The largest group of upperclassmen Snook Christian has ever seen will be relied upon more than ever in 2024 as the Eagles are stepping up to Class 2A in the Alabama Independent School Association.

Only a season removed from the playoffs, last year’s 0-10 mark wasn’t exactly what head coach Keith Smith was looking for. However, he’s already seen a change in his Snook Christian squad.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that we have improved as a team, I think we have the potential to be a very good team. The thing we try to stress to our players every day is do the best you can, that’s all anybody can do,” Smith said at Gulf Coast Media Day. “We want to see us close the gap between us and the competition. The margin of defeat is not where it needs to be so we want to be more competitive and be the best we can be.”

The Eagles have put in extra work this offseason and spent many Saturdays in the weight room where offensive lineman Kile Votaw and wide receiver Ethan Parker were some of the leaders showing by example.

“I think they’re very determined, they’ve put a lot of effort into it. They’ve had an unbelievable attitude each week coming back, even after a tough loss, just ready to get back to work,” Smith said. “I see that from them in the weight room and in the classroom as well but very hard workers.”

The athletes themselves were ready to get back to the winning side of the scoreboard and Votaw said it starts in the trenches.

“Our goal for this season is to be one of the nastiest offensive lines in the AISA and our attitude right now is that we’re going to go out and dominate,” Votaw said. “Being nasty comes with finishing blocks and putting people on their backs and those are things we love to do.”

Now an elder statesman, Parker has also emphasized bringing along Snook’s younger teammates to follow in their footsteps.

“It’s fun showing the little guys how to run a route and catch a ball and all of that,” Parker said. “We have a lot of them, we start from 6th Grade up to seniors and now we have a pee wee team in 4th Grade too but it’s fun getting to show them how to play the game.”

Some of the other senior leaders they mentioned doing the same included lineman Brock Butts, receiver Anton Mazur and defensive back Aiden Reynolds.

Smith said with some of those weapons and more, the Eagle offense will look to take to the sky early and often.

“We want to run the ball more effectively, but we really want to get better at throwing the football. We feel like that is going to be a strength this year is throwing it,” Smith said. “We plan on airing it out a lot this coming season.”

The seniors will strap it up one last time for Smith who enters his 35th season as a football coach.

“I’ve learned a ton from Coach, on and off the field. He’s an amazing coach, he’s an even better Christian and he’s taught us the basics of what I think we need to know,” Votaw said. “He’s done a lot for our team, and he continues to do as much as he can and we’re always thankful for it.”

“A lot of life lessons come out of Coach Smith, a lot of good times both on and off the field,” Parker said. “I think once we finish up this last season, I’ll always carry Coach Smith with me the rest of my life.”

Check out Snook Christian's full interview as part of the third-annual Gulf Coast Media Day here.