WEST FORK (KFSM)-- After back to back conference championships, the West Fork Tigers struggled mightily last year, only winning one game. They start this season with a new outlook and a new head coach, though the change is mostly just in the title, according to the players.
"He’s not a new coach, he’s been a defensive coach forever," says senior Zac Pope.
As for any kind of transition, senior Logan Helms thinks it's been "pretty easy, Coach Wise has always been really good with the players."
Bob Wise was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach this off-season, but he says his familiarity with the program has made for a smooth change.
"I’ve been a part of the program as long as these guys have been around in Pee-Wee and been a part of the program, so as far as any real big transition I don’t feel like there really has been a huge shift in philosophy or anything like that."
Consistency is important to a program that had won four of six conference championships before last season. So while Coach Wise wants the on field play to move on from last year, he thinks his team can take some motivation from their struggles.
"I told the guys that they needed to remember how it felt. With that in the back of their mind, they aught to be able to reach their goal of improving every day a little bit easier."
That's Coach Wise's mantra that he wants the team to live by; improve every day At the end of each practice he asks "Did you get better today?"
As long as the Tigers keep answering yes, they'll know they made a wise choice of head coach.