The Escambia County High School Blue Devils have been braving the summer heat, working hard to get ready for the upcoming football season.

Coach Royce Young said that all ECHS athletes have been participating in summer workouts this year, not just the athletes who play football. There have been about 70 athletes at each workout, including about 40 football players.

“Any young man who plays any sport does our summer program this year,” said Young, who is also the school’s athletic director. “It’s about training our athletes and keeping them in shape during the off-season.”

The Blue Devils began their summer workouts on June 2, and have met every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Young said the workouts typically begin around 8 a.m., and are finished by 10:15 a.m. or so.

“We still want to let these kids enjoy their summer,” he said.

Football players are required to make at least 17 workout days during the summer off-season, or about 70 percent of the workouts. The workouts include both weight lifting, as well as outside running and calisthenics.

Young said some of the weightlifting workout days focus on strength and power, while others are designed to increase stamina and endurance.

“It’s a good balanced program,” he said. “Our one downfall is that we are lacking in some of the equipment that we need. We’ve got plenty of space in our weight room, but our variety of equipment is limited.”

For more on this story, see the Wednesday, June 18, edition of The Atmore Advance.