TRAER – The North Tama football team has fallen on hard times as of late, winning just three games in the past three seasons. But first-year head coach Austin Pink was drawn to the position because of the winning the Redhawks have done in the past.

It’s an uphill climb to get back to where North Tama once was, making state championships appearances in 2008 and winning it all in 2010, but Pink is up to the task of being the one who leads the Redhawks there as they head into Class A District 5 play in 2016.

“The winning tradition,” Pink said. “I got Coach McDermott back on staff which is big for us, and he knows all about the winning culture. I thought bringing him back would be a huge step for us. The returning guys we have coming back is something that really drew my attention when I first saw the job open. We’re just here trying to bring back that winning culture.”

Coming off a winless 2015 campaign that saw the Redhawks amass just 56 points of offense while surrendering 407 points to the opposition, North Tama will truly have to start from the bottom. Only four teams in the state across all classes scored less points last season.

North Tama brings back a wealth of experience to help turn the ship around. Two-year starting quarterback Cael Kopriva will be back under center. Kopriva has a career 993 yards passing and four touchdowns. Koprivia was also North Tama’s leading rusher in 2015, rushing for four scores. The Redhawks also have back their leading receiver in junior Nick Sierra, who hauled in 17 catches for 203 yards and a touchdown.

Seniors Tanner Calderwood, Noah Kaufmann and Parker Lunde, three guys listed at 235 pounds or more, will anchor the lines on both sides for the Redhawks. Kopriva will be relied on to lead the Redhawks on the defensive side of the ball, having led North Tama with 53 tackles in 2015. The top four tacklers return for the 2016 season. Lunde was second on the team in stops, with 48.5, including five tackles for loss. Kaufmann added 35.5 tackles, including four TFLs. Michael Krienert amassed 33 tackles as a sophomore.

“Our motto for this is ‘Be above the line.’ Above in the line in everything we do, whether it’s school, sports, life in general,” Pink said. “One percent better every day is our goal. Be better today than we were yesterday. So, 30 days from now we’re 30 percent better than from where we started.

“If a kid runs the right route every play. If a kid does the form tackling that we’re teaching. That stuff is working toward their goals as well.”

North Tama begins the season at North Linn before hosting BCLUW and then defending Class A state champion Gladbrook-Reinbeck in the district opener in week three.

“It’s a tough district. We have Gladbrook-Reinbeck, who won the state title. They’re always tough,” Pink said. “Hudson is always tough team. It’s a tough district, especially with the state going back to top two make the playoffs rather than the top four, it makes us work harder each day. When it comes down to it, only the top two get in. That’s something we’re preaching. We have to be good every week.”

The schedule gives North Tama, starting from the bottom, to become the best by beating the best in the Redhawks quest to return to where the program was in 2010.

“We talk about it all the time. There’s a banner up on the new field. We see it every day,” Pink said. “We talk about getting back to that pinnacle. The kids work hard. They’re getting after it. They know what it takes to win. I think we can eventually get back there. It’s just going to take that hard work and determination.”