In January, returning players on the 2016 Cordova High School football team, along with freshmen who will be sophomores playing on the junior varsity squad, started their season in the weight room.

But in recent weeks, the Lancers have stepped up their workouts – with the help of a former NFL player and friends.

For the last two weeks, Cordova gridders have been put through intense workouts with Vince Mini, who runs Mini’s House of Pain in El Dorado Hills, inside CHS’ weight room. Mini and his staff have worked out Lancer players at CHS’ weight room three days a week.

Since the 2000s, Mini and his staff have trained current and former high school and college student-athletes, as well as adults. Mini is a former NFL lineman who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1980s, and also played in the defunct United States Football League.

“Vince comes in three days a week and trains our guys,” said Cordova coach Darren Nill, entering his second season at the helm. “He’s train the best athletes in the world. The weight room has been crowded.”

Nill noted that there were approximately 60 varsity and JV Lancer football players who were in the weight room with Mini and his crew on Monday.

“He’s extremely motivational,” said Nill of Mini, who is overseeing the workouts with his assistant Gabe Jackson. “What we have is their A team. Those two guys are awesome motivators. My guys are responding.”

The response has been positive that goes outside the weight room, Nill explained.

“My kids take that positive influence out of the weight room and onto the field,” Nill said.

There are 44 players on the CHS varsity football team taking part in the weight room and field workouts, and 40 on the JV squad. Nill expects the number to increase on the latter squad in upcoming weeks.

Nill and his coaching staff will continue to work out their squads in the weight room and football field through July 1st through July 9th. That’s when the players and coaches will take a week off.

The varsity Lancers, however, will be taking part in Rancho Cordova’s Fourth of July parade on Monday, July 4th. After the week off, the players and coaches return for two more weeks before the dead period begin for all Sac-Joaquin Section fall sports teams.

On Monday, Aug. 8th, the squads will officially begin practices for the season. Cordova will play three of its five non-league games at home this season that includes the Week 0 opener against Rio Americano on Aug. 26th.

Note: This is the first part of upcoming stories on this year’s Cordova High School football team preparing for the upcoming season. Stay tuned for next Friday’s issue.