Monday I had the opportunity to visit the Bainbridge High School Bearcats football teams weight room and practice field to witness one of their off-season workout sessions.

For the record, I was very impressed with what I saw.

Probably the most impressive part of the on-field session was a speed drill. Several players hooked up to heavy belts backpedaled to a cone then came forward as fast as they could as their coaches and teammates hollered words of encouragement.

Following their on-field work in shorts, the Bearcats returned to the weight room where they went through their annual weight lifting routine under the watchful eye strength and conditioning coordinator and defensive secondary coach Tommy Gilstrap.

Bearcats head coach Ed Pilcher, Gilstrap and the other members of his coaching staff know what it takes to build a strong team.

Coach Pilcher won four state championships at Thomas County Central High School before coming to Bainbridge, and he knows what it takes to build a strong winning program.

Pilcher was a member of the Georgia High School Association executive committee for many years, and my friend Bainbridge High School principal Tommie Howell calls him possibly the most respected coach in the state of Georgia.

That is pretty high praise, but I believe it is praise that Coach Pilcher richly deserves.

I am not going to make any prediction on how the Bearcats will do this season, but I will guarantee you one thing: Nobody is going to out work them.

The Bearcats will have a very favorable home schedule early in the season.

After opening the season Friday, Aug. 27, against the Early County High School Bobcats in Blakely, they will host the Cairo High School Syrupmakers Friday, Sept. 3, and the Westover High School Patriots from Albany Friday, Sept. 10, at Centennial Field.

They will have an open date on Friday, Sept. 17, then host Northside Warner Robins High School Friday, Sept. 24, and Hardaway High School of Columbus Friday, Oct. 1, at Centennial Field.

The Bearcats second home game will not come until Saturday, Oct. 9, when they travel back to Columbus for a 2 p.m. game with Northside High School.

The final four games will be Friday, Oct. 15, against Houston County High School at Centennial Field, Saturday, Oct. 23, against Warner Robins High School in Warner Robins, Friday, Oct. 29, against the Lee County High School Trojans at Centennial Field and Friday, Nov. 5, against Coach Pilcher’s former team, the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets, in Thomas County.