OPINION —
The Opelika High School football team officially kicked off summer workouts on Monday, June 1, signaling the beginning of another highly anticipated season for Bulldog football. Head coach Jonathan Chandler joined the “On the Mark” radio show earlier in the week and shared his excitement about the progress already being made by his team both on and off the field.
Coach Chandler emphasized that the Bulldogs are not only focused on football success but also on community involvement and supporting fellow Opelika athletes. The team will begin the week by attending the Auburn University Cheer Camp to cheer on the Opelika High cheerleaders. Chandler said building school spirit and encouraging student-athletes across all sports is an important part of the culture he is continuing to develop within the program.
“We want our players involved in the community and supporting others,” said Chandler. “That’s part of representing Opelika the right way.”
The Bulldogs also spent part of their summer competing against some of the top programs in the state at the “Troy University Sweet 16” 7-on-7 tournament last week in Troy. Opelika posted an impressive 5-1 record during the event, recording victories over Robertsdale, Spain Park, Carver, Central and Moody before falling to eventual tournament champion Thompson in the final matchup.
Chandler said he was pleased with the performance and competitive effort displayed by his players throughout the tournament. He particularly praised the Bulldogs’ receiving corps, which made several big plays during the competition.
“Our wide receivers really stepped up,” Chandler said. “They competed hard and made plays all day.”
Defensively, Chandler was encouraged by the performance of Opelika’s secondary. He said the defensive backs communicated well and displayed strong team defense throughout the event.
However, consistency remains one of the major goals for the coaching staff as summer workouts continue.
“We have to continue improving every day and become more consistent,” Chandler added. “That’s what good football teams do.”
The upcoming weeks will remain busy for the Bulldogs. Approximately 30 Opelika players are scheduled to participate in Auburn University’s upcoming football camp later this week. The group will include several offensive and defensive linemen looking to continue sharpening their skills during the offseason.
Summer also means recruiting season for many upperclassmen. Due to new NCAA rules allowing official college visits during the summer months, several Bulldog players are already making trips to major college campuses. Chandler said he fully supports players taking advantage of those opportunities and is happy to accommodate schedules as athletes travel for recruiting visits.
“It’s exciting for our kids,” Chandler said. “We want them to experience those opportunities and enjoy the recruiting process.”
Overall, Chandler described the opening week of summer practice as extremely productive and said the Bulldogs have displayed good energy and effort early in offseason workouts.
OHS Youth Baseball Camp
In other Opelika High athletics news, Bulldog baseball coach Bart Butler and members of the Opelika baseball team will host a youth baseball camp June 15-17 at the Opelika High School baseball field.
The camp is open to children ages 6-12 and will cost $100 per camper. Participants will receive instruction in baseball fundamentals, including drills, skill development and game situations taught by the Opelika coaching staff and players.
Parents interested in registering their child for the camp can contact coach Bart Butler at (334) 745-9715 for additional information.
Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State Director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.
