Commenting on the camp, coach Roberts said "it will be a three day weekend activity...it will be Friday through Sunday." After three days of bonding as a collective unit and gradually learning the offensive and defensive schemes, the Warhawks football team will break from the off campus camp and get ready for a scrimmage against the Class LL Champions and the team that was voted the No. 1 team in the state after the 2005 playoffs, Xavier-Middletown. Roberts, who was the defensive coach at Xavier prior to taking the Bloomfield job mentioned that this is the second year in a row that Bloomfield will scrimmage Xavier. He indicated that Xavier's head football coach and he "are real good friends."
Right now Robert can confirm that the scrimmage will not be played in Bloomfield but at Xavier's camp/training location. When asked how he felt about the upcoming season, Roberts without hesitation said "I am looking forward to it (the 2006 football season.)" He added, "we will be better (than last year.) I just don't know how much better...the season will tell."
Roberts is expecting things to be different this year because last year, the Warhawks were a youthful and inexperienced group but had a great deal of talent. This years' team will be veterans with experience with even more talent. "I expect really good things," from the team this year explained Roberts. "Last year we were young...and we suffered many injuries during the season." Using a phrase that a particular financial company uses, Roberts and the coaching are looking to be more "bullish" as they prepare for the upcoming season. "We are going to take the bull by the horns," stated Roberts.
He admitted this years' addition of the Warhawks will be "good", but he acknowledged that "how good? - time will tell." But he noted that Bloomfield will have to do some things better this year compared to last year liking making tackles and making plays. He also said the team will need to "have a little luck."
Roberts is proud of his upperclassmen who have been leading by example during the summer by working arduously and diligently in the school's weight room. "My upperclassmen really hit the weight room," said Roberts. He said his student-athletes who were sophomore and juniors last year are now juniors and seniors who "understand the importance of weight lifting." Roberts pointed out that his juniors and seniors leading by example have shown how important weight lifting is to the young players. "I am happy with my senior class," said Roberts. When asked if his quarterback situation is settled going into the camp, Roberts acknowledged that junior Keenan Orie is the QB. Commenting on Orie, Roberts said, "this year he worked hard." The coach also noted that since this past March, he and his QB have spent a great deal of time together getting prepared for the 2006 season. "He (Orie) is ready to lead by example," stated Roberts, who added that for the 2006 season, Orie "will become a household name."
Several other players that Roberts believes will have outstanding seasons are WR/DB Marcus Cooper, TE/DE Marcus Campbell, RB/DB Andre Delaire and RB/DB Jazz Nealy as well as RB/DB Everett Wolcott. Roberts believes with the talent on the Bloomfield football team and with some breaks and a little luck, the Class S post-season playoffs may not be out of the teams' reach. Roberts will have a considerable amount of assistance and support once again from his assistant coaching staff.
During the summer, the assistant coaches have been in the school's weight lifting room with Roberts four days a week watching the players perform their weight lifting regiments as well as any other conditioning drills. "My coaching staff...they have done a nice job," said Roberts. "I am happy with my coaching staff; I can't ask any more from them." Roberts said he "appreciates" the fact that his coaching staff has spent time away from home and away from their families to support the football program. His final assessment, "I am happy with the way we are going."
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