DWU football adjusting to coaching change, roster turnover during spring practices

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Apr. 13—MITCHELL — There’s a new look to Dakota Wesleyan football this spring.

Noticeably absent from the Tigers’ practice fields for the first time in 12 seasons is Ross Cimpl, who left his post as head coach and accepted the role as DWU’s athletic director in February. In his place is Alex Kretzschmar, DWU’s former offensive coordinator who is taking on the first head coaching gig of his career.

Though the coaching change initially came as a surprise to the members of the program, the return of spring practices, and with it the crunching pads, flaring whistles and the sporadic South Dakota spring weather, has brought a sense of normality back to the team.

“The biggest thing is making sure you bring guys along with that head coaching change,” linebacker and Mitchell High School product Joe Van Overschelde said. “I think it was the second day where we said, if some guys are upset, or want to talk about the change, then go talk to (Kretzschmar). The big thing is we have to move in the direction where he wants to take us and I think myself and A.J. (Kortemeyer) and there’s a few other leaders on the team that are doing a pretty good job so far of bringing that along.”

Seven practices into the spring, Kretzschmar, who admits he’s happy to be back on the practice field with the team after months of learning the administrative side of his new gig, said he’s seen his team show their commitment to the program through their efforts this spring.

“We’ve been making progress,” Kretschmar said. ” … Guys are picking it up quickly, and all the leaders out here are trying to get themselves better each day. (I’ve) been pretty happy with the effort, they’ve been getting after it each day.”

Much of the focus of spring ball is identifying how to replace some of the team’s best playmakers from last year’s 6-5 team. The Tigers will…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/dwu-football-adjusting-coaching-change-143100601.html

Author : The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.

Publish date : 2024-04-13 14:31:00

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