TALLADEGA, Ala. – Childersburg wants to have more edge in 2019.
Following a 3-7 season last year, Childersburg head coach Jonathan Beverly said at Talladega County High School Football Media Day that he wanted his team to be more aggressive this season.
“We want to be on the winning side of things more this year,” Beverly said. “It’s driven how we’ve approached things in the weight room. It’s driven how we’ve approached things on the practice field starting in the spring and moving into the summer. I’m looking for us to have a little bit more of an edge about us.”
“I hate to use the term chip on your shoulder, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that you kind of feel that in the air when you walk in the locker room and the field house. There is just a sense of unfinished business.”
During the offseason, Beverly and his coaching staff focused on the team’s atmosphere and motivation, saying he is proud of how his team handled the offseason.
“The way last season ended was not what we wanted,” Beverly said, “But the positive in that was that I saw us work harder this offseason starting in January than I have in any of the years I’ve been here.”
“These guys have been motivated. They’ve been extremely competitive throughout this whole process. Extremely hungry throughout this whole process, and so I couldn’t be more pleased with not only how our kids have handled this offseason but also how our coaching staff has come together and how we’ve attacked each day with intensity and focus.”
Beverly said the team’s goal in 2019 is to make it back to the postseason. The Tigers will face a difficult schedule, featuring road games against Shelby County, Talladega, Handley, Sylacauga and Lincoln. With the exception of Shelby County, all of those teams made the playoffs a year ago.
“Our road schedule is very tough,” Beverly said. “Very unforgiving, but again, I like the fact that we’ve been carrying ourselves with a chip on our shoulder, with an edge all offseason. I like the fact that we are going to go into those stadiums with that edge, with that chip on our shoulder-type demeanor.”
In order to win more games this season, Beverly is looking for his team to start faster.
“For us, I want us to have the fighter’s mentality,” Beverly said. “I’m a big combat sport guy, so I love boxing and mixed martial arts. A couple of weeks ago during one of the fight nights on Saturday night, we saw a couple of really fast knockouts because guys were just aggressive. I want our football team to have that mentality. Come out aggressive.”
Childersburg’s first game is against Shelby County on August 23. Childersburg defeated Shelby County 13-0 last season and has an all-time record of 27-9 versus the Wildcats.
