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Kearns • Dayon Goodman has never had practices quite like these.
The 6-foot-8 junior forward has played against a lot of good teams and players. But transferring from Alta to Kearns this year, one of the biggest changes he's noticed is that his teammates aren't afraid to play rough.
When he goes against 6-foot-6, 300-pound Gus Lavaka, he gets pushed around. And it might be making him a better player.
"There's a lot of big guys here who are working out at the gym getting stronger," Goodman says. "It's difficult, and it's a lot more physical. I'm not even a star player in practice, and it definitely makes me play tougher."
Goodman might have been a late arrival, but as the season gets started he's settling in to his new team. And the Cougars are glad to have him, as his talents may take them further than they've been in years.
Kearns lost its entire starting lineup, but that's a surprising source of optimism for a program that has done almost nothing but struggle the past few years. Small forward Afuvai Le'iato says last year's squad was talented but troubled as it stumbled to a 9-13 record, missing the state tournament.
"Last year we had so many head cases," Le'iato says. "During games, we couldn't concentrate on winning because we were fighting each other so much. This year, it seems like we're just trying to make each other better."
There's a lot to that equation, especially with so many new pieces. Only about three players had significant minutes last year. With Goodman transferring in and Taylor Yager coming from Herriman, coach Dan Cosby is charged with mixing a lot of unfamiliar elements.
But he says players' attitudes have helped to smooth the transition. Group activities, such as an overnight stay at Camp Williams military facility, have generated esprit de corps.
"This unit here could be a better team than last year, even though we had a lot of athletes," Cosby said. "They're binding together, going through a little adversity. My goal is to get them ready for the real world and teach them they have to work hard for what they get."
The most significant upgrade for Kearns is defense. Goodman is a lanky shotblocker who says he "takes pride" on the defensive end of the floor. In the team's first game against Stansbury, the Cougars held the Stallions to 35 points.
The flip side is that Kearns must work harder on offense. Besides Goodman and Le'iato, no one else scored more than 5 points. The result was a 38-35 squeaker that left the Cougars feeling like they underachieved.
"We feel like we made it look like a close game, and it shouldn't have been," Le'iato says. "We have plenty of athletes, but we need discipline. We need to do what our coach says, because when we were doing our own thing, it left us with a lot of L's."
Kearns has a chance to shine in Region 2. It will have to contend with Viewmont, Granger and a tougher Hunter team, but the components are there. The team is also waiting on Yager to get healthy, which could help its sluggish offense. Much will also depend on how the Cougars push each other in practice and how far they're willing to take themselves.
"I've made a lot of friends here, and there's definitely a lot of close relationships," Goodman says. "We expect to take No. 1 in region and win some games this year. We have to be motivated to do it."
Twitter: @kylegoon —
Kearns optimistic despite heavy turnover
The Cougars don't return any starters from last year's 9-13 team that missed the playoffs.
Top returners include Afuvai Le'iato and Jarvis Andrews.
Impact transfers include Dayon Goodman from Alta and Taylor Yager from Herriman.