The Fluvanna County High School football team has had six straight losing seasons and went 2-8 last year.
But a new high school and new football stadium gives the Flucos a fresh start in Jason Barnett's third season as head coach at Fluvanna.
The Flyin' Flucos are breaking in their brand new FieldTurf with their new school in the background in preparation for the 2012 season.
"It's nice, a lot nicer than our last facilities," said FCHS senior fullback/middle linebacker Devin Goode. "I thought the weight room was the best part."
"A lot of the players are excited about the new facility and excited to show that Fluvanna County is going to come out and prove to everybody what everybody's been waiting to see for a couple years, and we're going to put some wins together this year and just show everybody that we're not going to be a pushover team this year," said Fluco senior running back/safety Jovan Burton.
Fluvanna hasn't made the playoffs since 2000, but the team sees its new home as a transition into a more successful future.
"We can start a new tradition here, starting the season with the new facilities, the new school, and everything and put together a good season for Fluvanna County this year," said Burton.
"It's very motivating, just a fresh slate," said Fluco senior cornerback Joey Shaheen. "We get to kick it off how we want to, so we got to do what we got to do."
"We have an opportunity to make Fluvanna into something it hasn't been before," FCHS head coach Jason Barnett. "We kind of have a clean slate. We have a chance to make new traditions. We get to do new things that no one else has done. This community wants to be a football community."
Albemarle High School transfer and senior Dashon Tibbs is competing with junior Austin Foster for the starting quarterback job. Both players will be key contributors on offense along with Burton, sophomore wide receiver Jalen Harrison, and junior wideout Jesse VanDyke.
Fluvanna graduated over 20 seniors from last year's team, including All-Jefferson District first-team wide receiver YaYa Anderson, second-team all-district running back Logan Walls, second-team all-district tight end and linebacker Taylor Linticum, and two-way all-district performer Ben Lacey (first-team All-JD defensive end and second-team all-district guard), making the Flucos inexperienced at the skill positions and along the line.
Despite that, Fluvanna can't wait to open the season at its new stadium August 24 against Prince Edward County at 7:30.
"It's going to be crazy and loud," said Shaheen. "We're going to come out with a bang."
"I try to envision that for every game, both sides packed and the track," said Goode, who earned first-team All-Jefferson District as a linebacker in 2011 and second-team as a sophomore. "Everybody just coming in here to watch us win. I think this year will be the year that we win."
"2.000 fans being excited on a Friday night can do a whole lot more than just one middle-aged man jumping up and down and looking like a goofball," said Barnett, who likes to go crazy on the sidelines during games and practice.
Fluvanna returns two players on the offensive line (juniors Josh Wheaton and center Geoff Goodwin) and one starter on the defensive line in senior Cody Childers.
Junior Marcus Jackson and senior Chris Lacy join Goode to anchor a solid linebacking group, and the Flucos have a lot of experience in the defensive backfield with Burton and Harrison leading the way in the back seven.
