Terry Walker has a high standard for the Jefferson City Jays football program.
He brought his intense and energetic approach to the team last season and worked to instill that into the players.
"When I was a fighter pilot, my instructor told me resistance is futile," Walker, who's in his second season coaching the Jays, said. "So we had some kids last year that resisted, but they need to understand from us that our approach is always going to be the same.
"We're going to expect it to work. And If you don't work, we're going to demand that you work or you're not gonna play. I mean, it's really pretty simple. Life rewards those who are willing to work the hardest."
Don't expect many Jays to have much relaxation time on the sideline during practices this season.
To help develop the backup players and underclassmen, the coaching staff will be divided up more to get everyone work at all times.
"We're at the stage in our program where we're underdeveloped fundamentally and underdeveloped physically," Walker said. "We've got to do whatever we can in order to expedite the development of both the fundamentals and the kids physically, so that's why we chose to do it."
So far, so good.
"I've seen a big difference so far with the younger kids, as far as the younger kids retaining the knowledge of the stuff that we're dealing with the older kids," Walker said. "They're essentially getting the exact same number of reps, the exact same instruction."
In addition, the players are being put in more adverse situations in preparation to what they will face during games.
Whether it be penalties, turnovers or deficits, Walker wants the team to respond better to misfortunes.
"I'll tell them before practice, 'Hey, I'm going to intentionally try and put you in a bad spot in practice, because I want to see if you can practice responding to adversity,'" Walker said. "And most kids do, some kids don't. But that's why you practice so you can get them some experience in those types of situations.
"So hopefully they carry that situation, not only from the field, but to the classroom and then to the local community."
Before the Jays head to Kirkwood for their season opener Aug. 30, they'll take a trip Friday to Columbia for a Jamboree at Rock Bridge.
"I just want the kids keep working hard," Walker said. "I think the biggest issue I see, not only out here on the practice field but within my job here within the school, is just the work ethic of the kids.
"Work ethic is learned, so you've got to practice working hard in order to become a good worker, and they have to apply it on the football field, they have to apply it to the classroom and they have to apply it in the local communities."