DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — The Central Dauphin East Panthers are under new management.
"Just being out here and feeling a little more free and just talking to the guys, it's a good feeling, to say the least," said head coach Lance Deane with a smile.
Fresh off of helping Steel-High to a state championship last season, Deane takes over as head coach of a Panthers program that's won six games in the past three seasons. His staff boasts college and NFL experience, and when it comes to changing a culture, Deane learned plenty in previous stops.
"Obviously I had the chance to coach under Jeff Weachter at Bishop McDevitt and then after that I had time to coach under Coach Erby at Steelton," recalled Deane. "Just taking things that I learned from those guys and being to establish and put it into my own program, I'd definitely say that it's something I'll take full advantage of."
The Panthers went winless during a 2020 season filled with adversity, and in the first week of heat acclimation Coach Deane is looking to see how they've adapted.
"Just seeing how we deal with adversity and how well we come together and just seeing how we can progress and stack the days and get one percent better each day," added Deane.
Deane will already have a good rapport with one player as Penn State commit Mehki Flowers transfers from Steel-High to the Panthers, but it's the team's talent as a whole that's stood out early in the CD East practices.
"The natural skill and ability that's here. I try to express that to them all the time. That was already here," said Deane. "I can't take credit for that at all. It's just getting these guys to buy in, the unity, and to build a true brotherhood."