Out on Proctor Field, the Wildcats are roaring as they welcome old and new fans to the 2023 football season.
At press time the Wildcats have a win-to-loss record of 2-3, with their most recent victory coming on Friday, October 6, at home against Boston Latin Academy. This year carries a lot of hope among team members to also continue the 2022 season’s success.
“We expect to have fun and have a winning record for another year,” senior captain Kevin Brown said. “We aren’t the same team as last year, but we [want to] show that we can be better or the same.”
To carry on a successful season, preparation is a major factor. Each practice is extensive and molded for each player to feel ready for that week’s game.
“We usually have a two -and-a-half hour practice, five days a week, excluding a game. Our practices go through our individual positions first, and then we combine with the whole team for the full offense and defense,” Brown said. “We also take pride in going full speed and high contact to make ourselves game ready.”
Other ways the team has prepared for the season have included various team bonding activities.
“Team bonding helps our overall success. We [had] our second year of pre-season training at Camp Caribou,” senior varsity captain Jonah Backer said. “This was five days worth of practices, team bonding exercises, campfires, workouts, swimming in the lake, and enjoying getting to know each other. This really kicked off our season in a strong way and made our team much closer.”
Even before their trip to camp, the team started working together over the summer.
“Doing certain activities to grow our bonds, but also working hard and sweating together every day…[made us] a family in a way,” Brown said. “That made it easier to uplift and talk to our teammates.”
Head varsity football coach Jim Wilcon also believes that beyond preparation, the fans’ energy additionally affects how well the team communicates, bonds, and performs.
“The players feed off the energy of the fans, their friends, and family. We need as many kids as possible to come to the games and support the team as loudly as they can and be creative,” Wilcon said. “White outs, black outs, cow bells, signs, group cheers, etc. They should be excited to see their friends play and try to help our school be successful and take pride in being part of it. We need that support through the good and bad.”
Fans seem ready to cheer the team on to multiple wins under the lights, and agree with Wilcon about how important their role can be.
“I hope the team will play well again this year,” junior Megan Dacey said. “The student section can help ensure that because our energy definitely affects the energy of the game. I think the student body can help to bring the energy by really committing to the themes with their outfits and cheering loudly for our team.”
As expectations stay high for another successful season, players can feel the weight of those goals. To relieve this stress, the team has come up with a helpful strategy on how to view each game.
“Every season the expectation is the same: work as hard as you can to give yourself a chance to be successful each week; we only focus on one game at a time,” Wilcon said. “That might sound like a cliche, but it is the truth. Ask any player who plays, we don’t talk about wins and losses, having a winning record, making the playoffs, etc. We only focus on one game each week, win or lose, and then move on.”
Despite wanting to carry home many wins, the most important thing to the team is to put in their best efforts, and have fun.
“I am expecting everyone to work hard and have fun while doing it,” senior varsity captain Emilio Tanzi said.
