Upperman Bees head coach Adam Caine just saw the Bees football team complete the toughest off-season in its history.
Caine said he challenged the team when the off-season first started about their hunger to win a championship. The Bees came within two games of hoisting the trophy last season. Caine said the Bees showed their hard work and commitment to the program since then.
“We felt like the last time out that we were a little bit selfish and a little bit soft,” Caine said. “So I challenged them with the hardest off-season that we had here and they worked their way through each day and so I was really pleased with, if nothing else, the work ethic of this team.”
Upperman faced off against Battleground Academy and Watertown in recent scrimmages. BGA made it to the state championship last season. Caine said those scrimmages stand as some of the situations he wants to put the Bees in.
“It’s the ultimate team game,” Caine said. “Everything that we’ve done to this point is to try to make this group [with] each other and play with each other and for each other and try to eradicate all the finger pointing and all the concern about whop’s getting the ball and this, that, and the other.”
Caine said those kind of instances could prove tough depending on the circumstances.
“Everything’s been kind of geared towards being accountable to your teammates, being, and that includes doing your job every play,” Caine said. “It also means taking care of your body when you get a chance to rest and relax.”
Caine said he looked at building team chemistry during the scrimmage against Watertown. The Bees will see new starters at the linebacker and offensive line positions this season. The Bees open Friday on the road against Knoxville Webb.
