Members of the Delhi Charter School football team were recognized Monday during a luncheon hosted by the Richland Parish Chamber of Commerce.
Head Coach Storm Ridgeway attended with players Preston Polhamus, Owen Martin and Tayven Carter. Ridgeway said the event provided an opportunity to connect with other coaches and programs.
“I have really good personal relationships with most coaches in this room,” Ridgeway said. “Getting to know Coach Buckhead across town, that’s a big deal for us with our rival. We were able to get that back on schedule this year.”
Ridgeway, in his second year at Delhi Charter, said he sees progress in the program’s development.
“These guys are kind of the backbone of what we’re doing,” Ridgeway said of the three players. “They’re the nucleus of our program. I feel like they represent our program in the correct way.”
He also pointed to offseason improvements. “We’ve got our first thousand-pound lifter this summer, and then we’ve got for the first time since I’ve been at Delhi Charter, our offensive line is over 200 pounds. So it’s a big deal for us,” Ridgeway said.
Polhamus, a senior guard, said the team is ready for the season. “I feel like we’ve had a very good offseason, a lot of competition. We’ve been competing amongst each other, and I just feel like the energy and intensity is different this year,” he said.
The Chamber said the luncheon was held to bring together parish football coaches and players and to offer encouragement for the upcoming season.
