T-birds making progress in offseason | Sports | mohavedailynews.com – Mohave Valley News

BULLHEAD CITY Its 7:20 a.m. on a Wednesday and relatively cool outside for Arizona in mid-June.

Rudy Olvera, heading into his fifth year as head coach of Mohave High Schools varsity football team, certainly looked as if he was all business while barking instructions on the gridiron.

Approximately two-dozen players bedecked in tank tops, sweatpants or shorts were stretching and jogging in the midst of their third consecutive week of workouts. Enthusiastic chants of encouragement accompany the physical drills.

Assistant coaches observing included Zachary Morehead and ubiquitous Casey Amann, the latter of whom seems to attend every MHS sporting event.

The team, mindful of safety guidelines due to lingering concerns about COVID-19, followed instructions before each practice: All participants get their temperatures checked, hands are sanitized often and equipment is intermittently wiped down.

Olvera said the T-birds are healthy and making progress.

Were getting back to fundamentals, he said while keeping pace with players as they headed into the House of Thunders weight room for another 45-minute lifting session.

Now in his 19th year working at MHS, where he played football and from which he graduated, Olvera explained the importance of individual sacrifice.

Their practices begin at 7 a.m. not only to beat the desert heat, but to maintain good habits in preparation for attending school next semester.

The head coach has expressed appreciation for how his student-athletes have handled the circumstances during this year of coronavirus.

Ive been impressed, said Olvera. They come in here and bust their tails.

The morning sessions are expected to continue until a week-long break at months end through July 4. Following that holiday weekend, the Thunderbirds will get down to business and shape up for their football camp starting July 20 at Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse.

Olvera said the four-day, climate-controlled fieldhouse affair which will include breakfasts and lunches should help toward team camaraderie and provide more time to focus on offensive and defensive schemes.

That experience takes place five weeks before MHS regular season kicks off Aug. 28, when Youngker (from Buckeye, Arizona) comes calling.

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T-birds making progress in offseason | Sports | mohavedailynews.com - Mohave Valley News