It would’ve been hard to wipe the smile off Curtis Cherebin’s face last Thursday afternoon. It was announced last March that Cherebin would serve as Rocktown’s first-ever head varsity football coach, and ever since, he’s been gearing up for the moment he experienced on Thursday. The first day of practice.
Cherebin was taken aback by the significance of Thursday as the Raptors took the turf for the first practice in program history. “It’s surreal,” Cherebin said. “It’s a really good feeling.
It’s a feeling that I’ve wanted to have and feel for years. Now, I’m at the point where I get to come out here and lead the team and run the show, so to speak. It’s a blessing.
I feel honored and just really excited.” Between the brand new turf field, the uniforms, and the school in general, the players and coaches were in awe as they walked through warm-up exercises and stretches for the first time. “It’s beautiful here,” senior wide receiver Deacon Smith said.
“The turf is nice, it feels great. The view is beautiful, it’s perfectly placed.” Smith, like the majority of Rocktown players, come from HHS.
Even with the familiar faces, however, Smith feels it’s an all new team. “It’s good to be out here on the new turf, have the new equipment, and new everything,” Smith said. “It feels like a whole different team.
I feel like we can do something with this.” Smith got the chance to work with Cherebin last season with the Blue Streaks, and look.