Unlike its neighbors to the north in Los Lunas, Belen High School doesn’t start classes until next week. So it’s pretty much business as usual for Eagle athletic teams as they began two-a-day practices on Monday.
“It’s going good, but things can always be better,” said football coach Kevin Benavidez on Tuesday after leading the Eagles through their second day of workouts.
Even though the Eagles are having the traditional two-a-day workouts, they’re not getting as much time with the players as they did last year.
“We had two full weeks of practice before school started last year,” volleyball coach Barbara Rodriguez pointed out. “So we had more court time last year. That’s the difference.”
And while players are available to practice this week, sometimes coaches aren’t.
“Some of our coaches are new teachers, so they have to go to in-service and things like that,” Benavidez said. “And teachers have school on Friday, so we’ll practice just once on Friday because coaches will be in class.”
Benavidez said the football team’s summer program has helped prepare them for the start of the season. “We’ve got 42 guys out,” he said. “I’d like to have more, but, out of those 42 guys, all but three of them were showing up in the summer, and were committed to it.”
Rodriguez said she added an hour to the Lady Eagles morning workout to make up for the lost time. She credited the athletes for their hard work.
“You have to commend all the athletes who come out for two-a-days,” she said. “Everyone wants to take it easy the week before school, but these kids are out here working their hardest.”
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April 18, 2024
