position so we can just get repetitions and go over plays in August.

 

“I’m hoping to help the team as much as possible. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do it and then I’m hoping to go on and play college ball.â€Â

 

Bowes missed much of last season with a knee injury, but is healthy and ready to compete for playing time at running back  where J.T. Powell must be replaced  and could also line up at nose guard on defense.

 

Being able to learn about that position in the spring is a big plus for Bowes.

 

“I’ve played different positions all four of my years and earlier this past spring coach told me he’s going to try me out at nose guard against passing teams so we’ll see how that goes,†Bowes said. “I am looking forward to that challenge and I look forward to playing that position.â€Â

 

“I like what we’re doing right now and the practices right now and like how it’s working out. That’s another thing, for a new position, you’re in 1-on-1 type of practices and that makes sure you know what you’re doing .â€Â

 

When the season begins, the Beavers will be able to play on the new turf that is being installed at Mitchell Stadium. After experiencing the slop of Wayne County in last year’s loss to Tolsia, Bluefield would certainly like to solidify some home games in the playoffs.

 

“I’ve told our coaches ‘It’s like Christmas every day’â€Â, Simon said. “We are very excited about the field and can’t wait to play on it.â€Â

 

“It’s real important because the last couple of years I have been playing in a lot of mud and so this is going to be more to look forward to on a Friday night to come out there and play on turf,†added Ponder. “That’s when we can really show how fast we are and how hard we have been working.â€Â

 

The schedule is daunting as always for the Beavers, including holdovers Graham, Princeton, Mount View, James Monroe and Scott, and additions like Richlands and William Campbell.

 

“We play some really tough teams, but if we happen to win most of those games we’ll be finishing up in the top four and if we win them all, we’ll definitely finish one, that’s just how competitive our schedule is,†Simon said. “We like that too, I don’t like playing a weak schedule, it just makes it better to play tough ones every week.â€Â

 

Bluefield will have just nine regular season games for a third straight season, but that won’t be an issue when the power points that determine playoff positions are tabulated.

 

“We’re having a hard time getting anyone to play us, but nine is fine,†Simon said. “You still play the rest and they divide by nine so it doesn’t hurt you any.â€Â

 

Bowes was asked if the Beavers were anxious for 2007. Dumb question.

 

“You’re totally true right there,†he said. “We’re ready to rock.â€Â

 

â€â€Contact Brian Woodson at bwoodson@bdtonline.com