By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
SALEM — Danny Mendoza opened the doors of the Salem football program — his Salem football program — to his players for the first time Tuesday with no expectations of what he might see.
But even with that he admitted he was pleased with the number of players who came through the door.
Mendoza was approved as the Rams’ new football coach last Wednesday. After an introductory meeting with his players the next day and a weekend to soak it all in, a group of 30 players went through their paces in the work-in-progress that is the Rams’ new weight room.
There’s a hope of another dozen or so joining the ranks in the coming days, but what he saw from the attitude and effort of those in the room the first day was enough to excite the new coach.
“It was a good first day,” Mendoza said. “Coming in new with them – the coaching change, the variables of what we lost and what we gained – I just hoping for a good turnout. I was hoping we’d have three-quarters of a team here, which we did.
“When I saw those guys come in, the majority on time – which is 15 minutes early for us – ready to go, ready to learn … that was a positive result for Day One. You want to hear kids talking about what they’re doing, kids competing with each other. Seeing that today was probably the most positive thing to me. I’m excited to see what’s coming.”
The Rams are expected to have some rebuilding to do. Beyond the seniors that graduated, six players have transferred to other programs in the transition. Mendoza doesn’t have time to worry about that. You play with what you have.
“There will be a new leading receiver, there will be a new leading rusher, there will be a new leading passer, a new leading tackler,” he said. “So, these guys have to look at it more as an opportunity to put their names on the map.”
There’s a lot of new coming to Mendoza’s program, including a big new premium right outside the back door. Work continues on the Rams’ first on-campus football stadium, a 1,500-seat facility replete with a Jumbotron, to replace the historic Walnut Street Park venue they really had to leave.
The natural-turf stadium is expected to be done this year, in time for the Rams to play the first of their two home games, Oct. 7 against Paulsboro.
It’s all part of a plan the ‘Jersey-born and Florida-bred’ head coach has to “take the grittiness and toughness of Jersey and … put a little bit of Florida flavor and flash on top” of it.
While Tuesday’s first day is a start, perhaps the most important day is Day Two.
“That’s what we’ve got to see,” Mendoza said. “How many guys are going to come back tomorrow.?You hope to get the same number or more, and if we do get that then we’re moving in the right direction.”
Salem football coach Danny Mendoza holds the new style of Rams’ helmet.
Riverview Sports News 