Greenville Lions to begin workouts on Monday
August 8, 2011

By David Claybourn
Herald-Banner Sports Editor

GREENVILLE -- Greenville’s Lions plan to avoid the worst part of the heat when they begin two-a-day workouts on Monday.

The varsity and junior varsity Lions will work from 8 to 10 a.m., take a break, then lift weights and study game film before practicing again from 11 to 1 p.m. That’ll be basically their schedule for the first week.

“We’ll be alternating our kids from indoors to outdoors,” said Lions coach Chawn Cooper, who’ll utilize the Lions’ indoor practice facility as well as their outdoor practice field and the field turf at T.A. “Cotton” Ford Stadium.

The freshmen will practice from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Cooper’s expecting 53 players for the varsity, including 25 returning lettermen, 35 players for the junior varsity and anywhere from 60 to 80 players for the freshman team.

“We’ve got every kid we need at every level to be a successful program,” Cooper said. “Our goal is to be a playoff team.”

The Lions had some big numbers for a football camp last week for incoming seventh, eighth and ninth graders. They wound up with 120 campers.

“They were just excited,” Cooper said.