HSFT Stop #48: Winona Christian
For Winona Christian, the expectations haven’t changed, but the path to get there might look a little different this season.
The Stars went 8-3 last year, finishing undefeated in district play before their season ended in the first round of the playoffs. Now, with a lot of new faces taking on bigger roles, third-year head coach Ashley Kuhn is stressing the details.
“That’s a big thing for me, doing the little things right in the weight room and at practice,” Kuhn said. “That’s something we spend a lot of time on. I’m a big believer that little things will carry over and they help you do the other things right. You’d be amazed how many times little things come back to get you beat if you don’t do them.”
That message is especially important with a small senior class and a lot of young players expected to contribute.
“Our senior class is very small and we have a lot of younger kids coming up,” Winona Christian defensive end Hunter Land said. “I think doing the little things right will help build our mentality and character a lot. So I think it’ll help us tremendously. It’s hard for sure, because we have to coach up all the little kids and everything that’s coming up, but I think we’re up for the challenge.”
That challenge also means the returning players have to do more than just make plays. They have to set the standard.
“We’ve got a lot of new faces, a lot of young kids that are going to have to play,” Kuhn said. “They’re going to step up. The kids that we do have returning are going to have to serve as role models for our young kids, show them what we expect. And so far, they’ve done a good job with that.”
For senior receiver Austin Horne, that leadership starts with holding each other accountable — no matter where they are.
“You can take it all the way to the locker room,” Horne said. “People clean it out, make sure it looks good. On the field, if somebody messes up, we’re going to be right there with you and we’re going to get on to you, but we’re going to be there to help you get corrected.”
Because while the roster may be younger, the goals are still the same.
“Our expectations haven’t changed,” Kuhn said. “We always talk about winning a district championship, making the playoffs and advancing as far as we can. The goals for us are always the same, and we think that we’ve got a good group. It’s just going to take a little bit longer, a little bit more inexperience. I think the longer we play, our kids will get better as the year goes along.”
And Horne says this group is already buying into what it will take.
“It’s a lot different than last year,” Horne said. “Last year we had a lot of seniors, but this year, the group of guys that we got right here, right now, we’re going to get after one another and try to win a little state championship. Staying gritty, just getting every play. No matter what, you get beat in one play, let’s play and bounce back. We’re ready to get back at it.”
The Stars will get their first chance to put that mindset to the test Aug. 14 against St. Aloysius.
