The École Olds High School Spartans football team is a work in progress, but head coach George Grant remains optimistic.
Once again, the Spartans are playing in the Big Sky Football Conference, along with the Drumheller Titans and Canmore Wolverines.
The last few seasons have been pretty bleak. For example, the Spartans had a 1-7 record last season.
However, Grant notes quarterback Marcus Lorenz has lots of talent and now that he's in Grade 12, he has plenty of experience, having been with the team for three years.
"We've got ourselves a really good quarterback and receiving corps. We've got two or three really good receivers," Grant says.
This year, Lorenz should be a little safer in the pocket.
"We've definitely got some big boys," Grant says. "We've got some linemen this year and that's providing us with some (pass) protection."
However, the team needs to gel. Guys need to learn to play within their positions.
"We're still not all on the same page. As soon as we get ourselves all onto the same page I think that we can compete with any team out there. But right at the moment, we still have a few of the basics that we have to get together," Grant says.
"We've got too many guys who are trying to do somebody else's job and therefore they're just making a lot of mental errors and we're not utilizing the strengths that we should."
On the other side of the ball, Grant says the Spartan defensive line is "strong." The secondary is quite young. Many are in Grade 10.
"Our linebackers are inexperienced at this moment, but with each game they're getting better and each practice we're getting better. It's just to get that consistency," he says.
"It's just lots of repetition that we need to get. The more we practise and we gain that confidence, the better we'll be," he adds.
"And to find a little bit of success. Once we find a little bit of success I'm sure that things will blossom quite well for us."
The Spartans play their next game Sept. 20 in Stettler against the Wildcats.
That'll be a challenge, Grant says.
"They're a big team — not in numbers, but they've got some big bodies. They're probably going to be a representative at provincials — or should be — coming out of the North," he says. "They're well coached and they're a good team. They're hard-hitting. They're going to be very, very good competition."
