For Dave Canales, his first practice was one to remember

Canales referenced keeping music on throughout practice, though he’s particular about the volume levels. He wants coaches to be able to be heard over the din, so in particular periods, he’s happy with the volume being at a 7, but while instructing, it might be at a 3.

So as his players stretched, Outkast’s “Roses” was probably at a loud-but-not-obnoxius level, as he walked head-nodding around and shaking hands with players as they began. But when Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” came on during a team period, it was much lower, and the air drums he was playing as players got into position could almost be heard.

He’s not in charge of the playlist; he leaves that to Beckenstein and scouting assistant Kaleb Leach with one condition.

“Radio version,” he said, acknowledging that his practice field is in the middle of a residential zone, and he wants to make a good first impression on his new neighbors across Cedar Street.

“I’m really trying to look for the culture of what we want at practice,” he said of what he hoped to gain from this first workout. “I want guys to have fun. I want them to be focused though, but also enjoy it. And I think what I’ve seen over the years is guys begin to show their personality more once they feel really confident about what we’re doing.

“I like to see the players take over how they break their own group huddles, you know, and they have their handshakes and they have their sayings and I love to see that part of it. Love to see hustle in between drills, and we don’t have a lot of drills right now, so there’s only really two or three transitions, but I’m looking for the right energy.

“The music’s going, not so loud where we can’t hear each other, but they always listen to music when they do everything. So let’s have music the whole time, you know. So, I’m trying to feel that part like big picture from a coaching standpoint too. We don’t need a lot of like walking and reading, you know, like put your script away, coach it, coach it, coach it. Let’s have feedback every 30 to 40 seconds and really be engaged with guys.”