Summer Is Over

It doesn't officially happen until Sept. 23, but to me summer is over.

You may not have noticed it, but the seasons changed on Saturday, Aug. 7 when UCO had its first football practice. The lazy days of summer are gone, replaced by a sudden flurry of activity as first one team and then several more begin preparing for their upcoming seasons.

Football was the first to get started, with the cross country, soccer and volleyball teams all set to open practice next Monday, Aug. 16.

The football team has been drilling in some brutal conditions with the current heat wave and the Bronchos have plenty of work to do in order to be ready for the Aug. 28 season opener. Coach Tracy Holland's team is loaded with young players and they will have to grow up in a hurry with Pittsburg State coming to Wantland Stadium for the first game.

It will be the first of six home games for the Bronchos in 2010, including four of the first five. That's a far cry from last year, when UCO had just four of its 11 games at Wantland Stadium.

Mike Cook's soccer club is also dominated by youth, with nary a single senior on the roster. But the Bronchos will again be a main contender for the Lone Star Conference title this fall, returning nine players who saw some starting duty last year.

UCO has a favorable schedule, starting the season with six straight home games, and the Bronchos will play 11 of their 18 games at Tom Thompson Field this season.

It won't be as good a home slate for the volleyball team, with Jeff Boyland's spikers set to play just eight of their 30 matches at Hamilton Field House.

This is a veteran squad, however, with five seniors leading a team that lost just one starter from last year and the Bronchos are ready to be a main challenger in the league race.

Likewise, the cross country team is hoping to make a move up the LSC standings this fall. J.D. Martin returns six runners from last year's squad that finished fourth in the conference, with the Bronchos set to make their lone home apperance with the UCO Land Run on Sept. 11.