When Mayde Creek High School Athletic Coordinator and Head Football Coach J Jensen started at Mayde Creek as head coach last year after working at Taylor High School as defensive line coach for the seven years prior, he said it was “a dream come true.”

Now Jensen is pushing his student athletes to make their dreams come true on the field and off as he moves into summer training. Jensen says he and his team are pushing the young athletes in the weight room and focusing on bringing home a state championship trophy to put in the Rams’ trophy case. Jensen agreed to answer some questions regarding what summer training is looking like for the Rams and what Rams fans should expect as the season begins this fall.

Q: This upcoming year will be your first to lead the Rams’ football team as head coach. What were you able to do during the 2020-21 school year to lay a foundation for success this fall?

A: I was hired in March and we have been working in the weight room and on the field as much as possible. We were able to get the offense and defense installed, for example we would lift three days a week and go outside for football the other two days during the athletic periods. We started our character development and focused on getting better as teammates, students, and athletes.  We are now in the strength and conditioning phase where we lift for 45 minutes, run for 45 minutes, and work 30 minutes of football skills Monday-Thursday. Competition and hard work are the foundations of our program. Since we did not do Spring Ball we will get an extra week of practice and two scrimmages before the season starts. We will take advantage of those practices!

Q: The Rams had a generally good year last year. What will you be doing to carry that momentum forward as the Rams get ready for next year?

A: I will carry lessons learned from turning the Taylor High program into a state semifinalist as (my coaching team and I) head to Mayde Creek High. We have program expectations to win district, make playoffs and be state champions. Those goals will never waiver and we will fight as hard as we can to win the daily battles. Those daily wins lead to big wins once the season starts. We preach mental toughness, teamwork, and the ability to play the next play no matter what happens.

Q: As the Rams see an outflux of graduating seniors and an influx of new freshmen, which of last year’s juniors do you see moving into leadership roles on and off the field for Mayde Creek High?

A: Right now, we have about five players who I see quickly emerging as our top leaders. Leadership is not bound by age, but rather respect earned through sweat equity. Two of those five athletes I am thinking of will be seniors, while two will be Juniors. One is even a sophomore. We are working to develop leadership on the field and in the halls, among all of our players. One thing I took from Taylor is “the way you do anything, is the way you do everything.” That means that greatness is the expectation at all times. Our older guys are doing a great job of holding the other players accountable in the hallways and the fieldhouse.

Q: With the pandemic slowing down and the health safety of students more assured, what does your summer training program look like to get your students prepared for the fall?

A: On Monday, we lift upper body and have our speed day. We run sprints, hills, starts, build ups, and ladders. On Tuesday, we lift lower body and do an agility day. On Wednesday, we lift upper body two and have an X factor day. This includes line hops, wall swings, depth jumps, bounding, and stimulus starts. On Thursday, we do lower body two and command change of direction drills. Our workout is designed to challenge the body and mind while developing speed, agility, flexibility, strength, and explosion. We want our athletes to be able to think while they are tired, so we like to include a verbal command and make them react to it.

Q: Which players coming in as Freshmen are you looking forward to seeing try out for the Rams football program this fall and what do you hope they bring with them?

A: We are really excited about all of our incoming freshman. We were able to get over to the junior high in the spring to work with these young men and they have really good football skills. They also were district champions in several events at the eight-grade district meet in track. They are showing up on a daily basis and working really hard. We are expecting several of these young men to be three-year varsity players. They bring great attitudes and they are used to winning. The expectation is for these young men to play in big playoff games, play in big playoff venues, and leave a legacy at Mayde Creek High. We are excited about all of them, but several have stood out with their hard work and leadership. (see sidebar)