What happens in the future stays in the future. Week seven, week eight and so on are approaching, but the focus of the Gretna Dragons football team is to work their hardest for the present moment.
“We are planning to go 1-0 each week. There’s no sense (in) looking forward to the schedule for next week. You have to focus on the thing in front of you,” Head Coach Joe Dalton said. “The only thing we’re worried about is the practice that day and then the game that week.”
1-0 is the goal. There are at least nine games of the season but the team is not paying attention to those. They are more worried about putting in the work to face a whole new class of schools, Class B.
The decrease in numbers at GHS have brought the team to Class B. Even though there are fewer students, that does not mean the game has changed or became easier. Class B runs the ball more than Class A, which is just one of the new challenges Class B brings.
“Class B will give us a better chance, but it doesn’t really mean skill decreases,” junior guard Chase Lindquist said. “Class B is more of a grind because they don’t get the recognition that Class A does, so they have more of a grind mentality.”
The majority of Class B schools have been Class B for a while, and that mentality is in their minds already. However, the Dragons have started with that mindset as well.
A grind mentality needs good leadership. Dalton is a new head coach this year, but he has 11 years of coaching experience in his pocket. Because of this, the team is looking forward to him leading them to their first Class B victory and many to follow after that. Leadership in Gretna is found in more than just the coaches.here are four captains who show leadership: seniors Jason Nahorny, Kalvin Janssen, Griffin Goldman and junior Michael Kundsen.
“We will definitely battle and try to put ourselves in the best position to try to win every single game because that’s what we want,” senior linebacker Jason Nahorny said.
The decrease in numbers also gives the coaches more time to pay attention to individual players. Compared to having around 100 players last year, there are now 60 to 70 players. That allows the freshmen to be more included in varsity practices and more starters to play on the scout team.
Class B will bring the Dragons positives and negatives, despite some people’s thoughts that joining Class B will be easy wins. The Dragons are entering a new playing field that they plan to take one week at a time.
