The Vanguard Football Team Vs Covid-19
Football is a sport centered on full body contact, which created a roadblock for the program creating a season. As more precautions were taken, and Covid cases diminished, the team did not hesitate to establish the hunger they had to fight and win. Coach Mitchell shares why practicing in a pandemic never came easy.
Frontline: What was the most challenging part about strengthening the football program during the pandemic?
Coach Mitchell: “The hardest part was to keep them working hard and believing we were preparing for a season.”
The players initially started no contact, on and off practices in June 2020, and were officially told they could have a season in March 2021. That is 8 months of agonizing anticipation in the hopes for the seniors to have their last season.
As restrictions lightened, practices became more strenuous. The team effort flourished because practices would start at 3:00 pm, and end at 7:00. The three to four hour practices never wasted a moment. From 3:30 to about 4:45, the boys persevered in the outdoor weight room; then, from 5:00-7:00, the team spent their time working twice as hard on the field.
Football is not just some team of kids who need physical education in order to pass highschool, it’s a family, built by strong-willed coaches and determined players. If a Vanguard plays safety, tackle, wide receiver, tight end, or even a middle linebacker, it’s their job to execute their position properly, and guide their fill-ins to mental and physical success.
Certain players may not play as much as others, yet that never stopped them from supporting their teammates and focusing on self improvement. Specifically, the current graduating Seniors persistently reminded their younger peers that selflessness and high intensity leads to victory.
With the season now ended with an awesome 4-2 record, we hope for the burning domination of our football players to continue on for generations to come.
