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CANBY -- The Canby football team will look to return to playoff success in the 2026 season, but the Lancers will have little time to ease into the new campaign with a difficult schedule awaiting them.
Head coach Nick Kockelman returns to lead Canby and knows the team will need to be ready from the opening kickoff. The Lancers will face the same schedule as last season, but the home and away games have been flipped.
"Our schedule this year is really tough," Kockelman said. "It is flipped from last year with who we play home and away. Getting ready right away in the year, those first two weeks, will be huge."
Canby will face two of the state’s better teams during the first three weeks of the season, giving the Lancers an early opportunity to see where they stand.
Kockelman said the challenging start will require plenty of preparation, but those games can also help the team become better prepared for the postseason.
"Having those tough games right off the bat gives the team a good idea of where they are at," Kockelman added. "Week two we play MACCRAY and they ended our season last year, so we are going to be plenty motivated for that game as well."
That matchup with MACCRAY should provide additional motivation for the Lancers, who will have an early opportunity to measure themselves against the team that ended their season a year ago.
Kockelman believes facing strong competition throughout the regular season can be an important part of preparing for the playoffs.
"You have to be battle tested to win in the playoffs," Kockelman said. "We have to play really well throughout the whole season."
Canby will have some important positions to fill this season, including its starting quarterback and top two receivers from last year’s team. However, Kockelman is optimistic about the players stepping into those roles.
"Heading into this season, we are replacing our top two receivers and quarterback, but I look forward to seeing what guys like Owen Peterson will do," Kockelman said. "He had a great year on JV last year."
While Canby will have some new faces in key positions, the Lancers also return a number of players with varsity experience. Kockelman believes that combination of returning experience and young talent can help the team remain competitive.
"The team has a number of guys that have experience, so we will have some talented guys that will be able to put up some good numbers," he added.
Beyond the physical side of the game, Kockelman said maintaining the right mindset will be another important part of the Lancers’ season.
Canby will need to respond to both success and adversity without allowing emotions to dictate its play.
"We try to not get too low when things are not going well, and keep an even keel," Kockelman said. "When good things happen, we have to make sure to show lots of energy to support those good things, but make sure emotions do not get swayed too far either way."
Kockelman also emphasized the importance of having the entire roster prepared to contribute when opportunities arise. With a long season ahead, injuries, changing circumstances and different game situations can all require players to step into new roles.
For Canby, preparing every player to handle those moments could be a key factor in determining how far the Lancers go.
With a challenging schedule, several new starters and a group of experienced players returning, Canby will have plenty of tests throughout the season. The Lancers hope those challenges will help prepare them for another postseason run and ultimately get the program back to playoff success.