Douglass Astros "Working Hard" And Looking Forward To Start Of The Season
When a team has to go through a rebuild, it is always good when the one leading the way is a former player that has an understanding of what winning culture was once like for the program when they were a member of the team. It is even better when that same person saw their own career advance as far as the professional level. As the case for the Douglass Astros, who head into their second year under the direction of head coach, Stanley Pritchett.
Pritchett played tight end for the Astros when he was a member of the team, earning all-state honors in 1991 and would later play fullback for the South Carolina Gamecocks before an NFL career that spanned from 1996 to 2004. Now, back on the campus of his alma mater, Pritchett is on a mission to re-establish a winning culture within the Astros program and unlike like his first year, year two has allotted him more time for him and his staff to continue building the foundation.
“Going into year two, I would say the biggest difference is that we had a complete offseason,” Pritchett said of beginning his second season of being head coach of the Astros. It was late last March when the announcement came down that Douglass had hired a former player in Pritchett so he and his staff got a late start with their players. “We started in May, very late and kind of hit the ground running,” Pritchett said but noted that by having a full offseason this go around, he and his staff have had the opportunity to work with their players in all phases towards bettering themselves.
“Guys come every day, they work hard,” Pritchett said of their players whether in the weight room or on the field, “it’s been an outstanding offseason,” Pritchett added. And as a former player and one that is familiar with the winning culture the Astros were once known for, seeing the effort from the players has the second year Douglass head coach looking forward to the season. “I walked through these halls, so it means a little bit more to me because I know what it takes to get to that next level. So to come back and really start from scratch and rebuild the program to get it back to where it used to be in its glory days, we’re not there yet, it’s a process but the kids are working hard and I’m really proud of them,” Pritchett said of coaching at his alma mater.
The Astros will open up the season on August 20 against the Mays Raiders, a match up that was once an ongoing rivalry during Pritchett’s days as a player.
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