By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s camp time.

The Lafayette Christian School Cougars, in what has become a summer-time tradition, are getting together at the school this week for a three-day camp.

The players practice twice a day and spend the night at the school, giving them a chance to work on their football skills while also forming a team bond.

Lafayette Christian is coming off another phenomenal season that ended with a loss to Life Christian Academy in the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association state playoffs.

The Cougars are not only having to replace many of the key players from that team, including a four-year starting quarterback in Landon Whitley, but they’ll also head into the season with a new head coach.

Nate Shaw, who led the Cougars to a state championship in 2015, stepped down following the 2018 season.

The new head coach is Billy Bryant, who was an assistant coach last season.

The new-look Cougars are hard at work this week as they prepare for the season-opener against Lanier Christian Academy on Aug. 16.

“We lost some really good guys, for sure,” said Glenn Quiggle, Lafayette Christian’s offensive coordinator. “Thankfully, these kids have been working their tails off in the offseason. They’re the most physical bunch we’ve had.”

The players won’t be in pads this week as they get used to working in the summer heat.

“They want some acclimation days, so that’s what we’re doing,” Quiggle said. “Next week, we’ll have regular practices in the afternoon and get used to heat with full pads, and let her rip.”

Quiggle added that “a lot of teaching goes on. We have meetings and stuff, too. There’s a lot we get done.”

Bryant is the third head coach in the history of the program.

When the team played its first game a decade ago, Nick Nehring was the head coach, and Shaw took over in 2015 after four seasons as an assistant coach.

With those two men at the helm, the Cougars made it to the state semifinals five times and won one state title.