We all agree that one of the most favorite seasons of the school year is the football season. A season where parents, students, and staff come together to enjoy a game and cheer at the stars of the day, the players. In the football world, some students stand out not only for their talent but also for having faced the challenge of playing at higher levels than their own. This season some of our younger male students got the opportunity of playing on the Varsity team of LHS and although it may not seem like it, they have different opinions about their time on the top team. 

Emotions such as excitement and nerves are always present when getting involved in something new and on top of that at a higher level than one is used to. Although fear can also be present in these situations, our underclassmen men have been confident and excited about joining the Varsity team.“Honestly, it was a lot of fun, I looked up to a lot of people, they took me under their wing, great team bonding, it was just like a second family,” Sophomore, Alfonzo Ramos said.

Even if it was for a short time, playing for varsity was a fulfilling experience for the players. They all learned a lot. “I learned to never stop, and that someone will always be better than you but you just can’t stop at little things,” said Ramos. Sophomore, Sterling Thomas also said that it is a lot more of a responsibility and he had to be a lot more mature. “When you get to the higher level it is a lot faster” added Freshman, Decklan Hinnefield.

When asked which team they preferred to play on, JV/ Freshman or Varsity, we got a lot of mixed answers. Each player had a different reason and opinion, but in the end, it was a split decision Freshman, Logan Pribble seemed to have pros for both teams. “I liked freshman better because I got to play more, but I enjoyed varsity too,” Pribble explained. Other individuals felt that playing at a higher level gave them something new.“I liked Varsity better because I learned much more.” freshman, Dante Carter, said.

In terms of support, the teammates are very supportive of each other. They never give up and try to always be at their best. Almost everyone agrees that two of the most supportive people were Coach Odlum and Coach Gaines, who were always helping them and motivating them when they felt things were not going well. “He was always there for everybody, he was a big leader on the team, he made everybody come together and he made the whole team connected,” stated sophomore, Triston Henry

Our amazing Varsity coach was named most supportive by most of our players., Coach Odlum loved having the underclassmen coming out and having the experience that the Varsity players get during the football season, he mentioned that the coaches go out and pick the players that work hard to play for a few weeks.“Confirmation of the skill, the size, and the strength to compete at the varsity level is what we look for,” explained coach O.

James Ramirez Ceballos even mentioned the support he receives from people who aren’t on the field with him. His sister Kimberly Ramirez Ceballos shows her support for the team by being a football manager.

Dedication and effort are fundamental elements in any sport. With a great commitment, our football players had subjected themselves to two intense weeks of practice with approximately two hours of training almost every day.“We trained every day except Fridays because of the games,” said Hinnefield 

Most of them plan on playing next year, and hopefully on at the Varsity level are proud to have these players, and happy that their part of our Liberty community.