The sound of heavy rain pummeled the gymnasium of Northeast Lauderdale High School Tuesday as a storm moved through the area.

Inside, head football coach Curt Blackburn’s voice thundered over the rain as his squad went through summer workouts.

“This is about showing real toughness,” Blackburn said to his players.” This about how tough mentally you can be.”

Following a lackluster 3-8 season last year, the Trojans are pushing hard this year for one reason: a desire to win.

“I tell the (other players), I hope they’re tired of not having winning seasons as much as I am,” junior quarterback Lane Gordon said. “It’s no secret we haven’t had very good seasons the past three years. We’re ready to move past that.”

Tuesday, players willed themselves through a series of strenuous workouts, which concluded with an exercise Blackburn termed “prison cell” push ups — a rigorous 4-step workout.

“We are trying to build stamina, strength and mental toughness,” Blackburn said. “Mental toughness is the key. Kids now, a lot of them will get hot and tired and quit, and we’re trying to get that out of them this summer before the season comes around.”

Blackburn said his players have demonstrated a strong dedication to summer workouts with more than 50 players partaking in the voluntary offseason program.

“Most of the ones that we are counting on have been here for 90-percent of the summer,” Blackburn said. “That’s a big positive going into the season. That helps us out tremendously because we get the extra conditioning and strength workouts that the kids need in order to be successful.

“You hate to say it, but every sport has about become year round. Although I don’t particularly care for it, you have to do it to compete with other teams. If you’re not in here working every day, other teams are.”

Despite last year’s disappointing season, there is plenty of optimism within the program due to eight starters returning on offense from last year’s squad.

Led by Gordon and a pair of dynamite ball carriers in Willie Campbell and AJ Thomas, Blackburn said to expect more of a spread offense in 2015 compared to last year’s option attack.

“We’re going to get back to what we’ve done more in the past,” Blackburn said. “Last year we had young guys, and I thought the offense that we ran would put them in best position to make plays and win. Obviously we weren’t happy with 3-8, but at the same time, we were young and that would give us something to build on.”

Blackburn said the offensive philosophy change is due in large part to an increase in team speed and a new offensive weapon found late last season.

“Last year, Jarvis Cook — he played defensive back for us —he really stepped up for us toward the end of the season,” Blackburn explained. “I saw his potential on offense, and that gave us another receiving threat.”

The new attack is music to the ears of Gordon.

“I’m real excited,” Gordon said. “I didn’t get to throw the ball a lot last year, so I’m ready for that.”

But in order to reverse its fortune, Gordon and the rest of the Trojans understand it all starts with summer workouts.

“These days allow us to get better,” Gordon said. “We’re making improvements, and we’re getting into shape. (This) year we won’t get tired like we did last year.

“It’s good because we’re getting closer together. We’ll have relationships off the field, and we’ll have each other’s backs when we get into the season.”