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NEDERLAND — Dozens of Nederland football players filed into the Bulldogs’ weight room for the summer program Friday.

The coaches normally gives players the last day of the week off, but decided to go ahead with the training due to the short week caused by the Memorial Day holiday.

Even with the rain and several players out of town, Nederland Head Coach Monte Barrow was pleased with the amount of students who showed up.

“I always look at who is here Day 3 and Day 4,” Barrow said. “Everyone shows up Day 1. It is like two-a days. Everyone is fired up. On Tuesday and Wednesday, everyone is tired. Their bodies have to react. You look for the guys who don’t listen to their bodies talking to them not to go. They have to push through, not unlike they will have to do on Friday nights in the fall.”

Nederland receiver Kyndon Fuselier said he is happy to have all of the team back together.

“It feels good to be here, bond with each other, lift weights and have fun,” he said. “We are all getting stronger. It has been fun to get in here and work out… It is definitely good to see everyone buying into what we are trying to accomplish. I think we should be good this year.”

Barrow said the start of the summer program effectively begins the path to fall football.

“This week has been a different mentality,” Barrow said. “The end of the tunnel is kind of in sight, so to speak, as far as the start of the season. You see a little more energy from them. You see a little more urgency from what they are doing in the weight room. Hopefully, this carries on throughout the summer. It is always beneficial in the fall when you have a productive summer.”

Barrow is not discouraged at all that Friday’s turnout was a bit lower than the rest of the week.

“We make sure to remind them that they are teenagers and that they need to enjoy their summer, too,” he said. “We just ask them to continue to communicate with us. That is always big. We want to know where they are. We just want to make sure they are safe. If they are not going to be here, they let us know.”

With much of last year’s senior-heavy squad gone, Barrow said players are already stepping up to fill the void.

“First off, we tell them all of the time that the best ability is availability,” Barrow said. “They are here. They have to be here to get better. We are looking at those guys who have committed themselves to their teammates and this program. When we start getting the football out, we will leave it to the guys to compete.”

The Bulldogs will get their first taste of on-field summer workouts next week.