Coming off of a 2-3 region record which placed them at a fourth place standing, the Verrado Vipers are hungry for more. To get an inside look on how prepared the Vipers look, we took a trip to one of their spring practices. At the practice, around fifty players were gathered to all work on their respective positions, sharpening their skillsets, and preparing for any opponent that they will face in this upcoming ‘26-27 season.
There, the energy was high, with the guys in different groups where coaches worked with them on drills corresponding to their positions. Head Coach Brett Davis stated “I love the energy. The guys’ energy and focus this year is really good; way better than we had last year.”
The offensive-line was working hard on their footwork and different drills, such as mirror drills. These skills become vital when they all work together to protect the quarterback and build pass protection along with creating running lanes for the running backs. Because of this, their drills were heavy on hand placement, mirroring, hip driving, and agility.
For Riley Espinoza, a varsity offensive guard and center for the Vipers, the goal is clear: maintain the energy that the team has while working on their discipline. When asked what the team needs to work on Espinoza responded,“Discipline, a lot of discipline could be worked on.”
Wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends were seen working on multiple different drills as well, specializing in catching and running. Focusing on ball security and pass protection is important to make sure that when our quarterback throws, it is not wasted and the chances of scoring is increased.
While it is not exactly clear to us who the starters are yet, it seems that it is to the coaches as they are keeping their eyes on the prize: trying to find who will benefit the team the most. Coach Davis said “We’re finding not only starters but already backups; looking at depth in a lot of positions, so that’s good!”
This is just the beginning though. With the season starting up in the fall, the Vipers are getting a head start on things, which is a great way to not only improve their skills, but team chemistry as a whole, which appears to be high! This team chemistry is a large attribute to why the Vipers appear to be so prepared already. Espinoza told us “Our team is pretty prepared, to take on anyone we come against.”
It seems apparent that the coaches are very proud of this and looking forward to the growth that is to come. “Its still early in spring but we’ve loved what we’ve seen; this is the best spring I’ve had [in about] five [or] six years. As long as we keep at this pace [and] we don’t take steps back we’re gonna be really prepared.” said Coach Davis, when talking about how prepared he feels the team is for this upcoming season.
While the Vipers do not look spotless, it is clear that they are only headed for improvement, especially if they keep this momentum up. When asked what went well at the practice, Espinoza responded “The effort we had out here was great.” But it isn’t just about the good, it is also important to highlight areas for improvement. When we asked what the team needs to work on, Coach Davis responded, “It’s getting over mistakes, you know, when bad things happen, how do we respond to it? As long as we handle the negative situations okay, we’re gonna be okay.”
In conclusion, it can be said that the team looks fairly prepared. While the team still needs some work, especially when it comes to discipline and correcting mistakes, the energy is already at maximum level and they feel like they are ready, ready to prove what the Vipers are really capable of and to take on the teams they will come against in the upcoming fall season. Speaking for all of VHS, we are excited to see what they will bring to the upcoming season!
