SAN ANTONIO – Lanier is the latest San Antonio high school to hold a midnight practice in preparation for the 2026 season, and they did it in style.
As soon as the clock struck midnight, the Voks ran out of an inflatable tunnel flanked by pyrotechnics and onto their stadium-lit football field as Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” blared from the speakers.
“It’s always just exciting to see these kids be kids,” Lanier head coach Sal Tellez said. “This is one of those events that, yes, they’re football players and we put a lot of pressure on them, but they get to be kids here today, and they get excited just like opening Christmas presents on Christmas Day.”
Senior Justin Burclaga was one of many soaking up the moment and was especially appreciative of all the fans in attendance, including his uncle.
“In the locker room, we were hyping up, ‘Last first practice as seniors.’” Burclaga, who plays tight end, fullback and linebacker, said. “And it’s at midnight? Man, it’s an unreal experience.”
That’s what events like midnight practice do for a team — it brings out the best in a community and reinforces the support a team has ahead of a long season.
“There’s no doubt that they’re going to show up for whatever event that we have,” Tellez said about the community, “whether that be midnight, in the morning, whatever it is that we have. We have our ‘Meet the Voks’ in two weeks and they show up (there) as well.”
Lanier is coming off a 6-5 season that ended in an emphatic defeat in the first round of the playoffs to Liberty Hill. The Voks were bi-district finalists, with a 4-2 district record.
The team returns 20 lettermen, including four starters on offense and five on defense.
Lanier opens the season on Friday, Aug. 28 against Holy Cross at 7 p.m. at the SAISD Sports Complex.
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