Boerne Chargers football offensive coordinator Mike Bonewald (center) watches athletes go through conditionng drills at the high school stadium. Photo by Mike Reeder

While quarterbacks, receivers and pass defenders are polishing their techniques playing touch football this summer, Boerne Sam Champion Charger linemen are sweating to the oldies.

For the men who will man the trenches, that means leg lifts, sprints and all the other conditioning work they hope will pay dividends when actual football practice begins in August.

“The workout is designed to improve speed, agility, quickness and conditioning at the same time,” Boerne Chargers Offensive Coordinator Mike Bonewald said while putting his athletes through their paces.

“That way, we come into the next year ready to go.” The off-season conditioning program is actually available to all high school athletes, not just football players. But it’s especially important for football players with two-a-day practices a little more than a month away.

“Instead of worrying about getting in shape that first day, they can be worried more about learning plays and getting organized for the season,” Bonewald said.

Participation in the off-season conditioning program this summer is near an all-time high with 154 athletes enrolled.

Bonewald believes the work his players put in now will pay dividends when they take the field for their first game Aug. 30 against Midlothian in Waco.

“That first game is going to be against a very good Midlothian team on a Saturday afternoon,” Bonewald said.

“We’re going to be playing in 100-degree weather. Waco Stadium is kind of sunken and you’re not going to have much wind. Come the second half, the team that’s in better shape is going to win that game. That’s what we’re preaching to our guys.”

It’s a sermon the players appear to be taking to heart, based on this summer’s turnout. Bonewald says the dedication he’s seeing on a daily basis is one reason he’s confident the Chargers will fare better this year than many predict.

“We’re in a tough district where the eighth pick can come in first,” Bonewald said. “Four years ago we weren’t picked to win district and we went undefeated and went to the semifinals. Rankings mean nothing, especially pre-season rankings. They look at returning starters and records and those kinds of things, but they don’t know how hard we’re working, they don’t know the team and they don’t know their attitude. We’ve just got to come out and prove ourselves. It’s not about where you start off the year. It’s about where you end up.”