“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Langley Rams head coach Howie Zaron.
He’s not talking about a team near the bottom of the B.C. Football Conference. The Rams have won all four of their games this season and are dominating their opponents.
“Obviously, being 4-0, I feel really good about that,” said Zaron.
But that doesn’t mean he’s going to let the team become complacent, especially as they have a bye week and won’t play again until Sept. 8, when they head to the Interior to take on the Okanagan Sun.
“I expected us to be the top team, and so far we’re there,” Zaron said.
The team is packed with talent and has a very deep roster – about 85 to 90 players right now, Zaron noted.
And he’s using that deep roster to help motivate players who might want to take it a little easy given their winning record.
Every game so far, Zaron has made four to seven changes to the lineup, pulling players on and off the bench.
“I feel like it’s good to use our depth,” he said.
Specifically, he’s benching players who are a bit complacent, while rewarding those who have been “working their butt off” at practice.
So this week, the team is holding practices, watching video, and working on getting better.
Along with a deep talent pool, the Rams have another positive going for them as they near the season’s mid-point.
“Knock on wood, no major injuries,” Zaron said.
The team has a few players with bumps and bruises, and five starters were too beat up to fully practice on Tuesday, but they’re expected to be back on the field soon.
The wins at home and on the road have helped fire up the fans, who are growing in number.
“Fan support has been great,” Zaron said.
The stands at McLeod Athletic Park have been busy on game days.
“Lots of kids out there wearing their jerseys,” said the coach.
There were even a fair number during the Aug. 10 away game against the Kamloops Broncos.
“I think we had probably 100 people come up the highway, and they were louder than the Kamloops fans,” said Zaron.
The Rams’ next game is Sunday, Sept. 8 on the road against the Okanagan Sun.
The Sun are at 2-2 right now, but Zaron isn’t taking anything for granted.
“If you take one of these teams lightly in this conference, you’re going to end up with an L,” he said.