Panthers working hard for new coach
DECATURVILLE, Tenn — The Riverside Panthers finished last season 4-7. The record doesn’t show the team reached the playoffs.
But this season it’s all about improvement under new head coach, Johnnie Frost. Frost said he has been a head coach for 10 years, but this season he’s having the most fun he’s ever had. Before the season starts, Frost knew there was one thing he needed to change about his ball club right away. Toughness. No not who hits the hardest, or who’s the fastest on Friday nights, but who can keep things together through adverse situations.
“It’s an issue we have to deal with is mental toughness a lot of times,” Frost said. “Kids don’t seem to be as mentally tough as they used to be and I wanted to focus on being able to get the kids to be mentally tough. You know to break them down a little bit, and see if they can push through with their mind. Their mind can tell their body to do anything.”
When teams get a new coach there is always a transition period to get to know one another. Coaches cut the players some slack when it comes to learning new systems. But coach Frost demands one thing out of his group at all times.
“You know maximum effort,” said Frost. “Doing their assignments and their jobs full speed every play. You want to strive for each play to be perfect. In reality it’s not going to happen, but you want to strive for each play to be perfect and if you strive for that perfect play, you can have success.”
The Panthers will try to chase perfection starting week one with Perry County.
