The boys varsity football team has had an immense improvement this year compared to last, finishing with a record of 5-4 heading into the playoffs. 

There are a great number of factors that go into the improvement of a team. There are things like the team’s relationship and trust in one another. 

“Last year we had more trust in certain individuals rather than everyone as a team and that’s changed,” Tyrell Whitfield said. 

Another big part is the time that the team has had to practice, and how they use that time. Coach Yarmon Kirksey has seen this in his team’s work in the weight room, which he thinks has helped overcome last year’s rushed performances.

“Getting in better shape and having a full off-season this year, since I came late, which allowed our guys to be bigger, stronger, and faster,” Kirksey said. 

Kirksey has brought on many new coaches that help specialize in specific parts of the games and positions. This allows for more stability and one on one time for personal improvement as well as improvement as a team. 

”We are talented and well-rounded,” Assistant Coach Matt Elder said. 

Some players on the team believe that having a higher record brings the team closer while others view it as the opposite way around.  

“When we lose we come closer together because that’s not how we want to be or look,” Percy Childs said. 

The coaches believe that winning is not the only thing that will get their guys better. They have to constantly do plays and run-throughs until they can complete them to their best possible ability.

“We keep ourselves motivated by trying out best to prove our haters wrong. So many people talk (negatively) on our team and our season last year and each game we do what we can to prove otherwise,” Whitfield said. 

Though there is a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into each practice and every play they still allow themselves to have fun with the sport and their teammates. 

“We’ve bonded a lot over the off-season. We got better at communicating as a group, but overall we a very goofy yet hard-working team,” Childs said.