Conditioning continues
By Sam Waller
Albany Junior/Senior High’s summer conditioning program for prospective athletes got underway this week with solid participation for both boys and girls.
The program is open to all incoming seventh through 12th graders who plan to participate in interscholastic sports.
“The first couple of days have been good with good turnouts,” Lions head football coach Denney Faith, who oversees the boys workouts, said. “We had 30 the first day and 38 the second, so we’re getting good numbers. We’ve had a good mixture of classes, seventh through 12th.”
Boys sessions will continue Monday through Thursday each week through July 20. Workouts are from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. each day and include weight lifting, agility drills and conditioning. Faith said the schedule works around July 4, which falls on a Tuesday this year, and the THSCA convention.
In addition, skill workouts will be held at 5:00 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays starting Monday, June 19.
“The more kids we get in here, the better off they’ll be when practice starts,” Faith said.
Girls sessions, overseen by volleyball coach M.J. Reneau, are 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. each day with sport-specific instruction held 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Mondays for high school athletes and Tuesdays for junior high athletes.
“We’ve had a great turnout so far,” Reneau said. “We had about 30 girls each of the first two days. Our junior high turnout is better than it’s been in a while.”
The girls program will run five weeks with a two-week break the first half of July, resuming Monday, July 17 and concluding Thursday, July 27.
Reneau has been assisted by Brad Stautzenberger, who was recently hired for a special education position at Nancy Smith Elementary School.
“He’s been a coach in previous schools ,” Reneau said. “I’m happy to have him here for the strength and conditioning.”
At this time, Reneau is one of few holdovers on the girls coaching staff. Makinzie Tomascik has been hired to fill the role Jamie Wilson had as JV volleyball, junior high basketball, and assistant softball coach. Jimmy Fuentes is still on hand as head softball coach, but cross country and girls basketball are open.
Summer workouts are subject to UIL regulations.
Preseason practice for high school football and volleyball will begin Monday, July 31. Junior high sports cannot hold practice until school starts.
