CITY OF TONAWANDA — For Tonawanda Warriors football coach Rob Gross, it was a strange combination of excitement and humility when the football season officially commenced on Aug. 16.

Gross will roam the sidelines in the city where he made his humble beginnings on the grid, this time around with the opportunity to relish the confines of Clint Small Stadium.

Twenty years removed from his playing days, Gross has inherited a squad that went winless in 2009. But returning to coach where he played, he said, he “understands and appreciates the tradition and expectations” of Tonawanda football, and he is determined to make sure the players understand their responsibilities as a Warrior as well.

“The only past that matters in Tonawanda is past history and past tradition of the years of success,” said Gross, a 1989 THS grad. “That’s the only past football we’re worried about right now — carrying on past tradition and past success. That’s the only time we’re going to look backward.”

Gross has his players focusing on taking each day one step at a time, and paying attention to the little things in which the program can improve upon, including technique, fundamentals, and most important, “doing things the right way.”

Those are the things universal to successful football, he said.

“No matter what level of football — major college football or high school JV — things need to be done properly; stepping with the right foot, fitting up with the correct technique, the correct pass drop back or correct read,” Gross said. “I think that has to permeate through everything we do.”

That includes running sprints at the end of practice. In a recent conditioning workout following an afternoon session, a varsity player was caught slowing down before reaching the 40-yard mark. The entire team was sent back for an unwelcomed mulligan.

It’s little lessons like those that build character and resiliency, he said.

“Something like a sprint at the end of practice might seem small in the grand scheme of things,” Gross said. “But if they’re making sure that they’re behind the line, making sure that they’re finishing their sprints; attention to detail and doing things correctly, it has to be an all-the-time thing.”

Thus far, Gross said he has been pleased with his players’ response to everything that has been asked of them. The ideals Gross has instilled in this year’s bunch has every player excited to come to practice everyday, quarterback Steve Stich said.

“He brings a positive attitude,” Stich said. “We just have to be ready to go full speed in practice every day and go full out because that’s what we have to do on Friday nights under the lights. We’re not worried about last year anymore; just protect the tradition that he’s instilled in us.”

Senior teammate Brian McCarthy said he believes this is the beginning of a new era in THS football.

“This is the way we wanted to go out,” McCarthy said. “We started this. We did this. This is how it’s going to be from here on out — Tonawanda football.”

Gross added that he’s hopeful he can mold the Warriors’ program to that of rival North Tonawanda.

“They’re a great program and we need to model oursleves after them,” he said. “We need to get better and make sure the tradition of this rivalry continues. Just by playing them every year, we will become a better football team because we have no choice.”

For any football team, rebuilding a program is a slow and rather meticulous process. But Gross believes the beliefs and attitudes he hopes to instill in his players will pay off sooner rather than later.

“Our goal is to improve as a football team and be successfull,” Gross said. “Those are the ultimate goals, and I believe when teams improve from an execution stadnpoint, from a performance standpoint, and do things to be successful, the wins will follow.”

Tomorrow night’s kickoff at Alden is set for 7:30 p.m.

Contact sports editor Brandon Koch at 693-1000, ext. 117.