Buckaroos start strength and conditioning program this week
By Brant Thurmond/Breckenridge Texan
More than three months after becoming the new coach of the Buckaroos, Casey Pearce is finally getting a chance to meet and work with Breckenridge students.
With state and local COVID-19-related restrictions easing up lately, the summer strength and conditioning program is underway this week.
BISD Athletic Director Casey Pearce talks to students after Tuesday’s evening session. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/ Breckenridge Texan)
Pearce was hired as the Breckenridge Independent School District Athletic Director and Head Football coach on March 6. He met briefly with the students that day and was scheduled to start coaching them after Spring Break. However, the students never returned to school due to the new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.
With most businesses and government agencies opening up again, sports also are slowing making a comeback.
Because Texas schools are still under certain guidelines from the UIL due to COVID-19, several safety precautions have been put in place in order to maintain proper social distancing and disinfection of equipment.
“All the equipment that they touch, will previously be disinfected. We will have to do that for every group,” Pearce said. “We are going to have hands-off hydration stations available for them. So, if they aren’t carrying their own water bottle, they will be able to get a drink, wash their hands or whatever it may be.”
The strength and conditioning program at Buckaroo Stadium is open to all BISD athletes in grades 6-12. Two sessions are available, 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Athletes are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to each the sessions to undergo pre-screening measures and eat a snack (morning session) before starting activity.
Pick up and drop off is at LT Cook Gym, and the Buckaroo Pumpjack serves as a hand washing and hydration station. Click the following link for a map of the drop-off/pick-up route: Summer workout_pick up drop off
The athletes are split into five stations following a group warmup at the stadium. Stations one and two are on the north side of the BISD Athletic and Fine Arts Facility, while three, four and five take place on the turf.
Pearce said the first week is mostly conditioning and skill work will take place starting the week of June 15-11.
Coach Casey Pearce finally got a chance to meet with students this week after months of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
“Everything will be body weight oriented for a week,” Pearce said. “It will be kind of general conditioning and mobility type stuff. We are going to push some sleds and flip some tires for some leg and hip work. There’s going to be a lot of forward/backward movement, body control change in direction drills, and then just straight out conditioning.”
Pearce said he is hoping for consistency from the athletes that show up.
“If we can get some consistency going, then everything else will fall into place,” he said. “We will get them strong enough and conditioned enough, they will be ready.”
According to Pearce, 155 athletes showed up on Monday and 205 on Tuesday.
“To me, this will be a true strength and conditioning year for the entire program. We just lost 8 months basically of strength and conditioning,” Pearce said in regard to the shutdown due to COVID-19.“These coaches and these kids are going to have to embrace the fact that we are fixing to train during the school time in the weight room and we will practice after school.”
He said since the restrictions have begun to ease, he has been able to have conversations with kids as they come through the coach’s office or weight room.
“The biggest thing is I just kinda try to poke the bear when I talk to the kids that have been through in the weight room,” he said. “I just try to catch personalities. I’ll tell them sort of story or something and see how they react. The biggest deal is just letting the kids get to know my personality. I haven’t been able to evaluate anyone.”
Pearce is confident that everything will fall into place and the athletes at BHS will be ready if they trust the plan that is in place.
“We have been talking about ‘Trust, Toughness, Team.’ They are going to have to trust where we are going,” he said. “If they trust the plan, then I promise you we will get them ready. Either to go spike a volleyball or go tee it up and knock somebody off the football.
“We got things to prove because we got cut off,” Pearce continued. “We still have work to get done. If they are hungry, we will be fine. It is nice to see it throughout, boys and girls and even coaches, excited and eager to get back to a routine.”
The summer strength and conditioning program will continue until the day before school starts, Aug. 18.
Two-a-days for football, volleyball and cross country will begin Aug. 3.
Coach Blair Magee works with student athletes at Tuesday evening’s strength and conditioning session. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: This week, for the first time since he was hired as the BISD Athletic Director and Head Football Coach, Casey Pearce had a chance to meet with Buckaroo athletes. When schools were closed in March due to the coronavirus threat, all athletics were put on hold. This week, strength and conditioning sessions have been allowed. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
