New Staff Brings New Expectations for Hornets Football

Weeki Wachee

Team Overview:
Head Coach: Justin Bland (1st season) • Previous Season Record: 4-5 (2-2 District)
’22-’23 Season Record: 2-8 • Stadium: The Hornet’s Nest

Weeki Wachee’s first-year head football head coach Justin Bland is certainly no stranger to Hernando County sports. He has served as an assistant coach in the county for roughly 15 years, including time with Hernando High, as well as serving as a middle school head coach. “I love the area out there,” said the Hornets’ coach. “I think we’ve got a great thing. We’re building out in Weeki Wachee. I look forward to the future and what we can put together over the next few years.”

Serving in a variety of coaching capacities, including two years as an associate head coach under former Hornets’ Head Coach Jon Malandrucco, has allowed his promotion to the lead position to progress smoothly. “The transition was easy,” Bland noted. He even served as a coach in the middle and high school ranks at the exact same time, so he has plenty of experience juggling these types of responsibilities.

Now, he is tasked with helping Hornets football take the next step. Weeki’s new head man plans to do so by bringing in a mentality of success and accountability that he feels the players have taken to heart. Buy-in is important with a new staff, and especially after seeing how the team performed in their spring jamboree, that is not a concern for the coaching staff. “What kids might have been on the fence, they are not on the fence,” Coach Bland said. “They’re bought in.”

The players had more to say about the changes brought by Coach Bland. According to Hanshaw, offense, defense, and even mindsets shifted. Before, the team would be grateful just to get to four wins. Now, it’s about winning a district championship. “It’s never been like that before, and the morale of the team is completely different than it’s ever been,” said Hanshaw.

Coach Bland and company are fortunate to have the adjacent Winding Waters K-8 literally across the parking lot to act as a feeder program for Hornets’ football. Weeki’s headman hopes that it and the growing community support his squad so it can continue forward once his vision and program are firmly in place.

“I think the biggest thing that we’ve had is being from Weeki Wachee; there’s not a ton of community support around there […] It’s coming. So, it’s getting that community to buy in, getting that support from the outside world. We have it in the school building. We have it from an administration standpoint, kids, I think the parents, but it’s more along the lines of getting that community built and buy-in, getting the middle school on board with what we’re trying to do.”

Bland’s football staff, which includes 12 assistant coaches, is working to grow the team, whether by selling program ads or calling to get meals provided. Naturally, the coaches are looking at the preseason and week one matchups versus Wesley Chapel and Sunlake as early indicators to see how they are stacking up against the competition. Both of these squads present different challenges for the Hornets, considering the offense of the Wildcats and the physicality of the Seahawks.

With the players having responded well to the new system, what are the goals for the neophyte squad? Believe it or not, Bland and company are looking to win a district title and feel they have the pieces to do so – a point he emphasizes to his players often. In doing so, the new staff hopes to bring a winning tradition to a relatively young Weeki Wachee program.

Hornets 2024 Schedule
8/30 @ Orangewood Christian at 7:00 p.m.
9/6 vs. Tenoroc at 7:30 p.m.
9/13 @ Central at 7:30 p.m.
9/20 @ Anclote at 7:30 p.m.
9/27 vs. Citrus at 7:30 p.m.
10/4 vs. Hollins at 7:30 p.m.
10/11 @ BMLC at 7:00 p.m.
10/18 @ Crystal River at 7:00 p.m.
10/25 vs. Hernando at 7:30 p.m.