NATCHEZ — New Trinity Episcopal School head football coach Josh Loy is playing catch-up this summer with the Saints football team.

Loy began his tenure as coach a week ago, and he is now trying to catch up with summer preparations, while forming relationships with his new players.

“I’m just now getting to know the guys and build relationships,” Loy said. “I have to push them to work, but it’s a fine line, because we are trying to build relationships too.”

Loy has the Saints players working out Monday through Thursday each week, with a focus on strength, speed, agility and stamina.

Attendance was lower than Loy wanted when he started, but he said the numbers are getting better.

“They are starting to trickle in,” he said. “The numbers were not good before, but we are making them accountable. We’ve got to work our tails off.”

Loy said the summer program is not implementing anything new, but he and his staff are just trying to turn up the intensity to catch up.

“We’re not creating the wheel here,” he said.

Along with workouts and running, Loy said the team has started working seven-on-seven and the linemen will attend a camp at LSU in the near future.

“That will be a good test,” he said.

Loy said this week’s rain has hindered work on the passing game, because the quarterbacks and receivers have not been able to get out and work on their timing.

Summer workouts are important, but Loy said the real test would come July 30, when the players start fall camp.

“We are looking to see what they can do when we put the pads on,” he said. “The weight room is great, but we haven’t seen any of these kids play football yet.”

Loy said summer workouts have allowed him to see some good characteristics in many of his players, however.

“We see good leadership,” he said. “They have come together and bought in to what we want.”

Loy said the Trinity players have a great relationship and it is a tight-knit team.

Trinity will continue workouts until camp starts at the end of the month, Loy said.