It’s been only six days with Lawrence "L.A." O’Neal at the helm of the Tallassee High School football program. It’s been a whirlwind but players are seeing a shift in culture.
Off season workouts in the weight room never stopped. But a new attitude is emerging for the Tigers. O’Neal has brought a new and different life to the program.
“We have been working hard,” junior running back Joseph Hooks said. “The music has been playing loud so we can get crunk. I can already see a difference in energy.”
O’Neal has already been serving the Tigers. As a new athletic director O’Neal was in Birmingham for the wrestling state championship. He has been in the weight room with football players. It is all to start instilling a work ethic that will earn players a spot on the field.
“If your kid is not on the field, it’s because they are skipping out on the work,” O’Neal told parents, athletes and community members at a meet and greet Monday night. “We are going to work. The ones that work are going to see the field.”
The message is getting through to the players. Junior Kaden Peters said O’Neal hasn’t taken over workouts in the weight room but his energy is felt.
“I think he brings a fresh atmosphere,” Peters said. “A lot of our guys have been excited and pumped up in the weight room. He is creating a new culture and a new energy.”
Freshman quarterback Trent Morris said he sees a difference in the team already.
“It has been a lot of work but good,” Morris said. “I feel like we have been going way harder in the weight room trying to impress him.”
O’Neal said he wants Tallassee athletes to compete at the highest level.
“We do that by buying into the work,” O’Neal said. “We are going to commit to the work. Then we are going to compete. Then we are going to win and finally we are going to dominate. We are going to put in a lot of work.”
Hooks has spent time as an outside linebacker. He is already looking forward to spring practice and further into summer before the season starts.
“He will have us doing Oklahoma drills a lot,” Hooks said. “I’m prepared for it. I have been waiting for this. I’ve been waiting to hit somebody hard.”
O’Neal has yet to take the field at Tallassee but Morris is already convinced things will look different next season under the new coach.
“I think things will go good,” Morris said. “I really like him. I think we can win a bunch of games with him.”
O’Neal is setting the bar high for Tallassee. But at the same time he wants to keep expectations in check.
“Our best is the standard,” O’Neal said. “Everybody’s best is not the same, but everybody can give their best in what they do. That is the standard we are going to set.”
A lot of coaches are measured by wins and losses. O’Neal wants to win on the field but at the end of the he wants the biggest win to be creating a better person and student athlete at Tallassee.
“My job is to serve the kids,” O’Neal said. “My purpose in life and God’s calling is to serve kids and give them the best opportunity to be a great citizen, a great father, a great husband and then at the end of the day a great person in the community. That is my job.”
Cliff Williams is a staff writer for Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. He may be reached via email at cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com.