New Nixa coach John Perry has been pleased with the direction the Eagles are headed during their summer workouts.

"We still have a long way to go," Perry said after the first week of Nixa's Summer Camp last Thursday. "But I like where we're at now and where we are going. I just hope we get to keep growing and this COVID(-19) thing doesn't catch us.

"COVID throws a little wrinkle in there," he added. "We don't really know what to expect going forward. But as far as what we can control it has been really good." Perry relates he's reached the point that he can call about three-quarters of his players by their first and/or last name.

"I'm still learning," he said. "We have probably 85-90 players and I can probably call the names of 70 of them. I still have to get 15-20 of them in my brain." Players are voicing their approval of Perry's impact.

"He's a great guy and is very enthusiastic about what he does," safety Riley Childs said. "He's been absolutely amazing. He's come in and given us everything he's got."

The highlight of Nixa's summer thus far has been the Eagles' championship at the Parkview 7-on-7 Tournament.

"One of the local coaches texted me and said, 'Your kids played really hard,'" Perry said. "That makes us feel good as coaches because that's one thing we want to hang our hat on."