Brophy is looking for a massive bounce back season after the Broncos went 9-18 in 2017 and did not win a conference game.

Josh Garcia is now at the helm, and the first-year coach has implemented a new culture.

“Really the biggest thing for me is changing the culture and raising the expectations,” said Garcia. “This entire year has been about trying to show [the players] that expectation and hopefully set it up for the next few years to where they’ve raised the bar and everyone after that has followed this team’s standard.”

The Broncos raised the bar this offseason, especially in the weight room. Getting physically and mentally stronger became a focal point of the new regime.

“We’ve spent a lot of time this fall training in the weight room to try to get the kids out of their comfort zone,” said Garcia. “A lot of guys walk in the weight room not very comfortable, being afraid to do something they couldn’t do before. That was our point this fall, to get them out of their comfort zone.”

The intensity and drive to succeed the coaches have displayed has rubbed off on the players. The ramped-up workouts and clear-eyed plan has changed every player’s mentality. There is a noticeable difference in the effort and mindset.

“Last year we didn’t have much devotion and the seniors didn’t really step up,” said senior pitcher Merrick Martin. “But this year we’ve been in the weight room every day, Monday through Friday, working out. Everyone’s bought in to this new program and you can really tell.”

Added senior outfielder Troy Weinstein: “We’ve been working a lot harder this year, that’s the main difference from last season. This season, if you weren’t fully committed, you would get weaved out real fast.”

The major difference, however, may be team chemistry. Weinstein and Martin both said the bond between players is stronger this season, with everyone pushing each other to get better and perform at the highest-level day in and day out.

But they mentioned how there is not one established leader on the team, with all of the seniors trying to play that role to the best of their ability.

 “I don’t necessarily think of us so much as leaders, but more of taking [the underclassmen] with us on this journey,” said Weinstein.

Despite the turnover in the program, Brophy plays a rigorous schedule, squaring off with juggernauts such as Basha, Chandler and Hamilton. But these players are not timid.

“We have one of the toughest schedules in the state,” said Weinstein. “That being said, we need to go into every game the same and with the same mindset of wanting to win and not care who we’re playing.”

The season opener is Wednesday at home against North Canyon, with first pitched scheduled for 6:30 p.m.