The Salisbury football team is just a few weeks away from the start of the regular season, and is entering year number two under head coach Andy Cerco's guidance.

The Falcons have been busy at work in the offseason in preparation for the upcoming season that will begin on August 30 against Bangor. Their offseason workout, which started in November of last year, includes a four-day schedule in which the Falcons mostly focus on lifting and conditioning. There's also a little bit of skill workouts and 7-on-7 drills mixed in along the way.

While it can be tough to judge what the team will look like once practices begin in mid-August, Cerco has been pleased with the strides his team has made in his second season at the helm.

"We've been working since right around Thanksgiving basically on the same schedule," said Cerco. "We're lifting and running four days a week, and doing some skill work here and there. We're trying to get better every day.

"Obviously when you put the helmet and shoulder pads on, sometimes it's a totally different situation. But you can generate who is athletic and who can do what by the footwork drills, conditioning, and lifting program that we have."

Mark Kappes, the team's strength coach, has been in charge of the Falcons' lifting program, an Olympic-based program that he's put together.

"He designs it based off his experience in training for the 1988 Olympic team," said Cerco. "Our training is pretty extensive.

"We've had relatively the same amount of kids in the weight room all offseason. That's a step in the right direction right there - the commitment level that the kids are showing up every day and that they're supposed to be there and working through our program."

A year into Cerco's system, the Falcons will only continue to grow under what their head coach has instilled from the beginning. Their consistent work ethic will help them moving forward in taking this program in the right direction.

"We're very happy with the progress so far," said Cerco. "I think our kids have a little bit more confidence this year. Last year, [there was] a new coaching staff and that kind of stuff, [and] maybe some kids were unsure of what they could do and couldn't do."

Fall practices are right around the corner, and the Falcons will start their double-session practices on August 12. After a week of double-sessions, the Falcons will hold practice after school for a few hours.