The 2013 season was an admittedly tough one for the Old Colony football team with more than the normal amount of bumps and bruises.

From mono and blown knees to tripping over sprinklers while doing drills, the number of injuries took a toll on the players, who finished 3-8 for the season.

This year, head coach Bryce Guilbeault is looking to keep his players healthy and get the small team ready to “out condition” their opponents.

“Everybody we have, they want to play football. The attitudes have been great,” said Guilbeault. “The kids have been holding each other accountable, which is huge.”

The small vocational school has an equally small team and that can be a challenge. To combat the smaller numbers, the coaching staff is making sure their players can make it to the fourth quarter with energy to spare.

Having more players this year is giving a boost to the team.

“This year we have a lot more people that are good enough to sub in if someone gets hurt and needs a break,” said team captain Chris Cartier.

A strong senior contingent also gives a good backbone to the Cougars.

“A lot of these kids have been playing varsity for two or three years,” said the coach.

The seniors have a good command of offense and defense.

“Almost everyone can play both sides of the ball,” said Seth Moniz, a team captain.

The Cougars’ versatility is a quality that they hope will give them a fighting chance against larger schools and is seen in the new starting quarterback, Cole Bernier.

Bernier is taking the helm from recent graduate Jake Pringle. A quarterback as a freshman, Bernier was a wide receiver for the past two years. He went to camps this summer and worked with Pringle to transition into the role.

“He’s a good athlete,” said Guilbeault. “In the past, we’ve been a pass heavy team. This year will be a more balanced team.”

In the past few years, one or two players have dominated the team.

But Moniz said, “This year it’s a lot more of a team trying to win as a team, not letting one kid just dominate.”

The players seem to like it that way, and so does their coach.

“Be competitive but help each other out,” is his message. “In the end we’re a team. It’s all for the same cause.”

The Cougars’ first game is away on Friday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. against Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.