Rangers set to open practice Thursday

Dusty Harper

Published Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Like most high school football teams, Lyman Ward Military Academy has a lot of unanswered questions heading into fall practice. But, for head coach Sheldon Ward, the uncertainty level is a bit higher than normal.

Ward, who took over for Hank Hurley less than a month ago, will have a lot of evaluating to do in a short period of time when his Rangers hit the practice field Thursday.

“Basically, I’m just ready to get going so I can see where we’re at,” Ward said. “I’ve got to see what we’ve got at every position.”

Ward said he needs to find out what kind of shape his team is in as well.

“I hope to get a lot of conditioning done in the short period of time we have,” he said.

Lyman Ward will have two weeks to work before its season opener, a home game against the Open Door Christian Academy on Aug. 29.

Ward has coached multiple positions on offense and defense during his career and said he will focus on both sides of the ball during practices.

“I’m neither an offensive guy or defensive guy,” Ward said. “I like to think of myself as a little of both, so I’m going to be involved with each side.”

Though practices will have a lot of instruction in the first few days, Ward plans to keep his players active.

“I know I’m going to have to do a lot of teaching early on,” Ward said, “but practices are going to be up tempo.”

Lyman Ward enters its first year in the Alabama Independent School Association after having played the past few seasons as an independent.