Buzzing with eagerness and anticipation, Stafford’s team is prepared to play a game we’ve never seen before. “We’ve really been looking forward to this game since the summer and now that it’s finally one week away, the entire team is all fired up,” senior Dominic Smith declared.
Stafford’s team has been on a rigorous schedule, starting the season months in advance. Every December, the team is back in the weight room building their endurance to improve themselves and be the best players they can be. Being in the weight room day in and day out, the team is working hard to make this a season the school will never forget.
“We’ve been working hard since December to try and prove to everybody that we’re not the same old Stafford,” junior Jayden White-Hardy said.
Many of this season’s players are seniors. They’re all riddled with excitement because it’s their final season, their final chance to represent their school. Even though anticipation is coursing through their veins, many can’t help but feel empathy for the seniors last year who didn’t get the opportunity to participate last season.
“I’m not gonna lie, it hurt. But it mainly hurt for the seniors, since it was their last time playing James Monroe. It definitely hurt because we were training for months just for it to get canceled,” Senior Zion Gray expressed. Stafford’s deep passion and hard work is the backbone for the team. “It’s deeper than football. It’s a lot more emotional. We can’t lose this game, it’s the biggest game of our season,” senior De’Andre Monroe devotedly shared.
Not only is this football game a big event for the players, but Stafford’s student section (known as the Blue Wave) goes all out to show their school spirit. Every game, the Blue Wave is a sea of colors, ranging from gold to neon.
Junior, Kalli Pederson, on Stafford’s Varsity cheer team says, “I feel that it does bring students together, because when everyone dresses up in whatever theme for a certain game, there’s no judgment. It’s just a fun way to bond with people you’ve never really met before.” She expresses that one of her favorite parts of the games is the ability to feed off the Blue Wave’s energy, and the excitement of cheering for them.
Although the overall atmosphere for tomorrow’s game is full of dedication and enthusiasm, there is still a lingering sting from last year’s forfeit. “Any game taken from the kids hurts. They work so hard,” Stafford’s head varsity football coach, Jeff Drugatz said. “It was a gut check. It was almost like losing somebody. It felt like a breakup. And I felt for the players, all of the time they put in.”
After last season’s unfortunate events, Stafford’s team, student body, and staff are all looking forward to tomorrow’s game, as a way to commemorate the events of last season, and to kickstart the school year.
