NATCHEZ — Rain and a broken lighting system forced the Natchez High School football team to improvise twice early Thursday morning for its summer workouts.

Wet conditions brought the Bulldogs indoors for their agility drills, but with the lights out in the Steckler Multipurpose Building, the players had to settle for the school’s gymnasium.

It wasn’t too bad a choice, head coach Lance Reed said.

“Our (agility drills) are a huge aspect of conditioning, and we had several stations set up in here,” Reed said following workouts.

The players spent the morning running up and down the stairs and bleachers, as well as doing flexibility exercises. Reed said it was a workout routine he and the coaches invented rather quickly.

“We came up with it on a whim, but they really got a tough workout,” Reed said. “As football coaches, we’re all about adjustments, so we came in here with plan B.”

NHS all-purpose athlete Derrian Johnson said the indoor workouts weren’t something he was used to doing.

“It’s a lot different; it’s harder to me,” Johnson said. “We were running bleachers, just trying to get our leg strength and stamina up. You have to be able to run a long time (during games).”

Johnson, who primarily played quarterback last season, will be looked at for several different positions this fall, including quarterback, running back, wide receiver and defensive back. He said the agility and stamina drills were very important if the coaches are going to play him all over the field.

“I have to stay in shape so I can perform,” Johnson said.

Last year’s team had a lot of inexperience, but Johnson, a rising senior, said he’s been impressed with the work ethic of the younger players.

“We’re going to be better,” Johnson said. “We had a lot of young guys last year, and they’re really stepping up this year, going to combines and stuff. We even practice on our own sometimes.”

Thursday wrapped up the Bulldogs’ second week of summer workouts, and Reed said strength, conditioning and flexibility are what his players will focus on in June and July.

“It helps tremendously,” Reed said. “Football is a very physical sport. In order to weather the season’s bumps and bruises, we need their bodies to be in shape. It’s a vital part of participating in football.”

Summer workouts are just an extension of a weight-lifting program that sees very few break periods, Reed said.

“From a weight-lifting standpoint, we have in-season workouts to maintain strength,” Reed said. “Our offseason workouts go from the end of the season until the end of the school year, and spring training factors into that.”

Reed said his players get two weeks off for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, and one week off after the season ends. Otherwise, they’re constantly lifting weights.

“It’s a year-round thing. The players in our program definitely get stronger and faster,” Reed said.

Reed also said the coaching staff’s drills help the players learn the coaches’ schemes, which help for a seamless transition when fall workouts start at the end of July.

“Our drills are centered around teaching as well, and we teach out scheme in the conditioning to where are guys are ready to go July 30,” Reed said.

In addition to workouts, Reed also said he’s making a point to have his players get involved with community service projects throughout the summer.

“Research says that students who participate in community service really excel academically, so we encourage them to have a sense of pride in their school system and to give back to those that often support us,” Reed said.

Community service projects also offer a chance for the community to get to know the players, and vice versa, Reed said.

“We work with some good young men, and they deserve to go out and be recognized,” Reed said. “By the same token, we want to develop relationships to where members of the community want to come see our young men play.”