Burnet football using every minute to the fullest

CAPTION: Wyatt Atkinson performs bench presses as Lyndon Harycki stands behind him as the spotter. Staff photos by Jennifer Fierro

The Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Bulldogs moved throughout the weight room of the Student Activity Center with purpose.

Just like they’ve done for years on the gridiron, there wasn’t a moment lost, not when the Bulldogs are working to get stronger, faster and more efficient.

Under the eyes of head football coach Ben Speer and several members of his staff, the athletes finished each rep with purpose and moved to the next station with the same fire. The Bulldogs worked the weight room with a buddy system to ensure safety while also loading up the weight they needed to get the most out of the workouts.

Once they finished there, they went to the turf for agility training.

Speer noted the weight room sessions have several parts besides the most obvious, which is getting stronger.

“There’s the conditioning part – we move with speed,” he said. “Everyone has their own weight sheet. In between lifts, they’re going to have to change weights and match what’s on their sheet. We always have a partner. First and foremost is safety. We want to make sure we going to move as fast as possible. But at the same time, we’re not going to be reckless. And so part of the job is I’ll keep them safe and make sure they’re doing things right. And then communication – you see communication a lot, they have to communicate.”

That means each lifter must tell his partner the amount of weight that needs to be loaded and unloaded on each bar before they attempt the lift.

“There’s hardly any time in between sets,” the coach said. “It’s moving quickly. And so there’s the disciplined conditioning, the strength aspect of it. The communication piece also helps.”

The Bulldogs have spent the last five years with Speer, first as the program’s defensive coordinator and then as the head coach when he took the head coaching job Jan. 22, 2024.

He recalled a time when the Bulldogs had to get used to a system that is efficient and flawless.

“We’ve had to implement this, but they know the expectations, they know how we’re going to hold them accountable,” he said. “There’s no walking in the weight room. If they don’t communicate, if they don’t say bars up and those things, we’re going to hold them accountable. And we’ll send them back, and we’ll do some push-ups, so we’re doing up-and-downs and if it’s bad enough, we’re coming out here and bear crawling. One way or other, we’re going to get the work in.”

In short, coaches never want to plead with their athletes for their best efforts in all phases. And that includes every part of a workout, Speer said.

“It has a lot to do also with the kids and their attitudes,” he said. “They know it’s going to be hard and they know it’s going to hurt. It’s going to and it should. But they finish, they power through it. And then when they start encouraging one another, I think it’s good.”

The coaches themselves applaud the Bulldogs for doing the work. Speer pointed out he and his staff members are in lockstep in what they each want to see.

“That’s another piece of it and the coaches know the expectations and know what I’m looking for,” he said.

He noted that coaches will call out an athlete if they see him walking as opposed to quickly moving to the line or the next station. Because the consequences are worse if Speer sees it.

“They don’t want to get called out, just like the kids,” he said. “And that’s great because you give them ownership in it.”

In essence, it’s the definition of team – winning and losing together and preparing for success daily, no matter the activity.

And once the sessions conclude, every athlete and coach can take pride in a job well done as they pick up their belongings and head to the doors.

CAPTION: Alex Perez performs toe touches as part of the final part of the weight room session.