South Kitsap coaches and players remained steadfast during last week’s football camp that they have moved past their dismal 2010 season.

But the Wolves’ “Fight For Every Inch” motto has direct ties to their worst season in more than three decades.

“I take last season as a learning experience,” said senior-to-be Kaleb Nelson, who plays fullback and linebacker. “We were a lot better team than our record showed. We were in a lot of close games.”

South finished with a 3-7 record last year — its worst mark since 1977 — but four of those losses were by 10 points or fewer.

That is where the team’s motto again comes in.

“Physically you fight for every inch,” he said. “When you block somebody, you don’t just drive them two yards — you drive them 10 yards. Instead of getting hit and falling over because you’re tired, you keep those feet driving. It’s once you hit that wall in the second or third quarter when you’re exhausted, you just have to keep going and fight.”

Another senior-to-be, wide receiver Aaron La Deaux, felt a lot of last year’s issues stemmed from a lack of confidence. After winning their season opener against British Columbia’s Vancouver College High School, the Wolves lost five consecutive games.

“It was more like a snowball effect for our team,” La Deaux said. “No one really picked us up at all and that’s what we need from our captains and seniors this year.”

Both La Deaux and Nelson, who serves as a captain along with senior-to-be quarterback Eddie Meisner, said that was a focus of the five-day camp.

“This has been a refresher to get everyone back into (football) mode,” Nelson said. “When the games start, everyone is going to be ready mentally, fundamentally and physically.”

Sigurdson said about 70 players turned out and he expects at least 10 more to arrive when fall camp opens Aug. 15. He said players will continue their normal lifting regime in the high-school weight room this week. Tests to measure jumps, lifts and squats will occur the following week.