SPRINGDALE — Todd Rosamond could not wait to put last season behind him.
The rising Shiloh Christian senior hated the taste of a 4-6 season, the Saints’ first in the 5A-West Conference. But even though he hated missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, he used the early start to the offseason as motivation.
So Rosamond immersed himself in an intense offseason program created by new strength and conditioning coach John Durmon. As a result, the 5-foot-11, 265-pound guard has increased his bench press by 20 pounds since the Christmas break.
“We’ve just been hitting it hard,” he said. “Sometimes twice a day.”
After a year in the rugged 5A-West, the Saints now have a better idea of what it takes to compete against some of the powerhouse programs in 5A, Rosamond said.
The focus this spring has been to finish games. Last season the Saints lost several close games that likely could have been won. This season Rosamond and the 18 Shiloh Christian seniors are hoping to reverse that trend.
“I think last year we proved we can hang with them,” Rosamond said. “This year we’re going to come back stronger. We have a year under our belts, and we know what’s coming.”
Many of Shiloh Christian’s seniors have played together since the fourth grade. Some even earlier than that, getting started in the Springdale Kiwanis Kid’s Day program.
That experience will be a team strength, said Saints coach Josh Floyd. With more experience up front, the Saints hope to grind down opponents with an improved running game.
“Every year we want to run the football,” Floyd said. “That is one of the most basic things, Football 101. If you can run the football, you can do a lot of different things. It helps the rest of your offensive system, and it helps your defense.
“We do feel very good about our guys coming back.”
Offensive line coach Haden Gilder said Rosamond has shown a huge improvement in his upper body strength this offseason, as well as an added leadership role.
“This past year coming into his senior year has been a real key for him,” Gilder said. “That was probably his weakest area. He’s hitting the weight room really hard. Plus just his physical aggressiveness, he’s decided he’s turned the switch and he wants to be a leader on the field.”
The Saints will close their three-week spring practices with a Blue-Gold game at 3 p.m. today in Champions Stadium.
For Rosamond, it’s a chance to close a solid offseason program and focus on the upcoming season.
“We want to win conference,” he said. “We want to make a run in the playoffs. These seniors have bonded well. We’ve just played together for so long and known each other for so long.
“This could be our year to do something great.”