ST. PAUL, Minn. - With their former weight room already demolished as the construction of their new home, Sea Foam Stadium, well underway, the Concordia University football team is set to begin their spring season this Friday in what will be their last experience at Griffin Stadium. The team will practice Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday throughout April before competing in their Spring Game on Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m. at "The Griff."
With their 2009 season opener scheduled at the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, Minnesota Duluth, the Golden Bears have used a steady dose of strength & conditioning throughout the offseason to get to this point.
"Our strength & conditioning has been great this offseason, the players have really worked hard and are responding well to (strength & conditioning) coach (Oliver) Soukup," head coach Mark Mauer remarked.
Soukup expanded, "The young players have stepped up and really come around and it has helped the older players have shown excellent leadership and dedication this offseason. We have made our best strength gains in four years here."
Both coaches acknowledged that they will not let the team relent on the rigorous offseason training regiment and will continue to hit the weights hard through spring ball and into the summer.
It is perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle for a team revolved around youth and athleticism. The Concordia offense returns eight starters while the defense brings back six.
The coaching staff was quick to dismiss that those positions are secure, however.
"We only have two seniors on the entire offense - all units combined, some 40 offensive players and two seniors," Mauer explained. "We also have several redshirts, especially on the offensive line, who are talented young men and are looking to get out there this spring to compete for a role on this football team."
The defense is not an exception, either, with numerous junior college players already on campus for the spring season ready to compete as well.
"Spring ball will be a great mechanism for us to continue to develop our young players and give them the confidence they need to play at the Division II level," said Mauer. "Every position will be competitive - there is not a spot on this football team that will not see intense competition."
Sea Foam Stadium's playing surface, track & field and lights are all expected to be in place by the time fall camp opens in early August. In the meantime, CU will continue to utilize the neighboring Griffin Stadium, the football team's home field for decades and for much of the team's existence since 1969.
