AUSTIN (KXAN) — The offseason is no longer the offseason in the current high school football landscape, and to stay at the top of the food chain, programs need to have that engrained into the culture.
Consider the Westlake Chaparrals as one of those programs.
It was the first day of official practices Monday for the Chaps, but head coach Tony Salazar knows it was just a more organized extension of all the work the players put in over the summer. You know, during the offseason.
“It didn’t look like a first day of practice,” he said. “They’ve been through this together. They went through spring football and had player-led practices, and the kids know what the standard is. Our seniors are doing a great job of leading and they are excited about what’s in front of them.”
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The Chaps met their nemesis in the 6A-Division 1 semifinals last season, losing 23-14 to the Galena Park North Shore Mustangs and ending the season a week earlier than they wanted to. Salazar said the goal of this year’s team, as with most teams, is to be the “most complete team in Texas.” How does that happen? Not standing around at practice is a good starting point.
“We have to get more kids involved and have more meaningful roles,” he said. “When you have a bunch of kids with ownership and buy-in, it’s easy to sell it and say hey, let’s do this for 17 weeks. Let’s be crazy and different and get up at 4 a.m. six days in a row.”
Part of program building is also challenging the players with tough opponents, and the non-district schedule the Chaps put together is a gauntlet. With two fewer district games than last season, Westlake’s 4-game non-district slate features 2023 playoff teams every week with one true road game and a neutral site tilt.
The neutral game kicks off the season at Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Crusader Stadium in Belton against Prosper. The Chaps get the season going a little early with a Thursday game Aug. 29 against the Eagles, a 6A-D1 regional quarterfinal team last season.
Westlake then hosts 2023 area playoff qualifier San Benito and Region III finalist Atascocita before ending the non-district schedule at Lehnhoff Stadium in Schertz against Cibolo Steele, a 6A-D2 semifinalist last season. Westlake enters the season as the No. 4 team in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football preseason top 25, a slot behind North Shore.
In District 26-6A play, the Chaps clash with Lake Travis in the Battle of the Lakes on Oct. 25 and end the regular season Nov. 8 against Dripping Springs
Back to lead the offense for the Chaps is junior quarterback Rees Wise. He threw 21 touchdown passes last year, but he also had some growing pains as a sophomore with 11 interceptions. Salazar said Wise is, well, wiser.
“The game has slowed down for him when it comes to decision-making,” Salazar said. “He’s a true conductor of the offense and makes sure everyone is in the right place at the right time. Now we can coach the details like where checks go, where ball placement is, all those finer points of quarterback play.”
Senior wide receiver Brody Wilhelm is poised to be one of Wise’s most productive targets, and he thinks the team’s chemistry will carry the Chaps through the season.
“This year, everyone feels like they’re brothers,” he said. “It feels like a real family.”