Aug. 18, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. -- Just when it seemed the weather wasn't going to cooperate, there was a break in Wednesday's bad weather just long enough for the Football Monarchs to get practice in.
The coaching staff decided to push practice earlier in hope of missing the impending bad weather heading to the Hampton Roads area, but the weather gods had something else in mind as a large cell of rain and wind hit in the early afternoon.
All was not lost though as the members of the team watched film, met with their position coaches, and the injured had time in the training room.
The Monarchs got the all clear at 5:45 p.m. to hit the turf, but just as the team was ready to begin drills, a horn from the lightening detection system at the Powhatan Sports Complex blasted signifying lightening in the area sending the team back into the locker rooms.
About a half-hour later, the Football Monarchs got the all clear and were back on the field mindful that another storm cell heading from the Richmond/Petersburg area was making its way to Norfolk.
Head coach Bobby Wilder compared today's practice to the "Sudden Change" he throws at the team in drills.
"With the weather coming in, we didn't go off the script like we normally do," noted Wilder, "so we threw drills at the kids trying to get as much as possible into today's practice. It was a 'sudden change' practice in that you had to be prepared for anything and everything at a given notice. Its just like in a game situation when in the defense captures a turnover, the offense has to be ready to get onto the field and go and vice versa if the offense turns over the ball, the defense could be called upon a moment's notice to get a stop. That's exactly what this practice was like, throwing the team into different situations and drills out of the normal routine and they had to react."
The evening's drills included third down and redzone work.
Freshman tailback Colby Goodwyn (Hampton, Va.) had a pair of back-to-back 35+ yard runs to help lead the offense during third down reps. Sophomore running back Mario Crawford (Detroit, Mich.) also delivered a 30-yard run.
In the redzone, quarterback Dominique Blackman (Los Angeles, Calif.) threw up the middle right over the defense to hit tight end Kai Blanco (Alexandria, Va.).
The defense also registered several nice stops throughout including what was called a sack by whistles by Chris Burnette (Randallstown, Md.) and Chad King (Springfield, Va.) and pass break-ups by Craig Wilkins (Washington, D.C.) and Carvin Powell (Chesapeake, Va.).
The Monarchs are hoping for better weather tomorrow for another two-a-day, including a full pads workout in the afternoon.
MONARCH MOMENTS:
MILD, MEDIUM, HOT, OR BLAZING?:
Fans come join head coach Bobby Wilder at Buffalo Wild Wings throughout the season for the Coors Light Bobby Wilder Coach's Show. The show will air live at the Buffalo Wild Wings located at 1308 Greenbrier Parkway in the Greenbrier section of Chesapeake. Click here for dates and times.
GAMEDAY GRASS:
One of the reasons the Monarchs were able to practice Wednesday evening was thanks in part to AstroTurf's GameDay 3D grass. The nylon root system of the turf helps enhance drainage so puddles don't develop during huge downpours like the ones that occurred today.