Williams takes over a program—once proud under the leadership of head coach Jerry Hitchman many years ago—that has been floundering in recent years. But the 10-year coaching veteran has some ideas that he hopes will turn around the club that posted a dismal 2-8 season record just a year ago.

"With the significant changes to our program—new game pants, varsity team sweatsuits, new helmet color and logo and charter bus services for all our away games—we have seen positive results from adding these things to our program in the number of kids that have come out to help us compete," said Williams, who comes to Lynbrook after working as the offensive coordinator down the road at Prospect last year.

Williams expects his club to improve vastly this season, and predicts a jump to at least a 5-5 record. But he's looking for more than just more victories in 2004.

"We feel very confident in our ability to compete this year," Williams said. "At this point, we are more concerned with competing than we are with wins and losses."

"We do want to win," he added, "but being realistic about where we have been in our past, we must compete first."

The coach greets 17 senior returners from last year's club who will do their best to "compete" in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League this year.

Quarterback Mike Thurman (6-foot-2, 175) is back for the Vikings, and he'll double up defensively at safety. Johnny Huizar (5-foot-11, 180), Robert Tom (5-foot-8, 165), Josh Wang (5-foot-7, 135) and Austin Fong (5-foot-8, 165) will return in the backfield, and will also serve double-duty on defense—Huizar and Wang in the secondary and Tom and Fong at linebacker.

Peter Yu (6-foot, 170), Kevin Hsu (5-foot-10, 160), Daniel Kim (5-foot-9, 160) and Vu Tran (6-foot-1, 160) will be chasing down passes as wide receivers and will all see action in the secondary.

Brian Reuter (5-foot-10, 172) and Hunter Poole (6-foot-4, 225) are a couple of returning tight ends for the Vikes. Reuter also plays linebacker and Poole will serve time in the defensive line.

Jonathan Kang (5-foot-11, 165), Josh Yang (6-foot, 220), Bryant Chen (6-foot-1, 235), Jason Kaye (6-foot-1, 230), Ryan Dormishian (6-foot-2, 295) and Michael Liu (6-foot-1, 240) are returners who will play in the offensive and defensive lines.

Junior quarterback Tony Perez (5-foot-11, 170) will back for work behind the center and lineman Ben Shin (5-foot10, 165) and running back/linebacker Michael Hernandez (5-foot-10, 168) are sophomores who have earned spots on the varsity.

Junior linemen Ryan Braisted (6-foot-3, 240) and Khoa Dinh (6-foot, 223) and junior tight end Daniel Doughty (6-foot-3, 220) lend size to the Lynbrook attack.

The Vikings will face a stern test this week when they open the 2004 season on the road against Branham on Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. The Bruins have moved up this fall to play in the rugged Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

A week later, Lynbrook will host Prospect—Williams' team of a year ago—on Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m., at Cupertino.

Lynbrook opens the El Camino Division season on Oct. 1 against Fremont at Cupertino.

And Williams is looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead in 2004 and beyond for the Vikings, because he feels that the program is headed down the path to improvement.

"The future of Lynbrook football is real bright," he said.