Memorial High School will play its first high school football game Friday night against O.D. Wyatt at Memorial Stadium.
As the Mavericks get ready to make their debut, the Memorial Messenger sat down with head football coach Marc Bindel to talk about what it takes to start up a new football team and preparations for the first game.
Q: What have been the challenges of getting a brand new football team started?
A: Establishing traditions and cultures, getting to know the different players. It’s been a lot of fun and a lot of hard work since January. But I like where we’re at as a team.
Q: What are you most looking forward to for the first year of Memorial football?
A: I like to see how we respond. We’re going to have some adverse times, so what is it going to look like when it’s not good. How will that be? I think the challenge of finding a way to win every game is important. Finding ways to win and getting to have fun along the way.
Q: What goals are your team looking to accomplish this year?
A: Well every year obviously there’s goals like we want to bring the team together and start to build a program. But on the field every year our goals are the same, and that’s that we want to make the playoffs, compete for a district title and try to play football in December. That’s always the goal.
Q:How excited are you about Friday’s game?
A: I’m really excited. There’s some nervousness, how are we going to perform? I really like the group of guys and I think they really want to do well. I just want to make sure we’re ready to go, so hopefully we show out and perform.
Q: What players have especially impressed you so far?
A: Our offensive and defensive lines, I always feel like our team will go as they go. We have a lot of work to do in every phase of the game, but they kind of set the tone for the rest of the season. They’re led by Cross Ohmstede, Jesus Yanez, Robert Monroe and Jalen Leau, and all those guys together are what make that group special.
Q: What are your expectations for this season?
A: We want to execute, but I also just want them to play hard. Play hard and enjoy this time, you only get to play high school football one time, and you get to play it in the state of Texas, which makes it more special because it’s the best high school football in the nation. We want to win and do all those things, but they also need to enjoy this because they only get one time to do this, so let’s have fun along the way.
Q: What will be the biggest challenges for your team this year?
A: Just seeing how we respond to adversity. I’d like to think we’ll go 16-0, but I’m not sure how realistic that is. We’re not going to score a touchdown on every drive and keep the other team from scoring, and so how do we respond to adversity. And when that happens, that’s what I know what kind of team we are and what we’re made of.
