FALL PRACTICE BEGINS: Calaveras High senior lineman MarcusLozano lifts weights before the Redskins gathered on the fieldMonday for their midnight practice. Lozano was an All-Mother LodeLeague selection last year and, on Monday, was picked by histeammates as one of the six captains for the Redskins’ upcomingseason. Enterprise photo by Mark Godi
Practice for the 2006-07 high school sports year has officially begun, so it’s time to wake the neighbors – literally.
With Monday slated as the first day fall sports teams were allowed to practice according to Sac-Joaquin Section rules, the Calaveras High football team, as has become a tradition in the Roger Canepa era, wasted little time.
Canepa, entering his ninth season in charge of the Calaveras program, held the annual “midnight practice” Monday morning. Starting at 12:01 a.m., players were put through drills for about an hour, before going for a 1:30 a.m. swim in the Calaveras High pool. Shortly after, the brunt of the 47 participating team members found a spot on the floor of the school’s gymnasium and went to sleep.
Although the “midnight practice” has become somewhat of a rite of passage for players, Canepa said not everyone likes it.
“We’re probably waking up the neighbors, who I’m sure aren’t happy with us now,” Canepa said. “People have usually been good about it, but one year, the cops showed up and told us we were crazy.”
Crazy or not, Canepa has never been one to underestimate the value of preparation. This week is considered conditioning week for all high school football teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Starting Monday, the teams will be allowed to start practicing in pads.
“We do this because we tell the kids that we are going to out-work everyone else,” said Canepa, who coached the Redskins to a 10-1 record and Mother Lode League championship last season. “It’s one thing to say it to them, but this lets them know that we are serious about it.”
On the other end of the county, first-year Bret Harte coach Scott Edwards was also eager to get preparations for the upcoming season rolling. Edwards began retooling the Bullfrogs during summer conditioning, and is anxious to get his teams in pads starting next week.
“Now is when everything kicks up a notch,” Edwards said. “It’s time for all the talking to stop. I’m looking forward to the talk stopping and the pads popping.”
Practices also started Monday for cross country, girls golf, girls volleyball and boys soccer.
Bret Harte held its first practice Monday afternoon.
In San Andreas, Calaveras kicked off the “midnight practice” hours before midnight, eating dinner before heading to the weight room. At around 10 p.m., the team watched a highlight video from the 2005 season as votes were tallied for team captains.
Kenny Moody, Marcus Lozano, Dusty Seawell, Keith Enderlein, Scott Maldonado, and Jeremy Kautz were named team captains.
Lozano, who was a second team all-MLL lineman last year, acknowledged just how much it means to be voted a leader by his peers.
“This is my first year as a captain and I know the team respects me,” Lozano said. “Now I just have to do the best I can to keep my team in shape. We lost some good players last year, but with training, I think we’ll be fine.”
Receiver Scott Maldonado joined Lozano as a first-time captain. Maldonado played junior varsity football at Calaveras as a sophomore, but lived and attended school in the Bay Area last year. He said the “midnight practice” is a great way to kick off the season.
“I think it just helps get everyone excited,” Maldonado said.
The Redskins scrimmage Escalon on Sept. 1, then host Waterford in their season-opener on Sept. 8 in San Andreas. Bret Harte scrimmages Denair on Sept. 2, and opens its season on Sept. 8 in Angels Camp against Livingston.
Contact Mark Godi at sports@calaverasenterprise.com.
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