By David Stinchcomb
Intern EA News
The Wetumpka Indians and 1st year Head Coach Bear Woods had a lot of work ahead of them as they were preparing for the season all the way back to the start of summer workouts.
Fast forward to August, and it appears that the new coaching staff has been able to successfully instill their plan for the program. After wrapping up the last full week of practice before game week, Coach Woods had nothing but praise for how his team and coaching staff have developed since the start of summer workouts.
“I would say that the summer went as best and better than what we could have expected it to,” said Coach Woods. “Once summer hit, we were really able to build that camaraderie, that chemistry… we’re in the process of building that, we are building it daily,” he continued.
When asked about how the players have reacted to the change, Coach Woods said “With any new coach comes energy… change brings a different energy, a different level of competition that normalcy cannot bring.”
That energy was visible on Friday, August 12, when the team traveled to the City of Wetumpka Sport Complex Stadium to go over pregame warmups and drills.
While Coach Woods sees the energy in his players, he also sees it around the city as well. “The energy’s there, community wide it’s there… we’re doing things here for the first time in a way that involves everybody in the tribe. I like to say we’re one tribe, from the elementary schools all the way on up, we’re one tribe and people are feeling that energy with the new coaching change and with the staff that has come in,” he said.
The newest tradition for the football program is being referred to as The Warpath, and it is a new pregame tradition that is designed to put the aforementioned one tribe mentality on display for the City of Wetumpka.
The motto for the program is to “Win the Moment,” and the Indians are eager to put that vision to the test. “We’re excited and mentally ready, physically we’re ready, now we just gotta get to Friday night,” said Coach Woods.
Coaches include:
Bear Woods, head coach; Jonathan Chandler, offensive coordinator; Tyler Johnson, defensive coordinator; Josh Tatum, offensive line; Josh Harrison, wide receiver/special teams coordinator; Daryl Otwell, Running Backs; Malcom Buggs, Safeties; Daryle Watts, Corners; Russ Brooks, Defensive line; Brent Turner, Linebackers; and Robert Weighall, Specialist.
The Wetumpka Indians finished the 2021 campaign with a 5-6 record and made it to the 1st round of the playoffs. The Indians will open the season at home against Jeff Davis on Friday, August 19th.
