Are you ready?

WASILLA — As high school football teams met for their first practices on Monday, one Valley team had more to break in than just the freshman.

Glenn Nelson stood watching his Wasilla Warriors warm up in the rain. In his first year as the head coach of the varsity program, Nelson had realistic intentions for the first day.

“We just want to get everybody registered, suited up and counted,” Nelson said. “We need to figure out who we have and who we don’t have.”

This seemingly simple task has been complicated for the new coach. This year, it isn’t just a matter of subtracting last year’s graduates and adding incoming freshman. Nelson’s preseason roster for the Warriors has gone through a thorough shake-up.

“We have lost six projected starters due to injuries or ineligibilities,” Nelson said. “One kid was playing paintball and took an angle-bar through the knee. … One kid has a cyst on a bone in his back. It’s just crazy.”

However, he is quick to point to two new faces on the field. A transfer from Chugiak and another from Missouri, will fill two gaping holes in the line-up. He also nods to the first five players in the lineman section of the practice.

“Our line is pretty much intact,” Nelson said. “I’d take a good line over good skilled players and a bad line any day.”

To offset low numbers, his team is going to be playing “Iron Man” football this year. Many players will start on both offense and defense, and Nelson is focusing on his players’ conditioning to get them ready. This first week is going to be far more grueling than under previous coaching staffs, Nelson said, but he keeps a positive attitude throughout.

“In the past they wanted more of a wake-up call on the first days,” Nelson said. “We want to leave today on a high note going into the season.”

Nelson has also brought with him some new assistant coaches working with the old. Past players are helping out and provide a great link between the coaches and players, he said. Most were upbeat while directing players through drills, but one was audible above all the rest, yelling at whoever didn’t hit the five-man sled hard enough.

“Coach (Dan) Blair is great,” Nelson said. “You always have to have a whip-cracker.”

All of this was happening on a newly surfaced playing field. In years past, the Warriors practiced on the outfield of the school’s baseball diamond, saving what was left of the surface for game days.

“With all the use it got, it just wasn’t safe,” Nelson said.

Using donations from a local construction company and hydroseeding outfit, the Warriors stood proud on their new home turf.

With new coaches, a new field and new practice uniforms, a fresh feeling carried the players through their drills on Monday.

Quarterback Cody Pfeifer is looking forward to his final season as a Warrior. The change in coaching staff has changed the way people are behaving on the first day.

“People aren’t acting so lazy,” Pfeifer said.

Eric Washington, senior strong safety and quarterback, is hoping for a playoff run this year. The mood of the first day sets the feeling for the rest of the season, he said, and he was upbeat on Monday.

Outside linebacker James Langendorf agreed that Nelson has changed the attitude of the program for the better.

“It seems like we’re more motivated this season,” Langendorf said. “It seems like we’re going to get it done.”

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.