GLEN RIDGE, NJ — Glen Ridge High School head football coach Manj Singh’s second year at the helm is off to a strong start.
Coming off last year’s state regional invitational tournament championship season, the Ridgers have been working hard this summer.
When Singh took over as head coach this time last year, he instituted daily workout sessions, something that wasn’t done before. The turnout was solid.
This summer’s turnout is even better, with more players in attendance.
The field house at Hurrell Field is being used as a makeshift weight room, while the weight room at GRHS is being refurbished. Singh said the weight room will be ready by mid-August.
The players have brought in weights from home, and are going old school, much like how “Rocky Balboa” would train, Singh said.
“We made it old school, like in the ’80s,” said Singh right before the morning workout on Thursday, July 6, at Hurrell Field.
For the Ridgers, this season is all about unfinished business, Singh said. Sure, it was nice to win the regional invitational tournament to close out the season on a three-game winning streak and end 5-5. But this year, the Ridgers want to make the state playoffs and win a state title.
The Ridgers are taking part in more 7-on-7 camps than ever before. They attended one at Ridgers on Saturday, June 24. They also went to two others at the New York Jets facility in Florham Park on Friday, July 7, and Sunday, July 9. It was the Ridgers’ first time at the Jets facility.
Glen Ridge will also take part in the Essex County 7-on-7 Shootout on Saturday, July 15, at West Orange and will face Montclair in another 7-on-7 later this summer.
The Ridgers will kick off the regular season on Friday, Aug. 25, at Lenape Valley.
Singh mentioned that the offensive line will be led by Jesse Gibbs and 6-foot-6 Christian Velardi.
The team will be sparked by rising senior quarterback Dylan O’Neil who has been a starter since his freshman year. Last season, O’Neil passed for 1,598 yards to set the school single-season passing record.
O’Neil said working out with his teammates has truly been a joy.
“This is a special team; we have a special bond that I haven’t had in the last three teams that I’ve been on,” he said prior to the workout on July 6. “It’s great to wake up real early and work out with these guys. It’s so much fun. We have a lot of fun together, listening to music and pushing each other. It’s a ton of fun.”
O’Neil said hard work will go a long way toward the team achieving its ultimate goal of winning a state title.
“We just have to keep pushing ourselves like we did this morning; working out and practicing and not doing stupid stuff when we’re not on the field and keeping together as a team and pushing each other all the time,” he said.
Photos by Joe Ragozzino
Video Courtesy of Manj Singh
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