With the start of the school year, the Jamesville-DeWitt football team suited up and prepared for a full season ahead of them, despite not forming a varsity team last year. This was the first time they had another so-called “normal” season since the 2020-2021 season. With this, the Modified, Junior Varsity and Varsity rosters are all filled.
“Pre-season has gone well and we were relatively injury-free. The difficulty has been the amount of teaching and learning that has to be achieved. Most of our team has never played a varsity football game.” Varsity Coach Ormond states.
Despite the inexperience and through the many challenges and obstacles, the coaching staff and players on the varsity team have already competed twice this season, and are ecstatic for the remainder of the games ahead. Though craving a victory, one of the most important goals this year is creating memories for the current juniors and seniors who were cut short last year.
“I am excited for our juniors and seniors about returning to the varsity level of play. I was deeply saddened last year for the handful of seniors who didn’t get a chance to play their senior season, and I didn’t want that to occur again.” Says Coach Ormond.
Between the hours of recruiting and spreadsheets with possible players varying in all different grades, Coach Ormond helped tremendously to make this season happen this year. He’s been with the team for a countless number of years, and never gave up with the program or the players.
Alongside Coach Ormond and the other coaching staff have been this year’s captains: Braden McVicker, Oscar Blair, Nasir Williams, Hayden Fleet and Tony Murphy. Each captain brings something new to the table, and pushes the team in different aspects.
One of the captains, Fleet, expresses, “Now as an upperclassmen it’s great to have a leadership role on the team. The start of this season has not been what we had in mind, however we are a young team. Each practice we get better, and we work harder.”
Since football is not a year round sport, like soccer or basketball, the team comes in at the beginning of each season with a strong work ethic and excitement to be back. This makes each individual player work harder in hopes for an outcome that reflects it.
“You have to be tough; physically and mentally to play football. It is really easy not to play, so I am exceptionally proud of these young men who come out and grind every day,” Ormond exclaims.
The team’s first two games ended in a loss, but taking it as more of a learning experience, they know what to work on for the games ahead.
