Ohio will reconvene at The Convo Monday for the first time since completing their summer workout session on July 23.
For the next three weeks, the Bobcats will participate in two-a-day practices with a three-day-on, one-day-off schedule. After finishing their strength and conditioning program and player-led practices during June and the beginning of July, coach Ryan Theis said players are healthy and ready to begin the 2012 campaign.
By rule, Theis wasn’t allowed to watch or instruct during the team’s six-week summer session, but after conducting private meetings with his players, he is optimistic about what’s to come.
“Every preseason begins differently and obstacles can come up, but we have a hard-working squad,” Theis said. “The strength and condition coaches have told me everyone is fit and ready to begin a great camp and enter the season prepared.”
The team has six new additions, including four freshmen, but Theis said he believes that after camp and a rigorous beginning of the schedule the team will have the experience necessary to excel right away.
“Preseason and the first few matches will be the real telling tale of what we can be this season,” he said. “We are relatively young, but I think if we implement everything smoothly when (Mid-American Conference) play begins … the nice part of scheduling hard is you can find out what’s broken and what will be successful.”
Ohio will play four of its first six matches against ranked opponents. The first of which, No. 6 Pepperdine, will kick off the Bobcats’ season-opening Flyer Classic at University of Dayton on Aug 24. Ohio will play No. 2 Illinois the next day, and finish with a match against the host school to round up the weekend.
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